We're All Going to the World's Fair

While I appreciate this film as a character study, through behavior rather than dialogue, that evokes idiosyncratic emotion, I could not be more disappointed with practically every other aspect. The movie was slapstick, cheaply shot, purposeless, and overall a waste of an hour and 25 minutes. There's an adage that if a gun is introduced in one act, it should be used in the following otherwise don't put it there. This movie did the exact opposite. Very dull on top of being dreadfully slow with nearly zero payoff.

Produced by indie darling director David Lowery, Jane Schoenbrun's internet themed drama We're All Going to the World's Fair (wrongly marketed as a straight up horror) is a film that portrays a scarily accurate example of the dangers of internet double lives and our global epidemic of tech obsessed culture but can't make the most of its loaded and topical subject as it meanders along its 90 minute runtime without enough noteworthy material in between.

Gaining attention at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and other various showcases across the world, Fair has done well to become the talked about property it has in certain film circles and Schoenbrun works some wonders with her minuscule budget and tiny cast that is lead by a committed Anna Cobb as lonely teenager Casey, in what is her feature film debut.

Taking part in a viral online horror game known as The World's Fair, Casey's lonely existence that consists of mainly hanging out in her room browsing the web, watching online videos and having Skype sessions with complete strangers is upturned by her participation in the World's Fair game as her blurred reality makes her question what is and isn't real as she tries to deal with the mental and potentially physical effects of taking part in the online craze.

Watching the marketing materials for Fair one would think as viewer you may be in for some type of Paranormal Activity type event but Fair is a much slower and ponderous film than that type of genre offering and there's barely a scare in sight here outside of the well known dangers that lurk on the web, present in the film with Casey's uneasy and odd relationship with the much older and equally lonely JLB who has taken a keen interest in Casey's journey through the after effects of the game shes started.

One undeniable aspect of Fair that is as good as a film has ever been in the particular area is the capturing of the feeling of isolation that leads them to seek comfort many can find on the web and like many teenagers from around the world, Casey's quest to feel a part of something bigger than her own isolated life and self-doubts leads her to be somebody she isn't to try and gain attention or friends through trickery and in this instance Fair is a worthwhile warning about our modern culture and strange obsession with fads and crazes that are nothing short of dangerous.

Final Say -

A far from enjoyable film that lacks the character connection and narrative drive that would've made its bleakness more bearable, We're All Going to the World's Fair doesn't work to the level one might've hoped for but has enough to say about our modern world to ensure it's not a complete waste of valuable time.

2 1/2 plush toys out of 5

For more reviews check out Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)

Be warned- this is a slow movie. Like, really slow. About 50% of the time, it feels like absolutely nothing is happening. The only highlight is that the main character is a good actress (but not good enough to save this rather lackluster film).

Films are a subjective medium, therefore the interpretations can vary depending on who is watching and what kind of background they are coming from. I had read reviews from other critics suggesting that this might be a direct reference to creepypasta obsession or a general tendency of the naive youth who incline toward such supernatural happenings.

While I do not completely refute this set of statements, yet, with all due respect, I beg to differ. The film doesn't reflect any single obsession towards a particular subject, there's a broader thing at play, it is about this relentless infatuation with finding relevancy on the internet, finding comfort, or finding much-needed solace in the virtual space.

The narrative won't carry much weight for the people who hadn't experienced true loneliness, who hadn't had to endure the extreme ends of existential dread, who didn't suffer from any sort of depression, anxiety, or had to deal with a suicidal mindset, very rarely I say this but I will be much happier if you aren't able to relate.

To those who could, this message is for you...

I know life is hard, it's difficult dealing with the pain, at times it becomes intolerable, this pain becomes so excruciating that we often think of letting it all go, to disappear, I know, I had gone through that phase. To whoever reading this, just be aware that you are not alone in this battle, there are millions of people around the globe like you, trying to find their own places, their own identities. I just want you to hang on, keep going, keep fighting, trust me, you can overcome it, I know you will, till that day arrives, don't give up.

The inspiration from the "weird" corner of YouTube is present from the first scene and remains throughout the entire movie, intercepted only by the short glimpses into the depressing lives of content creators.

How far would you go for the attention of your viewers? In which ways does this attention harm young and volatile? What poses a more serious threat - creepy guys watching you online or your own loneliness that pushed you into this mess?

While on a certain level, it does manage to successfully illustrate the vulnerability and mental health issues in teens, it completely fails as a horror movie.

The part of the problem is that it brings nothing new into YouTube horror lore. The final result completely relies on the overused tropes of YouTube's "dark" corner.

It would've worked better as drama about the mental health risks in teens oversharing on social media, but that would require much more serious exploration of the broader context.