HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! In Derek Magyar’s short film River of Grass, Larry (Dylan McTee) is a Vietnam vet returning home after being discharged. His mother and uncle throw Larry a quiet welcome-home dinner celebration. Everyone is in good spirits except for Larry’s brother, Robert (Victor Webster), who resents his return. It appears that while daddy’s boy, Larry, was away, Robert was left to run the family camp after their father passed away.
Hoping to give her son a fresh start after his return, Mother insists that Robert bring Larry into the business. What mother doesn’t know is that after their father’s death, Robert has turned the family business into a criminal enterprise.

“Hoping to give her son a fresh start after his return, Mother insists that Robert bring Larry into the business.”
River of Grass feels like a fragment of something bigger, which is common for short films. The Cain and Abel-like relationship between Robert and Larry is central to the theme. Robert thinks Larry is soft, resenting his relationship with their father, but boiling underneath Larry is the PTSD and trauma he endured in combat.
As a short film, director Magyar, with the script he co-wrote with Jon Bloch and Chad Christopher, creates a dark and gritty drama that sets the stage for a much bigger story. Tone is everything, and with great performances from McTee and Websiter, Magyar easily sets a brooding and cinematic tone, leaving you wanting more.
River of Grass offers a gripping glimpse into a dark and complex family dynamic, with director Derek Magyar skillfully setting the stage for a much larger story. The tension between the brothers, coupled with Larry’s buried trauma, creates a brooding atmosphere that pulls you in. With strong performances and a gritty tone, this short film leaves you eager to see where the story could go next.
River of Grass screened at the 2024 Hollyshorts Film Festival.