Co-written by John Kelly and Tara Lawall, Retirement Plan offers a quiet and bittersweet reflection on the transition to retirement. Narrated with gentle restraint by Domhnall Gleeson, the film serves as an ode to the complex relationship we have with time. Whilst time is the keeper of our most precious memories, it is also the force that steals our ambitions and wears down our bodies. In a brief runtime of 7 minutes, Kelly and Lawall convey with skilful wit the irony to be found in post-retirement life.

The musings of Ray, the animated figure contemplating his post-retirement dreams, are deeply relatable. Sharp and poignant writing balances comforting humour with the melancholy reflections of lost time. Lines like “I will finally find my sport. I will paraglide”, followed by a cut to the elderly Ray struggling with his walker and the corrected statement “I will not paraglide”, highlight the gap between idealized ambitions and the reality of ageing. The animation frequently undercuts Ray’s lofty declarations, turning them into moments of self-aware comedy that will resonate with anyone who has ever had to reconcile dreams with the limitations of their body.

The delicate balance between playful, relatable humour and the existential fear of time running out strikes a chord that will resonate universally with viewers. Achieving this balance is challenging in a long-form film, let alone a short. Kelly proves that brevity can sometimes be the perfect vehicle for insight and universal truth, allowing viewers to feel both the joy and melancholy of retirement without becoming overwhelmed by unnecessary visuals or excessive length.

The film’s minimalist animation style is central to achieving its power in simplicity. Marah Curran and Eamonn O’Neill have opted for a hand-drawn aesthetic – simple lines, flat colours and a muted palette define forms without excessive detail. This is not a short that clamours for attention with bright, flashy visuals, but rather one that purposefully embraces a subdued, almost meditative simplicity. By having stripped-back visuals combine with the gentle tone of Gleeson’s narration, what really shines through is the music. John Carroll Kirby’s piano piece delivers the emotional undercurrent to the film. Whilst soothing and flowing, driving forward the stream of consciousness narration that follows the passage of time, there is a sense of unease to the composition. Kirby’s use of dissonant and unresolved chords work perfectly to frame the existential reflections that are at the heart of this film. 

Retirement Plan is a beautifully crafted short film that captures the bittersweet reality of growing old with equal parts wit and emotional depth. The film makes its world premiere at SXSW 2025 in the Animated Shorts Program – premiering on March 8 at 9:30pm at Rollins Theatre at The Long Center and on March 12 at 10:45am at Alamo Lamar 9. Find more information here.

Rachel Sinclair