Rating: 4/10
Genre: Science fiction/Comedy/Drama
Language: English
Starring: Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig, Udo Kier
While I usually have something to say before moving on to the review, I don’t have much to say for this one. So rather than going on pointlessly just for the sake of it, here is the review:
What is it about?
“Downsizing” is essentially a social commentary of the environmental state of our world today. The premise of the film is that, after a scientist made an incredible breakthrough that enables him to shrink living things, a movement is made to downsize humans in order to save the environment. It is a desperate, highly unconventional move in response to global warming, but it also deeply reflects just how serious the state of the world is in.
Fast forward a couple of years in time, the world’s microcommunity has grown- enough to have an impact on the economy. Houses are being left vacant due to the previous tenants having moved to much tinier accommodations, and businesses aren’t making much money because- let’s face it, tiny people don’t need as much as their larger counterparts.
In the middle of this changing society are Paul (Matt Damon) and Audrey Safranek (Kristen Wiig). Paul and Audrey are a couple with financial issues, and after reuniting with old friends who had gone through the downsizing process, they start considering the possibility of doing it as well. After all, their friends seem happy, and beyond helping to save the environment, they’re also enjoying the good things in life- all thanks to the increase in the value of their money.
Eventually, the couple makes the choice to get themselves downsized as well, but Audrey backs out at the very last minute- leaving Paul devastated, betrayed and, well, tiny. Left in a world where he’s completely separated from his family, the majority of his friends and his wife- what is he to do?
Is it worth a watch?
If your idea of a good time is being bored to death, then yes, it is worth a watch. Although it possesses a pretty promising premise, “Downsizing” largely fails to entertain. The world that is painted in this film is drab and lacks colour, and the characters themselves fail to intrigue. There is very little to find interesting or emotionally compelling about the characters; in fact, one of the few times you’d find yourself emotionally invested is when Paul gets betrayed by Audrey.
The fact that the film tends to drag on unnecessarily doesn’t do it any favours either. I actually found myself looking at my watch quite a few times during the film, wondering when it would end.
So no, I wouldn’t recommend watching this film. Its only shining star is Ngoc Lan (Hong Chau), whose overly blunt nature successfully cracked a couple of laughs from the audience.