While most eyes are on ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’, there are other options at the cinema including a *ahem* smaller film called ‘Downsizing’ directed by Alexander Payne (‘Nebraska’, ‘The Descendants’) with an all-star cast including Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz and Jason Sudeikis. The film centers on an experimental process called downsizing which permanently shrinks people down to five inches, allowing them to live longer on a smaller budget.
In this clip from the film, Paul Safranek (Damon) is considering undergoing the process and consults his friend Dave (Sudeikis) who has already downsized. Dave tells Paul about his neighborhood Leisure Land, “Best houses, best appliances, best doctors. We’ve got all the great restaurants. The kids love Cheesecake Factory, and Leisure Land’s got three of ’em!”
Check out this clip below:
In the film, scientists propose a 200-year plan, during which time everyone would eventually undergo the shrinking process.
Director and co-writer Payne described the political overtones of the film, saying:
“When [co-writer] Jim [Taylor] and I decided to do something with the idea, we saw it in more political terms. I don’t want it to sound too much like a political movie. We’re more interested in making human films. Humans are involved in politics, so we thought this story was an interesting prism through which to view our times.”
With our planet’s ever dwindling resources, is a process like downsizing that far-fetched? It would be a way to get more out less.
‘Downsizing’ premiered at the Venice International Film Festival at the end of August and received mixed-to-favorable reviews. The National Board of Review selected it as one of the Top Ten movies of the year.
The film also stars Hong Chau, Maribeth Monroe, Udo Kier, Rolf Lassgård, Ingjerd Egeberg and Søren Pilmark.
‘Downsizing’ arrives in theaters on December 22.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
