I had the pleasure of seeing this film when it screened at a sci-fi film festival in Austin, TX, called Other Worlds Austin. It was one of my favorites from the entire festival. I was so impressed with this film, because it elevates science fiction from what people normally expect. "Painless" is an impeccably written, character driven story about Henry, a man with a congenital disorder that doesn't allow him to feel pain, and his quest to "cure" himself. Rather than taking the path of most science fiction and action films and creating a superhuman character who is invulnerable to pain, this movie was extremely thoughtful in considering how a person with this disorder might become extremely cautious and closed off. It's Henry's struggle with his solitude that make this story so captivating.
Joey Klein gives an incredible performance as Henry, and the supporting cast excels as well. The cinematography in this film adds so much to the story. Jordan Horowitz did an amazing job writing and directing this film. I'm so excited to see science fiction moving in the direction of emotional storytelling and not just clever plot lines and CGI creatures. I hope I get to see this film again, and I'm very excited to see what everyone involved with this movie does next.
