Review of Visioneers (2008) by Justin F — 25 Aug 2010

Todd: My doctor says I have to pull the trigger on my gun once an hour or I'll explode.

My good buddy Zibbs managed to take the words right out of my mouth. I too thought that this film was like a strange combination of Office Space and Equilibrium. It's a very bleak comedy, set in a future dystopian society, where your hero is Zach Galifianakis as sad sack George. There are some good elements to this film, but certainly not for anyone looking for a solid 90 minutes of easy laughs and nothing deeper.

George is a third level employee at the Jeffers Corporation, supervising three or four others. Around the world, people are exploding as the stress of denying feelings takes its toll. The Jeffers' response: mind control. George and his wife are miserable: he's impotent with occasional fits of infantile pique. She's reading a book on happiness, trying everything. His brother, released from prison, starts of freedom-of-expression movement in George's backyard. Plus there's Charisma, a woman from Level Four who sends him paperwork - with smiley faces.

This film certainly fits Galifiankis' brand of alternative comedy, taking a very bleak setting and running with it. There are moments of irony and satirical plays on life later on in the film, but for the most part, you are pretty much stuck with George's depressing existence.

All that being said, for a small production, this is a well put together film. It's pretty slow and piles on a few too many subplots, but its certainly a different kind of film to watch.

Sara: 'Happiness is: being happy.'... What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?