Fried, Flustered, and Fantastic: Kulinski Serves Up a Sharp Short
What do you get when you mix a city-slicker PA, three orders of dive-bar poultry, and a roomful of suspicious Midwesterners? Ethan Kulinski’s Three Chicken Dinners, a deceptively simple short that simmers with tension, fries up the laughs, and proves that less really is more—especially when it’s served with a side of regional charm and just a dash of existential dread.
Fresh out of UW-Stout and already brandishing a confident eye for character, Kulinski crafts his first post-grad directorial effort with the precision of someone who’s watched Fargo one too many times.
The story is lean: Grayson, a wide-eyed assistant on a film set, is dispatched to grab food from the local joint. But this isn’t just about chicken. It’s about control, class, and the strange alchemy of human interaction. Why is everyone so resistant to his polite presence? What are they really protecting? And why does that dinner feel like a death sentence?
Kulinski’s writing crackles with authenticity, capturing the regional rhythms and unspoken rules of Midwestern life with a wry, unpretentious wit. The comedic timing is pitch-perfect—dry, awkward, and deliciously uncomfortable. The cast embodies their roles with the kind of naturalism that makes you forget they’re acting. You feel like you’re eavesdropping on real people, not watching a performance.
The pacing is deftly handled—tight, economic, and purposeful. Not a moment is wasted. Tension builds with quiet confidence, and the editing keeps the gears turning without drawing attention to itself. Atmosphere is king here, and Kulinski knows exactly when to let the silence do the talking.
Sure, the visuals could use a bit of polish—some color correction tweaks might have elevated a few scenes—but this is nitpicking at a table that’s already full. In a landscape oversaturated with overproduced shorts that say nothing, Three Chicken Dinners says a lot by saying very little. It’s simple, sure, but simplicity is often the hardest dish to get right.
