DOWNSIZING

Matt Damon     Hong Chau     Christoph Waltz     Kristen Wiig     Jason Sudeikis     Neil P. Harris     Laura Dern

     Alexander Payne has come up with a way to save the planet:  Downsizing.  Yes, we could all do with a lot fewer material possessions, but he and his co-writer Jim Taylor realized that if WE weren’t so big, if our bodies were a fraction of their current size, we would consume so much less, and our world would be in much better shape.  Well, this movie clues us in as to how that would work.

     Paul Safranek (Damon) is an occupational therapist who was attentive to his mother before she died, and is now happily married to Audrey (Wiig).  They’re struggling a bit financially, in the sense that they’d like a larger, more modern house than the one he grew up in.  Then comes the news about the possibility of downsizing (which would bring one’s standard of living up substantially as one is reduced to about five inches tall), and when some friends who have done it brag about their lives now, Paul and Audrey decide to take the plunge, get downsized and live in “Leisure Land.”  This has all been worked out such that financial resources go so much farther for smaller bodies, enabling the downsized to live like the wealthy—golf, tennis, swimming, big house, etc.

     As we go through this transformation with Paul and Audrey, Payne lets us in on some of the pitfalls that ensue following unpredictable events.  It’s best to know as little as possible about the story beforehand, so that the viewer can get a taste of the experience.  I will focus my review on what happens to Paul.

     Paul is transformed in ways he could not have imagined.  He becomes more open to the world, to people, and to himself even.  It takes a good while for him to realize who he is and what makes him happy.  He is able to let go of some of his uptight ways and join his neighbor’s (Waltz) party rather than complaining about the noise.  He gets into charitable work through his acquaintance with Ngoc Lan (Chau), whom he initially tries to help with his knowledge of occupational therapy.  She opens up a whole new world for him.  Then when his noisy neighbor, who has really taken to him, invites him to Norway, where the idea and method of downsizing began, it all seems too good to be true.

     Downsizing, like Payne’s previous successes (Sideways, The Descendants, Nebraska), brings laughter as well as provoking contemplation.  The combination makes a wonderful mix of humans at their best and their most hilarious, but also their most sympathetic.  The character of Ngoc Lan is the embodiment of all in her keen intelligence, her “bossiness” that everyone is respectful of, and her huge heart that yearns for goodness and truth.  But Payne likewise sensitively shows us the underside of the idealist’s—or perhaps more accurately entrepreneur’s—dream, which is a slum, where some of the downsized enjoy none of the accoutrements others are enjoying.  Another character brings up the fact that the downsized don’t support the economy to the same extent as regular citizens.

     Matt Damon shows his ability to portray still another character he is so adept in capturing (such as the characters he played in The Martian, Suburbicon, and The Informant).  Here, he is someone who is rather naïve, but smart enough to figure things out and, in the end, knowing the path to take.  Hong Chau is a star in this production, aptly showing the complexities of a character who is an activist, a famous person, a lowly housekeeper, a caretaker of others, yet canny and aware of her own needs.

This fantasy/social satire is entertaining and thought-provoking.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

NEBRASKA

Bruce Dern     Will Forte     June Squibb     Bob Odenkirk     Stacy Keach

     Nebraska is a wonderful picture about old age—literally in black and white.  Black and white is apt, not only because of its photographic clarity, but also because it sometimes shows the grayness and bleakness that is frequently a part of old age.  As father and son go driving through the bare snowy landscape of Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska, it metaphorically captures what Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) is experiencing in the senescence of his life, and something he is fighting against as mightily as he can.

     Woody has a dream that he just cannot let go of; he is convinced when he receives a notice in the mail that he has “won” a million dollars, he fails to read the fine print that says he will actually be entered into a contest for the prize if he buys certain magazines.  No amount of reasoning or reading the paper aloud on the part of his family will convince him, and after he takes off walking toward Lincoln, his son David (Will Forte) compassionately offers to drive him on the assumption that when Woody is told “officially” he has not won, his father will be convinced.  Besides, his son sees it as an opportunity to have some quality time with his dad, who was not an attentive father to his sons.

     The road trip has many adventures, some of which are very trying, and others even more trying.  They end up stopping in the family’s old hometown, where they visit relatives, and Woody’s wife Kate (June Squibb) and other son Ross (Bob Odenkirk) join them.  Then they get to find out all the debts they suddenly “owe”, once Woody spills the beans that he is now a millionaire.  When they finally make it to Lincoln to the prize offices, Woody is indeed given the truth, but the adventures are still not over.  The ending is classic Alexander Payne:  bittersweet but satisfying.

     Payne is a master of characterizations that seem familiar to all of us; we are convinced we have met them before in our own lives.  Moreover, he has a sixth sense about casting where the actors fit into the characters hand-in-glove.  Bruce Dern—an unlikely choice at first glance—perfectly captures Woody’s agedness, from his “Huh?!” to every question posed to his wild-eyed look of surprise when someone stops him from walking to Lincoln.  This is especially noteworthy because the actor himself is still so sharp minded.  On a Charlie Rose interview, his memory was keen, and his wit very quick.

     The other main characters are also extremely well cast.  Will Forte’s performance is probably the best of his career as an actor; he is a perfect foil for Bruce Dern’s character, who can be trying.  Forte as one of his sons conveys patience, compassion and love with complete genuineness.  June Squibb is a standout for her cheekiness in playing Dern’s wife, and her stating plainly what is going on in situations where others are hemming and hawing or playing a con game.  Bob Odenkirk as Dern’s other son, and Stacy Keach, one of his old partners, are both great supports.

Nebraska is sure to capture some Oscar nominations, so you won’t want to miss it.

Grade:  A                                                By:  Donna R. Copeland