Downsizing

What it's about:

When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to over-population, Paul and his wife Audrey decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community—a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.

What we thought:

Downsizing asks; “What would you do to save the world?” Or to be even more egocentric: “What would you do to save yourself?”

Matt Damon’s character Paul Safranek is faced with exactly that question when him and his wife Audrey, played by Kristen Wiig, toy with the idea of shrinking themselves down to a mere 12cm in order to escape the stressful demands of their everyday life. 

In the real world the couple almost barely make it into middle class, but in the tiny world of Leisureland they are millionaires.

For the Safranek’s downsizing to miniature scale solves a lot of their financial problems and has the added benefit of zapping their carbon footprint down to…well…almost nothing. It’s not an easy choice but eventually the couple decide to give it a go.

 But Paul soon learns that with downsizing comes a lot of issues and unexpected challenges. 

For me it felt like director Alexander Payne cut the film in two halves. The first being a very futuristic type of modern comedy in which the film imagines an absurd future that for some reason feels almost palpable.

Right in the middle however, when the film switches to the miniature world, there’s a slight drop in energy and the mind begins to wonder. I was almost ready to give up on the whole thing until Hong Chau, who plays Ngoc Lan Tran, enters the picture. 

Ngoc Lan Tran gives Downsizing a boost of energy at the exact right moment and propels it forward full force until the very end.

Even the film’s “futuristic” element fades away as it steers towards a very organic look and feel. 

It’s like taking a giant ship straight towards the horizon before having a change of heart and laboriously setting sail on a completely new course. The change in tone and atmosphere is both unexpected and refreshing. 

Another standout performance was that of Christoph Waltz as the flamboyant Dusan Mirkovic. Waltz effortlessly brings to live this eccentric character that is a good and very necessary contrast to Damon’s dull Paul. 

Downsizing is different, quirky and even a little bit funny. It’s a tiny film with a lot of heart and totally worth the watch.