Review of Visioneers (2008) by Shaun B — 04 Feb 2010

Much better than "Cold Souls", this appeared initially as another post-Kaufman knock off, but manages to genuinely capture it's own sensibilites more akin to "Office Space" or "I Heart Huckabees".

Zach Glifakas doesnt feel much at all anymore, he goes to work and goes home and repeats. There is a rising epidemic of "explosions" in the country, where after an individuals stress levels reach a certain height they spontaenouly combust.

Most of these explosions take place in office buildings or on job sites. "Hurt Locker" eat your heart out. Corporations take special care to help lower their employees stress levels with stuffed animals, and special helmets designed to make them feel like "the center of the universe".

Galifaka's brother shows up having left behind his career and old life, forming a "do what thou-wilt" commune in his backyard. Galifakas has a romantic sub-plot which is a bit overwrought but not too much of a dissapointment.

This was a very clever comedy, that captures worker dread, alienation, and anxiety more acutely than any film Ive seen since Mike Judge's seminal OS years ago. It's worth checking out.