Bud Burkett Was All Set To Die - Screenplay Review

Totally lacking in originality. Unimaginative. Unremarkable. Unartistic.

Oh, wait. That isn’t our review - it’s just Bud Burkett reading his rejection letters out loud to God.

And that’s precisely the brilliance of Jeff Reese’s short comedy. "Bud Burkett Was All Set to Die" begins where most stories end: with a man ready to pull the trigger. Bud, an aging, failed artist, stands in his sunflower field, gun in hand, determined to end it all. But before he goes, he decides to give God a piece of his mind. What follows is a darkly funny yet touching exchange that turns despair into laughter.

A witty narrator accompanies Bud, turning moments of potential tragedy into biting humor. When Bud shoves the gun in his mouth, the narrator deadpans, "Oh, this may be shorter than I thought." The joke lands perfectly - unsettling, funny, and oddly comforting all at once.

In just ten pages, Reese crafts a story that’s both absurd and deeply human. Beneath the humor lies a reflection on failure, self-worth, and the quiet resilience of an artist who can’t help but keep creating, even in his final moments. The result is a comedy that somehow manages to be moving, life-affirming, and wildly entertaining.

So how do we sum it up? "Bud Burkett Was All Set to Die" is funny, original, and unexpectedly heartwarming - a sharp, soulful story that turns darkness into laughter. Or, in Bud’s own words: “Un-fucking-believable.” And God knows how true that is.