‘Downsizing’ Early Buzz: Another Compassionate Comedy From Alexander Payne
Attendees at Venice Film Festival just saw the newAlexander Paynefilm:Downsizing. The director began working onthe sci-fi dramedy, which is set in a future where people are being shrunk down to five inches to combat overpopulation, afterSideways. Payne and co-writer Jim Taylor’s latest collaboration sounds like a deviation from their past work, but according to the first batch of reviews ofDownsizing, it’s not a huge departure. The special effects aside,Downsizingapparently has the sense of humor, compassion, and poignancy generally found in the director’s films.
Below, check out theDownsizingearly buzz.
Paynepreviously saidhis film “takes something inherently absurd and ridiculous, but tells it with utter earnestness.” InDownsizing, the wonderfully ridiculous concept is people can live in a huge mansion and consume as much as they desire at five inches tall. Paul Safranek (Matt Damon), who sounds like a lot of Payne characters in that he’s stuck at a crossroad, decides to take the plunge and gets shrunk – a process which can never be reversed.
The movie currently has a 92% on Rottentomatoes. Some of the reviews are mixed, with some taking issue with what Payne has described as an episodic structure, but most critics are fans. Some reviewers even write it’s one of his more kind-hearted films. Two things about some of the following reviews:
Some sharea lotof plot details, especially about the second half of the movie.
There’s a lot of praise forHong Chau, who was so great as Jade inInherent Vice.
Variety, whose critic called it “a kind of live-action Pixar movie on acid”:
The Guardian:
The Playlist:
Independent UK:
Indiewire:
Most of these critics found the shrinking effect and miniature world convincing. Payne’s films aren’t exactly beloved for their special effects, so I’m curious to see how he pulled off the 5-inch characters. I’m very excited to see a Payne film described as sweet and whimsical, though. It sounds likeDownsizinghas his same sense humor and familiar themes, but is a departure in some ways. We’ll get a better look at the movie when the full-length trailer arrives on September 12.
