Just as the people in the movie Downsizing shrink, so did my enjoyment. Downsizing takes place in the near future where humans can make the irreversible choice of shrinking to help the environment. According to the firstpost.com, “His latest film Downsizing is his highest concept project to date – it’s about the human race becoming too big for its own good, and the necessity to shrink down to gain a perspective of where we all went wrong. “
The movie’s plot follows an average middle aged married couple, Paul and Karen Safrank. Having recently fallen on financially hard times, Paul and Karen discover the process of downsizing. By shrinking themselves they not only get to live in a luxury small community, they also are solving the Earth’s overpopulation issue.
According to the firstpost.com, “So here we have Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig as a stereotypical married couple incredibly bored with their jobs and life. They exist in a world where a company has developed the cure for overpopulation – shrinking humans down to pint size so their carbon footprint is reduced.”
Paul Frank is an occupational therapist. He soon becomes a pitiful character due to his mother’s sickness, having everything fall apart when he becomes small, and his wife divorces him. Matt Damon, who plays Paul, is all over the place. He plays Paul in aloof manner, rushing from one scene to the other. The Atlantic.com said, “Damon goes so far as to make his character seem practically comatose. Why does Paul want to shrink himself? Because his life is boring. What happens after he shrinks himself? His life stays boring.”
There are a few things that make a movie good. One is that is well directed so the movie flows well. Downsizing was directed by Adam Payne. His work is usually received well, but this latest movie falls short. According to The Atlantic.com, “His typically acid wit and subtle gift for quiet demonstrations of empathy have seemingly been shrunk to microscopic size in this film, and I could not locate them for the life of me.”
A movie has to keep its viewing audience entertained, not bored wishing the movie was over. Downsizing just couldn’t keep their audience happy. Meena Zoks, a freshman said, “The movie really wasn’t my taste. I found it too long and boring.”
A good movie can’t be too long. The Atlantic.com said, “But in two hours and 15 minutes, the only insight the movie offers is that stagnation is part of existence, and that while we probably can’t stop the world from ending with unbelievable scientific breakthroughs, all that matters is that humans are there for each other.”
Elana Tinelli
Staff Writer
