DOWNSIZING has a fascinating premise: would you turn tiny if it meant you could also be rich? From director Alexander Payne,
this looks to be a fun skewering of wannabe “save the world” types who only actually do anything when there’s an economic incentive. Also, that there might be some side-effects to the technology (especially to developing nations). It’s an interesting way to use sci-fi as social satire, in only the way Payne can.
Anyway, here the official synopsis:
Downsizing imagines what might happen if, as a solution to over-population, Norwegian scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall and propose a 200-year global transition from big to small. People soon realize how much further money goes in a miniaturized world, and with the promise of a better life, everyman Paul Safranek (Matt Damon) and wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in Omaha in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.
I like what I see, especially the production design (like the giant flower or Vodka water tap). The tone is also great and unique, playing the super-science as mundane. Besides that, it’s also niceseeing Matt Damon play more “everyman types”, and it’s even nicer seeing Christoph Waltz not play his patented “nice guy villain” role. I’m definitely down for DOWNSIZING.
Meanwhile, DOWNSIZING will shrink into theaters December 22nd.
