Ever since the Oscars from last year came out, this picture had been considered a possible contender for the Best Picture this year. An intriguing premise with an all-star cast is usually sure fire Oscar bait. The trailers seemed promising enough, with great special effects and funny moments.
Unfortunately, Downsizing is a mess. I will give in and say that the first thirty or so minutes of this film had me excited. Certain twists were genuinely surprising and the premise appeared it could actually amount to an entertaining time. And this opening act flew by. But then the film comes to a screeching halt. Mixed messages are thrown at the viewer about humanity and our effect on the environment. The social satire was left behind as it give way to a message piece that never really hit the strides of the opening.
The performances are passible, but you cannot help but feel the wasted potential on screen. Damon and Waltz do nothing we have not seen before, which is not necessarily bad but just feels cliched at this point. Hong Chau (Inherent Vice) gave the most interesting performance. However, her character is ultimately wasted in lieu of this awkward warning for humanity.
I could tell that Payne was attempting to impress an important issue on the viewer, yet the exact message never came across, leaving me very confused. The film shies away from any climax, content with just continuing the story but not letting viewers in on its secrets.
Downsizing had all the promise in the world, yet it fumbled on execution. Thankfully, the Oscars stayed away from this movie, and you should too.
When should you see it?
Cable (and turn it off after 30 minutes)
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