On My Mind is a 2021 short film (18 minutes) from Denmark, directed by Martin Strange-Hansen.
Henrik beats his head on a window in frustration, as an offscreen voice tells him that something must happen that morning. Cut to a bar that has just opened, where Louise, the bartender, badgers her skinflint boss Preben. Enter Henrik, who despite the fact it isn't even noon, orders a double shot of whiskey. Henrik downs his drink and is about to leave when he notices the bar's karaoke machine. He tells Louise that he wants to sing a song, and pays her 500 kroner ($75) to turn the machine on so he can sing the song "Always On My Mind". Henrik gets Louise to film him, so he can play the video for his wife Trine—who is in the hospital.
Tropes
- The Bartender: Louise, who in the best bartender style is friendly and understanding to Henrik, as opposed to Preben, her jerk of a boss.
- Call-Back: Henrik drinks his whiskey, sees the condensation on the glass, and muses about how it's proof that someone lived...until it disappears. At the end, Henrik steps away from the window in the hospital room, and the camera shows his breath having fogged the glass.
- Extremely Short Timespan: A couple of hours one morning, as Henrik desperately tries to get a recording of himself singing "Always on My Mind".
- I Need a Freaking Drink: Henrik, obviously in a state of agitation, walks into a bar and orders a whiskey despite the fact that it's not even noon. Eventually it's revealed that his wife Trine is to be removed from life support that morning.
- Jerkass: Preben is a grouchy miser who totals up his own receipts because he's too cheap to hire an accountant. He's horribly obnoxious to poor Henrik, culminating in Preben unplugging the karaoke machine mid-song. When a desperate Henrik grabs his arm, Preben punches him. He at least has the good grace to be embarrassed later, returning Henrik's 500 kroner.
- Minimalist Cast: There are four speaking parts: Henrik, Louise, Preben, and the doctor pulling the plug.
- No Name Given: The doctor is never named.
- Noodle Incident: Just how Trine came to be brain dead in a hospital is never explained.
- One-Woman Wail: The closing credits play over a woman's ethereal wailing.
- Smash to Black: The film ends with a smash to black after a shot of the sun shining though the window of the hospital room.
- Taken Off Life Support: Henrik is quite desperate to get a recording of himself singing "Always on My Mind", because it was Trine's favorite song, and she's due to be taken off of life support that morning. He finally plays the recording for Trine, earbuds in her ears, and after that the doctor pulls the plug.
- Titled After the Song: The title comes from the song "Always on My Mind".
