Rising British filmmaker Jack Howard delivers a moving and visually assured debut with The Second Time Around, a short film that lingers long after its final frame. Blending fantasy and human drama with quiet confidence, Howard crafts a story that feels both intimate and otherworldly, a reflection on grief, memory, and the mysterious intersections of time.

Set on a rain-slick London night, the film follows a young waitress (Hannah Onslow) as she closes her café, only to encounter a mysterious older woman (Caroline Goodall) whose presence seems to blur the boundaries between past and present. What begins as a simple exchange unfolds into a deeply emotional revelation, one that touches on love, loss, and the fleeting chance to make peace with what’s gone before.

Hannah Onslow, best known for her breakout roles in Jay Kelly and This City is Ours, gives a nuanced, captivating performance, subtle yet powerful, embodying a character caught between duty and curiosity. Opposite her, Caroline Goodall (Schindler’s List, Hook) brings her signature grace and gravitas, grounding the film with a quiet intensity that only an actor of her experience could deliver. Together, they create a dynamic that feels deeply human, even as the story flirts with the supernatural.

Visually, the film is stunning. The rain-drenched London streets are rendered with painterly care by Howard’s cinematographer, while the moody lighting and restrained score evoke a timeless melancholy. Every frame feels deliberate, intimate, a testament to Howard’s transition from online comedy to serious, emotionally resonant storytelling.

Having already won the Best Sci-Fi Award at the Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival in Los Angeles, and now shortlisted for Best British Short at the Iris Prize, The Second Time Around has rightfully earned its momentum in the awards circuit.

Produced by Ash Horne and Max Marlow, the short stands as a shining example of the strength of British independent filmmaking, both ambitious and grounded, cinematic yet deeply personal. Supported by the LGBTQ+ mental health charity MindOut, the film carries a quiet message of empathy and healing that feels especially poignant today.

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Verdict

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Second Time Around is an elegant and emotionally charged short that proves Jack Howard is more than ready to make the leap from online sensation to accomplished filmmaker. Anchored by two exquisite performances from Hannah Onslow and Caroline Goodall, it’s a film of atmosphere, heart, and haunting beauty, one that confirms Howard as one of Britain’s most exciting new voices in cinema.

Mark Damson