SO IT GOES ft. Mary Elizabeth Winstead | Omeleto

A singer tries to find her voice.


SO IT GOES is used with permission from Justin Carlton. Learn more at https://justincarlton.com.


Samantha is a singer-songwriter experiencing a paralyzing creative block. The vicissitudes of life are wearing on her, and she's just not enjoying writing or making music anymore.

Recording sessions aren't going well, and even her own family isn't supportive of her, not understanding the unique nature of her block. But a chance meeting with a mysterious stranger in a park reignites her inspiration, transforming her and her music.

Directed and written by Justin Carlton, this agile, charming short comedy-musical portrays the evanescent, whimsical nature of inspiration, tracing the efforts of a musician to reconnect and rediscover her chosen craft. Through a series of engaging and joyful musical sequences, Samantha slowly overcomes overwork, burnout and a sense of crushing judgment to find the joy in making music again.

The film opens with a sense of darkness and stasis, shrouding Samantha in the shadows of her apartment and recording area and unable to even sing. When her sister comes by and chides Samantha for both being obsessed with work and having nothing to show for it, we get a sense that her sister's words are an echo of Samantha's self-recriminations.

Seeking some space, Samantha goes for a walk, where she meets an eccentric stranger. They eventually talk about music, segueing into a delightful musical interlude. As they sing Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said," the camera and cinematography pick up brightness and energy. Though it comfortably exists in the film's naturalistic register, it also falls deftly into the tradition of the "movie magic" that musicals offer.

And that energy carries through to Samantha's own music, which she finally finds the inspiration to record. These two musical performances, which differ in genre and emotion, give lead actor Mary Elizabeth Winstead a chance to showcase her vocal talents, but they also serve as pivotal moments in Samantha's emotional and creative resurgence. Through them, both viewers and Samantha experience the transformational power of music and performance itself -- we start the song in one headspace, and by the end, we're beautifully delivered to a new emotional place.

That minor miracle is the centerpiece of SO IT GOES, relayed with considerable simplicity and charm and delivering the lesson that our joy in life can be rekindled through our everyday lives -- if only we give ourselves the space and presence of mind to be open to them. It makes for a relatable and uplifting film, one that will be the bright spot in the day for many viewers.