Lapsis

The Writer-Director of Lapsis, Noah Hutton, is the savvy heir to the throne of Tim Hutton and Debra Winger, two of the Hollywood elite of the last generation. Therefore, it should by all means disqualify him from achieving any success as a Writer or Director. I should write a negative review just in the hope of stopping him from taking on a bigger and more influential presence in the film industry.

In this case, however, he is redeemed substantially by providing us with an original concept, a well-written screenplay, unknown cast and a troubling alternative universe. None of this should have happened, but because it did, Noah Hutton deserves praise for a job well done and congratulations for his bright future in this industry.

In another life, Noah might have played his parents' connections to the extent that the result would have been worthless. However, he has exceeded that level of achievement and is the pleasant recipient of an indescribable satisfaction, the kind of result that comes from a deep understanding of the nuances of story and directing, a rare achievement for a young person of any lineage.

Since I had no preconceived notions about the storyline, I went into this blindly, and was amazed that I felt as compelled as I did to follow the main plot to the end. Although none of the actors was recognizable, everyone performed their roles well, and every word that was uttered seems to have been arrived at naturally.

The basis of the story is that there is a technology known as "quantum computing" that is similar in some way to 5G and the population is similarly paranoid about it as many are about 5G towers. The way the Quantum tech is executed is through having ordinary people string cables through miles of wilderness areas to provide the access to the so-called "quantum" technology and it is up to desperate people to run the miles of cable through the wilderness to various cubes of this unknown technology -- again, very similar to 5G, albeit much more insidious.

The central character, RAY, is a chubby schulb who is hired to run cable through miles of forest, and finds out halfway through that he has been given a false name to use on the job which causes everyone to distrust him. Thus, the mystery is born. What is the significance of the name? What is the hidden cost of the technology? He undertakes a mission with a high payout, to run cables for many miles, and is slowly educated by a woman he meets on the trail named Anna, who reveals some part of the mystery what the name he was given really means.

All through the screenplay we are left trying to decode the various clues that are dropped without much success, until we reach the point where several loose threads are tied together near the end. There is a moment of triumph, but in the back of our minds, the triumph is very much a false one. The corporate entities that are the villains of the story are there, and. as in real life, they have a stranglehold on the brave new world of Lapsis.

In an near-future verion of New York, a technological revolution has begun via quantum computing. To lay the network for this computing, however, still requires physical labor as miles of cabling must be laid down for the infrastructure. Enter Cablr, the company providing the opportunity for just that at suspiciously high rates. Ray Tincelli, skeptical of the new technology, is forced to obtain a shady permit and buy into it due to the increasingly unaffordable costs of his half brother's medical care.

A seemingly straightforward story of a man working hard to care for his family, the decision to interlace a mystery of who Lapsis is gives the movie depth and intrigue as Ray tries to work both problems at once. An obvious allegory for super companies like Amazon and Wal-Mart and their business practices as they pertain to how they treat their employees, Lapsis can be viewed as cautionary tale. The balance of power that begins to shift in the film could signal a herald in our own times due to the growing dissatisfaction of working conditions in America and abroad.

One of the strong suits of Lapsis is its lack of big name stars. To that end, Dean Imperial makes for a perfect lead in the film. As Ray, a man who's seemingly a step behind in life and constantly a step behind in figuring out the mystery of Lapsis, Imperial plays the perfect Vintage New Yorker. Ray takes advantages of the situations handed to him and isn't afraid to cause a little malfeasance when need be; with his affable easygoing nature and questionable fashion sense, he'd be right at home with the characters in The Sopranos. Still, Ray has a tenderness to him as well, especially in the treatment of his younger brother. Madeline Wise is excellent as Anna, the wily old vet of the company who links up with Ray about halfway into the movie. Strongly opinionated about the company, and capitalism in general, Anna serves as the moral compass for the film. Wise does great with the material she's given and the relationship between her and Imperial plays well and has a natural charm to it.

Written and directed by Noah Hutton, Lapsis makes every possible use of its limited budget to tell an intriguing, engaging story that touches on topics of class differential, corporate manipulation, and the strength of family bonds. Shot in a mere few weeks, the production and camerawork are commendable, bolstered by the behind the scenes featurette also included with the home release. Hutton keeps the pacing of the story moving at a nice clip; with a 108 minute runtime, the movie sails by, especially once Ray gets into the forest and starts laying cable.

Overall, Lapsis is a slickly told, entertaining film that utilizes the trappings of science fiction to tell a larger story of greed, both corporate and personal. At a time where the dangers of capitalism and exploitation of workers is becoming increasingly prevalent, Noah Hutton's story could be considered contemporary no matter what time period it was set in. Solid direction, solid acting, and a great use of a small budget ensures that while not making huge waves in the genre, Lapsis will still be considered a worthy cult film. If you're looking for a sci-fi movie that's a bit off the beaten trail, Lapsis is available on digital and home release on May 11th.

The concept of the story was really innovative with lots of commentary on gig economy workers. And how they're often taken advantage of. But I think much of the film was supposed to be satire. And if it was, it failed at making that clear. There were so many absurdities and plot holes that would have been fine if it was clear that it was satire. But it was always hard to tell.

Coincidentally, the week before seeing this, I watched Ordinary People (one of my favorite films) from 1980. It starred a young Timothy Hutton, who would go on to be the father of the director of this movie. Small world.

Ultimately, a nice try. But it needs a tone that's a little more clear.

An amazing & engaging start, something weird is going on here & I enjoyed the journey with our lead, Ryan Reynolds', slightly chubby older brother.

The world building is interesting & is definitely intriguing up to one hour, but then it starts to wander about & you start wondering will there be a pay off, which there isn't.

It feels like there's an impending Orwellian, dystopian horror in hour one, but it's rather heavy handed social commentary, inviting dangerous tech into our lives, cruel mega corps bleeding the sick dry, we're all like worker ants, take your pick. With some indulgent, unnecessary plot points that stretch the viewers concentration, you realise by the end that it runs about 15 minutes too long.

Some great ideas, but as with anything quantum, it can be hard to see the point.

Lapsis is one of those films that makes you think. One that will be a classic in time due to its quirkiness and story. The normal story of a many named ray who joins a mysterious company that pulls cables for the quantum computer. It starts off normal until he starts to notice things and unravels a mystery that drives you deep. The cast and director both did great. Its a well written and acted film that although strange it makes fun a fun watch.