Don’t Set Yourself Back

• (0:00-0:01)-The first shot shows a man doing pushups in a dreary, semi-lit room. His hair is of medium length but looks clean and well groomed. His face is showing some stubble but whether that is done on purpose is unclear. He looks to be somewhere in his twenties but no older than early thirties.

• (0:02-0:05)-The second shot shows the same man sitting up against a wall in the same room. This reveals he is wearing jeans, a white crewneck t-shirt and dark socks. He seems at ease in a relaxed position, throwing playing cards into an empty coffee can. However, his facial expression shows signs of boredom and frustration like he’s trying to pass the time. Why not leave the room? Or is he not allowed to? My first thought was that he was in a holding cell in a jail or something of a similar situation.
• (0:05-0:07)-The following shots show the man staring longingly at two photos. The first is a photo of a really nice, shiny, black, old car in a driveway. Is it his? The second photo is of a pretty, dark haired woman with fair skin and a soft smile. She’s only shown from her from the elbows up. What’s the relationship between the man and woman? Were they together at some point? Where is she now?
• (0:08-0:12)-In next few shots, the man is shown playing a harmonica, stacking matchsticks, and crossing days off an empty calendar with a sharpie. These reinforce the idea of boredom and loneliness.
• (0:13-0:15)-He is now sitting on the floor up against what looks like a bed and his bouncing something off the wall in front of him. It’s probably a ball of some kind but isn’t made clear. This makes a thumping noise.
• (0:17-0:20)-It seems the noise has attracted some attention as an older woman, probably in her forties or early fifties, opens the door carrying a laundry basket. She’s dressed in a floral blouse and tan cardigan. Her hair is dark brown and cropped short. Her expression appears frustrated and she sternly tells the man in the room to “knock it off.” He replies “sorry mom.”
• (0:20-0:22)A wider shot reveals this has all taken place in what looks like a teenage boy’s bedroom. There are posters decorating the walls and several sports trophies are on display throughout the room. It’s implied that this is the man’s room. However, we must ask why it looks as if it’s inhabited by a boy about half his age.
• (0:22-0:25)The man then picks himself up from the floor and promptly flops onto the small twin bed behind him in defeat.
• (0:22-0:31)As the ad ends, the words “Buzzed, Busted, Broke” flash across the screen. The purpose of the ad is to appeal to people from a financial viewpoint. Being arrested for driving while even slightly intoxicated can result in high fines and legal fees. It’s implied that the man was arrested for buzzed driving and had to pay the fines and legal fees which made him “broke.” Now he’s now living back at home with his mother.

https://youtu.be/YImw-XRf2qU