Validation is the type of story I’m not supposed to like. The emotional arc is blunt, as Love Story was meant to make you feel good by making you feel sad, Validation is attempting to make you feel a good by making you feel good. The characters, specifically the protagonist, are almost completely one-sided, seeming to drift more than grow.

All that being said, the story is exceptionally effective. I found myself smiling when the protagonist was at his best, and feeling bad for him when he broke. I wanted the love interest to acquiesce, and at the point in the third act when the story starts to wrap itself up, I knew the ending and was looking forward to it.

All that in a scant 16 minutes of film. Validation is a strong lesson in sticking to the fundamentals of story.