Dumb-Bell Letters No. 22: Proof that people have always been weird

Is it worth your time?

If you enjoy historical weirdness or just need a laugh at how strange human communication can be, then yes. It’s a short, punchy watch that doesn’t demand much from your brain. If you’re looking for a plot, look elsewhere. This isn’t The Boundary Rider; there are no heroes or epic landscapes here, just the pure, unadulterated nonsense of the general public.

It’s essentially a documentary about people who probably shouldn't be allowed to own stationery. The whole thing is built around Juliet Jowell’s collection of mail, and honestly, some of these people make the characters in The Big Kick look like geniuses.

The rhythm of the mail

There’s something hypnotic about the way the letters are presented. It feels like someone just dumped a box of papers on a desk and said, 'Read these out loud.' It’s not polished. It’s not trying to be high art. It just is.

Some of these letters are just plain baffling. You find yourself wondering if the people writing them were having a stroke or just really, really bored. One guy spends three minutes complaining about a delivery in a way that makes me think he had nothing else going on in his life. Total obsession.

• The pacing is erratic, like a jittery person telling a story.
• The tone shifts from angry to confused in about two seconds.
• I’m pretty sure one of these letters was written by a dog. (Okay, not really, but it feels like it.)

It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Danger Lights, but with way less train-related action. It’s just people shouting into the void, hoping a company representative will listen. Spoilers: they usually don't.

It’s not perfect. Sometimes the reading drags on, and you just want to get to the next letter. But there’s a charm to its clumsiness. It doesn’t pretend to be more than a collection of funny notes. And honestly? I respect that. 📮

Watching this made me look at my own sent folder with a lot of suspicion. Are we all just 'dumb-bells' waiting to be featured in a short film? Probably. Grab a snack, turn your brain off, and just listen to the madness.