By Jane Fitzgerald

With The Second Time Around, filmmaker Jack Howard makes a strikingly confident leap from comedy into dramatic territory, crafting a short that feels both intimate and cinematic in scope. Already Oscar and BAFTA qualified, and a recent Best Sci-Fi winner at HollyShorts, the film arrives with real awards momentum, and deservedly so.

Set on a rain-drenched London night, the story pairs rising British star Hannah Onslow with veteran actress Caroline Goodall, whose collaborations with Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List, Hook) echo in her layered, magnetic performance here. As a weary waitress confronted by an enigmatic older woman, Onslow delivers a quietly affecting turn, her grounded naturalism beautifully counterbalancing Goodall’s enigmatic presence. Together, they generate a fragile tension that lingers well beyond the closing credits.

Visually, the film is rich in atmosphere: rain-soaked pavements, dim café interiors, and restrained yet evocative cinematography heighten its dreamlike qualities. Howard resists spectacle, instead trusting his performers and a sharp script to carry the emotional weight. It’s this restraint that gives the film its resonance, the fantastical premise always in service of human truths about memory, choice, and second chances.

While its festival accolades mark it as a rising contender on the awards circuit, The Second Time Around succeeds first and foremost as a deeply moving piece of storytelling. At just over ten minutes, it delivers both mystery and catharsis, affirming Howard as a director to watch and showcasing two unforgettable performances at the heart of an accomplished, haunting short.

At just over ten minutes, it delivers both mystery and catharsis, affirming Howard as a director to watch and showcasing two unforgettable performances at the heart of an accomplished, haunting short.