DOWNSIZING

US, 2017, 135 minutes, Colour.
Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Kristen Wiig, Rolf Lassgard, Udo Keir, Jason Sudeikis, Maribeth Monroe, James Van der Beek, Laura Dern, Neal Patrick Harris, Margo Martindale, Joaquin De Alemeida.
Directed by Alexander Payne.

What if?

There are all kinds of ways about imagining how humans might change the world, might improve human nature, might prepare for the end of the human race. Downsizing looks at all these aspects.

The opening of the film keeps the audience on its toes. An experiment in a scientific centre in Norway has succeeded in reducing living creatures to about 5 inches or 12 cm in height. Some years later, at a scientific convention, the organiser of the experiment presents the scientist who made the breakthrough – 5 inches high. Excitement, exhilaration.

Then, 10 years later, people go willingly into the downsizing program. The audience is introduced to a centre in the US, going into a small satellite city called Leisureland. There are various advertising campaigns, budget plans for those seeking something different. And that is the case with Paul and Audrey (Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig) who decide that they will go into downsizing mode. Lots of discussion amongst friends, family, chats with those who are downsized.

There is a bit of tension as the couple undergo the process, shaved, naked, injected, recuperating, and walking out into a new life. Actually, it doesn’t go as Paul had planned for him and his wife – she backed out.

While the motivation for downsizing is to help population and sustaining the world by using so much less of its energy and resources, there is a lot of lip-service to this ideal – but, we realise and soon see that, human nature being what it is, there is a lot of self-focus in downsizing, in leading a life of leisure and hedonism. Yet, Paul works diligently in a company at a desk, although his earlier ambitions had been to be a doctor and he had had to be satisfied with occupational therapy.

We are then introduced to a number of eccentric characters, especially Christoph Waltz as Paul’s upstairs Serb neighbour, hosting rowdy parties, glitz and glamour, and there is no one like Christoph Waltz to create a somewhat creepy character. He is joined at the party with a lifelong friend who owns a yacht (who can send it to Norway by FedEx? and it will arrive before he himself arrives there, in planes which have seating for both sizes).

Then there is the Vietnam dissident, Ngoc Lan Tran (Hong Chau), imprisoned, having lost a leg, now running a cleaning company including Waltz’s apartment. She would have made a very good prison warden, strong-minded, direct, uttering orders which she takes for granted will be obeyed – and that includes Paul (who finds an occupational therapy outlet in working on her leg.

The film then takes a different direction, introducing Paul to the downside of downsizing, people on welfare, living in crowded tenements, slums, people in medical need, a whole range of people that Ngoc Lan Tran cares for. A whole new perspective on life Paul, self-sacrificing care.

And then the film takes you another different direction, with the four central characters all going to Norway, to the original colony, to meet the founder and the breakthrough scientist. Paul is exhilarated, in admiration. But, the scientist is predicting the end of human life, wants to establish a colony deep in the mountains, a remnant who can emerge after the Earth cataclysm.

Will the enthusiastic Paul go? Will the others go? What is the alternative?
Alexander Payne has cowritten and directed quite a number of arresting films including Election, Sideways, About Schmidt, The Descendants, Nebraska. He raises interesting human nature questions and environmental puzzles.

1. Human nature? The human condition? Betterment? Surviving? What if…?

2. The title? Ordinary use of the word? As applied to human beings? Physical…?

3. The motivation for downsizing? Achievement in scientific research? Improvement for the environment? Lesser use of resources? Human betterment? (And the creation of a parallel world?)

4. Introduction, the laboratory, the scientist and success? The conference, the crowd, the demonstration, the downsized professor, the response and acclaim?

5. The plausibility of the experiment? Desirability?

6. The ordinary American city, Paul and Audrey as ordinary citizens? Paul and his work, his ambitions, occupational therapy? His relationship with Audrey? Going to see houses, financial difficulties? Their friends, socials, the discussions? The musical score?

7. Propaganda for Leisureland, the ads, Neal Patrick Harris as the host, Laura Dern in the bath, Margo Martindale in the vehicle? The effect of the promotion?

8. Paul and Audrey and their discussions, the future, hopes? Audrey’s father and his resistance? The couple and their agreement, going to the process? The formalities, the interview, voiced consent? The laboratories, the staff, the process, shaved, naked, the injection, recuperation? Paul recovering, the phone call – and Audrey and her backing out?

9. Paul alone, his disappointment, friends like David advocating the luxury life? His apartment, his desk job, a year passing? His dating, the mother, the awkward talk, his approach, her concern about her son, leaving? The papers for his divorce from Audrey?

10. Dusan, Christopher Waltz, initial impression, the loud party, his visit, the apology, talking matters over with Paul, his critique of his way of life? Inviting him to the party, Paul and the gift of the normal-sized rose? Dusan and his business background, hedonist? The range of guests? Paul and the offer of drugs, swallowing, the effect, his dancing? The aftermath? Ngoc and the cleaners arriving? The effect on Paul?

11. Paul and the information about Vietnam, Ngoc, her protest, imprisonment, the loss of her leg, her awkward walk? Ngoc as a character, a company, the people working, Hispanics, cleaning houses, keeping busy, strong-minded, matter-of-fact, issuing commands, her expectations to be obeyed? The effect on Paul? The offer of therapy for her leg? Her taking him back to her house, the slum and the tenements, the visit to Gladys, her illness and pain, the prescription? Her dying happy? Paul and his change of perspective?

12. Ngoc and her work, collecting the food, the distribution, the old man and his meal, the dark slum, having gone through the tunnel, the contrast with Leisureland? Paul and his work on Knox leg, her work, his becoming a cleaner, Dusan’s reaction? Paul and the discovery of doing good?

13. Dusan’s friend, wealthy, his yacht? At the party, the discussions with Paul? The joke about sending his yacht Fed Ex to Norway? The issue of Norway, the invitation to go, the discussions, Paul and his enthusiasm, to see the pioneers? Ngoc, her interrogating the men, her firm decision to go? The flight – and the compartments for ordinary size people and the downsized?

14. Norway, its beauty, the colony, the scientist and his wife, the welcome, Paul exhilarated, with Ngoc, the sexual encounter, her blunt questions about what kind of encounter it was?

15. The colony, the scenario, the end of humans on this earth, the group agreeing to stay, become the remnant? Preparation, the corridor, the technology, going up and then down into the cave, supplies, Dusan and his friend and the donations of semen? The time for remaining within the cave?

16. Paul, his enthusiasm, excitement, going, leaving the three behind? Their waiting? Paul and his walking, the reaction of people, his hesitation, decision to come out, talking with Ngoc, their all returning to Leisureland?

17. Paul, the visit, the tenements, the old man and his appreciation of his dinner, Paul and finding a life doing good in the here and now?