Lazy Susan - A Short Film Comedy on the Untold History of a Famous Inventor

NAME: APPLETON DESMOND ESSEL

INDEX NUMBER: BFATP28005

FILM ANALYSIS

Directed by the imaginative duo Terri Timely (Corey Creasey & Ian Kibbey), Lazy Susan is a hilarious and surprisingly heartwarming short film that asks a simple question: what if the famous turntable was invented not out of engineering brilliance, but pure laziness? In just under seven minutes, this film spins a quirky origin story filled with clever visual gags, sibling rivalry, and a subtle message about how doing less can sometimes lead to more. 

From the opening voiceover, Susan tells us she never liked to move much. And with that, the tone is set. Set in the 1990s, within a struggling Chinese-American family restaurant, Lazy Susan quickly unfolds as an underdog tale where innovation springs from unlikely motivation. The story is both playful and sneakily empowering. It’s less about inventing a global kitchen staple and more about finding your own way to contribute even if that way looks like doing nothing at all. Despite its simplicity, the film builds in subtle surprises, especially with its visual storytelling. The final “aha” moment, revealed through a slick camera move and a visual punchline, lands with real charm. 

Susan (Monica Hong) is hilarious in her understated, deadpan performance. Her refusal to lift a finger is never annoying and in fact, it’s what makes her so relatable. Her sister Annie (Julia Morizawa) is the perfect foil thus high energy, chore-happy, and determined to keep the restaurant afloat by sheer willpower. Their sibling dynamic is spot-on and it captures that classic tension between the overachiever and the under-motivated sibling in a way that feels both exaggerated and completely real. Their back and forth is where most of the film’s emotional and comedic energy comes from. 

Visually, Lazy Susan is a delight. The cinematography is polished and intentional, with spinning objects and circular motion woven throughout, from office chairs to record players and of course, the final Lazy Susan itself. These visual cues are more than just playful thus they set up the payoff without needing to explain anything. The camera glides smoothly, especially in the final scene where it pans across the restaurant floor to show Susan’s many inventions quietly in use. It's satisfying, subtle, and speaks louder than any dialogue could. The use of bright 90s era set design, colorful costumes, and quick cuts adds energy to the otherwise laid-back plot. Everything is well-framed, well-lit, and thoughtfully composed. 

The soundtrack here works like a secret ingredient and it doesn’t overwhelm, but it adds just enough flavor. There’s upbeat, era-appropriate music during Annie’s fast-paced scenes, and quieter moments that let Susan’s laid-back world breathe. Dialogue is crisp and clear, and the sound mix balances everything nicely. You’ll never miss a line or feel lost in the audio. The sound effects like spins, clicks, chair squeaks are subtle but help sell each moment. While the score isn’t necessarily memorable, it supports the mood perfectly without stealing the spotlight. 

Lazy Susan surprised me in the best way. It’s quick, clever, and full of heart. It takes a silly idea “What if laziness could be an asset?” and turns it into a story about contribution, creativity, and unexpected genius. Its greatest strength is its tone. It doesn’t try to do too much. And even though it’s played for laughs, the message is sincere: sometimes people make a difference in their own quiet, unusual way. If there’s a weakness, it might be that the humor won’t land for everyone since it’s stylized, quirky, and may feel a little gimmicky if you prefer more grounded stories. But for fans of inventive, high-concept shorts, this one hits the mark. 

#VisualStorytelling #IVS2025 #UniMACIFT