The performances in Stain-Free: Code Black are solid, as is the cinematography. The soundtrack is suggestive of John Carpenter – heavy synth and drum, setting an ominous mood. The film is wonderfully atmospheric, but a little too dark at times, making it difficult to see the situation.

A pair of cleaners, Lincoln (Thom Mathews) and Billie (Charity Farrell) who work for the secretive Stain-Free Cleaning company are sent to “a drug den on the south side” to clean up a “code black,” a crime scene, which, in this case, is a number of dead bodies.  They are told to clean it up and make sure there is no trace of the bodies or the crime.  Lincoln is nervous, Billie is confused – it’s her first code black.  They get to cleaning but one of the bodies isn’t quite dead…

Stain-Free: Code Black seems to be a reel designed to light the way to a lengthier film involving the concept and characters.  There is no real character arc in the film. Billie starts the film uncertain of her job and ends the same way, just with the knowledge that “code black” involves more than cleaning.  She finishes the job, however, and gets back in the car with Lincoln.  As a short, it is a well made little film.  As a film, it requires more of its characters and plot than are on the screen right now.  Having said that, I would watch a feature length version of Stain-Free: Code Black, assuming the narrative expands to give the audience more.

8 out of 10