Greetings again from the darkness. 'Life will find a way.' The iconic line spoken by Jeff Goldblum in JURASSIC PARK (1993) fits right into this offbeat science-fiction film from writer-director Mel Eslyn and co-writer and co-lead actor Mark Duplass. You may not be familiar with indie filmmaker Eslyn, but Duplass has built a career by specializing in projects that rip us out of our comfort zone, and then force us to consider a topic from a new perspective ... as evidenced by films like CYRUS (2010) and CREEP (2014).
The pre-credit opening scenes quickly establish the personalities of Ray (Sterling K Brown) and Billy (Duplass). Ray is a dedicated and serious scientist, while Billy is the former US President (likely inspired by George W Bush). The two are lifelong friends who have been living a few years isolated in the biodome created by Ray. We are to assume these are the final two human survivors on Earth, and we may also assume they are still alive thanks to Ray's ecosystems of fish for protein and plants for nutrients.
Initially, this gives us the appearance of a buddy film as the two men share a morning jog and discuss the dynamics of Mario and Luigi. It's the first of our clues, along with Billy reading "Kiss of the Spider Woman", and the repeated viewings of LETHAL WEAPON. However, the tone shifts pretty quickly with a certain development in the fish habitat. It's best to avoid any further specifics on where the story goes from here, because although there are leaps of faith that must occur by viewers, the core elements raised here are certainly unusual.
A recurring gag about a magic trick with a bowling ball (and its thud), and an ever-present green light in the sky, punctuate the Ray and Billy chats centered on philosophy, gender roles, friendship, masculinity, adaptation, and of course, survival. This is termed a "two-hander" since only two performers make up the entire cast. Sterling K Brown and Mark Duplass are both likable actors and they expertly overcome any shortcomings in the script. And despite those flaws, you'll likely carry on some internal discussions with yourself long after the final drop.
Opening on July 7, 2023.
