Review of Little Joe (2019) by Brent_Marchant — 22 May 2020

This sci-fi/psychological thriller about a research horticulturist who breeds a plant designed to help promote feelings of human happiness and well-being (and subsequently has second thoughts about her creation when it begins to have unexpected effects) prompts a plethora of questions about what promotes and constitutes true happiness.

This botanical terrestrial homage to "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," mixed with a variety of other influences (including some that will seem eerily relevant at the moment), gives us much profound food for thought.

However, director Jessica Hausner's execution is needlessly muddled by painfully slow pacing, robbing viewers of the happiness that should naturally come from watching a good film. There was a lot of potential here, both for a captivating tale and a thoughtful psychological/metaphysical exploration, but, regrettably, those elements became bogged down by a heavy hand when a lighter touch would have sufficed.