Turn Me On

Yes it's low budget, yes an old theme like everybody drugged up. It's sort of a remake of Brave New World. Clearly designed for an American audience so no goof about pronunciation (vitamin, elevator, faucet etc.) but not that bad. And worth a watch. It's an interesting take on an old idea. It can seem slow but that's the point when you are taking the vitamin your "off".

A good twist at the end, stay with it, it has a very good ending if predictable. Enjoy the 90 odd minutes it long enough to tell the story but unlike a lot of modern two hour plus films does not have any scenes that seem to be there just to pad out the story.

What if we could forever shield ourselves from any discomfort or unhappiness? This film explores a supposedly utopian community where all the inhabitants are prescribed a daily dose of contentment. Their's is a world without anxiety, sadness or boredom. It is also a world devoid of passion, pleasure and love. That is, until one resident skips a dose and discovers all that is missing putting in motions series of events that can't be undone. Watching the performances of the talented cast, we can't help but wonder about our own quests for contentment. Would you give up all of the highs to avoid all of the lows?

In low-budget, self-satisfied Dystopian drama "Turn Me On" Bel Powley & Nick Robinson (both rising stars btw) are paired in an experimental society where past-life memories & meaningful emotion are suppressed by a daily drug, resulting in a permanent 'pleasant contentedness' that's drama-free yet as blandly drab as the society's deadly dull surroundings - but then Powley stops taking the drug... Its theme isn't original, but unlike the likes of "Logan's Run" or "The Island" it sinks into the very bleak blandness it's intending to decry. Writer Angela Bourassa & director Michael Tyburski screwed the pooch on this borefest. "Turn Me On" it did not. A turd. Flush it.

Grant it's not original ( I can think of several similar forebears going back to the 70's , at least ) . As a starting point , anything with Bel Powley as a member of the cast , it has my immediate interest . Those eyes are mesmerising and she uses them to good effect here . Loved the Pythonesque scene cuts when the couple " discover each other " ( with the hilarious classical music for added effect ) . As another reviewer has correctly pointed out , this needs investment to get past the bland , one dimensional opening acts , but it's worth it . Think of TV's Severance , but without the steroids .

Under the control of a pill that eradicates human emotion, a young couple skip doses and discover new feelings, but realize that comes with emotional baggage to deal with.

I found this film to be a bit like Lord of the Flies: a case could be made easily to prove it is utopian, as well as dystopian. I guess the idea is that utopia exists by ensuring 'vitamin' taking by everyone takes away all of the emotions that lead us to be 'not content', therefore making our lives great.

But as Joy (Bel Powley) finds out, not taking the so called vitamin -in reality some kind of SSR drug- can actually lead to feelings and enjoyment and excitement and love, all the things that we enjoy about being human.

So the conundrum is, take the pill and be forever content without ever really knowing or experiencing anything? Or don't take the pill and enjoy all that life has, but including the bad bits.

Sadly it does not offer that much in terms of thought provocation and most of what it does offer has been done very ably many times in the past.

It's a great part for Bel Powley, not so much for the rest of the cast. Production was pretty average as was directing, putting this firmly into B movie territory except for Powley's performance which is always A list.

I gave it a 5 but it's not a film I'd ever bother watching again.