Alexander Payne has a lot on his mind. In his new film, Downsizing, he presents an intriguing solution to climate change and the world’s population crisis, imagining an alternate reality where people have the opportunity to literally shrink themselves thus increasing the value of their assets and dramatically reducing their carbon footprint.
On paper it sounds like the kind of socially-conscious sci-fi parable Spike Jonze might cook up – something new, then, from the acclaimed writer/director of bittersweet, homespun comedies like Nebraska and The Descendants. Thematically speaking, Downsizing looks to be Payne’s most ambitious work to date, while a principal cast of Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig and Christoph Waltz suggests that the film will be aiming for some familiar comic notes.
In our first-look review from this year’s Venice Film Festival, we called the film “an escapist fantasy far from the grim absurdities of Trump-era America.” The film doesn’t yet have a release date, but we’re expecting it to land sometime in early 2018. Take a look at the first official trailer and share your thoughts with us @LWLies
Published 12 Sep 2017
By Ed Gibbs
Alexander Payne’s gentle satire has a point to make about the state of the union – and the future of planet Earth.
A confident return to the feature filmmaking fold from Alexander Payne featuring a champagne turn from George Clooney.
By Ed Gibbs
George Clooney directs this timely and terrifically twisted fable set in 1950s suburban America.
Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.
