David Lynch is a celebrated filmmaker and artist, known for his unique and often surreal style of storytelling. Despite the disturbing nature of his films, Lynch has built an expansive fan base thanks to his endearing personality and offbeat sense of humor. His activities are unpredictable, but in his latest project, the Netflix short film What Did Jack Do?, Lynch gives his funniest performance to date.
Shot in black-and-white and running for just 17 minutes, What Did Jack Do? stars Lynch as an unidentified detective interrogating a capuchin monkey who has been accused of murder. The monkey skirts around the truth before breaking out into a strangely touching rendition of “The Flames of Love” right before the credits roll. The short feels like a continuation of the Twin Peaks universe, with Lynch casting himself in a somewhat familiar role.
Lynch has been experimenting with short-form storytelling since his student days in the 1960s. Those who find his films obtuse and confusing will likely be baffled by his short films, which are even more bizarre in their aversion to structure. However, Lynch’s affinity for beautiful things shines through in all his works, even in the most disturbing projects.
In What Did Jack Do?, Lynch’s comedic talent is on full display. The humor revolves around the inherent ridiculousness of questioning a talking monkey for murder, yet Lynch is sincere in his performance. There is no hint of parody, and the straight-faced gravity of Lynch’s persona when talking to the potentially guilty monkey is not any different from a detective like Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon.
What Did Jack Do? may be short and bizarre, but it is also deeply philosophical. The monkey talks about his love for a chicken named Toototabon, and Lynch subverts the genre with his magnetic performance. The short was released on Netflix on Lynch’s birthday, and it became a gift to his fans, who were desperate for any piece of content he had touched. In the subsequent months when COVID-19 put barriers on human interaction, What Did Jack Do? was something that Lynch’s fans could celebrate and bond over.
David Lynch’s latest project, What Did Jack Do?, is a delightful and bizarre short film that showcases Lynch’s comedic talents. Lynch has always been known for his unique style of storytelling, and this short is no exception. Despite the inherent ridiculousness of the plot, Lynch’s sincerity shines through, and the film becomes a deeply philosophical exploration of love and justice. Lynch’s fans will be delighted by this latest offering, and it serves as a reminder of why Lynch is such a beloved cult filmmaker.
