GRXCE Take on a New Era with 'Sorry For Being Sad'

Header Image via GRXCE social media accounts

Content warning: this piece contains mention of mental ill health. If you or anyone you know is struggling please reach out. Supports and helplines can be found in the end notes of this piece.

GRXCE are a four-piece indie rock band hailing from NSW who have recently released their debut EP Sorry For Being Sad and accompanying self-produced short film directed by Sinead Campion.

Having initially watched the film in the context of the screening with cast/band Q+A to follow, there was a precedent for how impressive this project was as an indie production. Since watching on a much smaller screen, it is clear there are lots going for this nugget of media.

From the first moment of watching the film to the end, a cohesive flow weaves and threads its way through each scene. Throughout the film, there is a strong emphasis on mental health and learning to cope with different symptoms associated with those struggles as navigated by the protagonist, Jam (Shannon Thomas).

Jamila Grace, the band's front person and predominant songwriter has infused many of the songs on the EP that feature in the short film with elements of her own experience. In drawing on the challenges and triumphs of Jamila's life and embedding fibres of those stories in the lyrics and tonally in the instrumentation, courtesy of the band, GRXCE creates compelling, gritty and authentic feeling music that translates well to screen. 

Kicking off with some short scenes cut together that then transition into the first introduction of Jam while she is listening to ‘Icarus’ set the scene and establish small nuances in her character. 

Following the abrupt stop in the track as Jam enters her house, a wax and waning tension is built as it becomes clear that perhaps there is more to Jam than being a music lover. Symbolic of a challenging relationship with food and alcohol, a tense white noise pierces through the scene the way an uncomfortable lump in your throat develops when you're on the brink of overwhelm.

The second track, ‘Gravel Rash’, enters the stage when Jam goes to the bathroom, visibly worked up at a house party. The scene that follows is a red-glowing, oversaturated blur of facial expressions, movement and distortion that communicates a kind of panic that buries under the dermis layer of one’s skin; it's a gnawing panic that overrides your nervous system to an intoxicating extent.

True to the lyrics, it is evident this is one of many pivotal moments for Jam as she realises she is lost and perhaps in some ways, out of her depth.

This peak dips almost like when inhaling after a sprint as Jam has her first therapy session and begins to unpack what has been going on. Jam expressing her desire to be liked by others, the turbulence of moving places and moving on from relationships is a moment that many 20-somethings will be able to draw something from. 

‘Sober Up’ is the next track to make its way into the patchwork of this film as Jam starts processing her trauma and making sense of what it means to navigate mental illness with coping strategies.

In this chapter of Jam’s journey, audiences see her reengage with journaling, listening to music, getting out in nature and cleaning her apartment. A short animation depicts Jam when she was a child and the beginning of her recollection of experiencing anxiousness.

And then the line is delivered. The line that changed the trajectory of my own thinking.

“What if they’re looking because they see someone they want to be.”

From that point forward, the story picks a gear with ‘Butterflies’ to soundtrack the preparation for the costume party. In a move that surprised no one but is not unwelcome, ‘Costume Party’ follows suit, aptly bringing the house party atmosphere.

There are pulses of potential tipping points as Jam starts to feel overwhelmed and panicked. These are intertwined with the party lights as that familiar red blur threatens to overturn everything again.

The rest of the film winds down with a moment in the parked car where Ash, whose house the party is at, and Jam confide in each other about their experiences of anxiety and mental health issues.

At times, there is a disparity in audio levels and mixing when GRXCE tracks feature in the film compared to dialogue-heavy scenes with the former being noticeably louder.

The symbolism in this film is extensive with many Taylor Swift-esque easter eggs littered throughout which give a new meaning on every watch.

In all, some of the things this film does really well is utilise visual cues in the scenes to convey different messages such as the lighting in each therapy session getting a bit brighter as Jam is less weighed down with her worry, the scraps of paper from the journals and all the elements included in the set work harmoniously in telling GRXCE and Campion’s story eloquently

 

For help or support, please reach out to a trusted adult or the following helplines/services.

Lifeline: 13 11 14
Headspace: https://headspace.org.au/
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800