Creative Control

source: Creative Control

I was pretty much bored so I went onto our Amazon Prime account to see what was available. This movie attracted my attention for its plot, set in the near future, a group in New York are working on a novel augmented reality project. I must admit the first half of it pretty well captured my attention but as the story developed it turns into familiar plot lines, a man in a relationship is half satisfied, and half satisfied with work, so he drinks too much and experiments with drugs too much. So we have to put up with several relationships in disarray. Somewhat entertaining but I could not recommend it.

Artsy Musings are what inhabits this "Selfie" Film, Filmed in Black and White (of course). Sterility is Everywhere as is that Oldie but Goodie, Sex. These "Techies" and Nerds, no matter how Outrageous Their Hairstyles or Wardrobe, are still just like Everyone Else. Multitasking can't Mask the Fact that Mostly on the Mind is a "Bit of the ole' in and out." It all comes down to that when all's Said and Done. The Movie is Obsessed with the Thing. Just like the Past Generations of Young People these People try so hard to Distance Themselves. It's all Slick Surface, Shiny and Reflective. Even the City Streets seem to have been Vacuumed of the Vile Stench and Debris. Everyone in the Picture is Perfectly Coiffed, Manicured, and ready for Their Inumerous Close-Ups. Even though the Story is about High-Tech and things that "Everyday People" find Frighteningly Frustrating, it somehow seems Mundane. The Commercial Shoot, the Yoga Classes, and Board Room Meetings contain Dialog that might well be in a Foreign Language, it's Numbed Down for the Masses. You might Try Hard, in vain, to Understand anything Reggie Watts or the Yoga Instructor is saying in Their Extended Dialog Scenes. It all makes about as much Sense as an Acid Trip. Speaking of Drugs, there are Plenty Consumed. In almost Every Scene something is being Smoked, Snorted, Popped, and Drank. Party On. The Virtual Reality of the "Augmenta" Glasses is, of course, just like a Drug as Our Protagonist (Writer-Director-Actor, Multitasker, Benjamin Dickinson) gets so "Turned On" by wearing the "X-Ray Specs" that at times He can't separate the Experience from Reality (big surprise). Overall, this Indie is Worth a Watch for the Artsy Way it Displays its rather Pedestrian Postmodern Philosophy, but in the End, there really isn't Anything Post-Modern about it. It just Appears so, Dressed-Up in Hip Garb and Hairstyles.

An interesting, and different, black comedy that provides an interesting and unprecedented view of how future technologies will affect all human relationships: friendship, emotional relationships, work relationships... in a kind of tribute to the most futuristic visions of Jacques Tati in "Mon Oncle" or "Play Time', also the story has dyes from Philip K. Dick's sharpness, without forgetting —as a black comedy— the touch of Woody Allen's anticipation style, although the protagonist is nailed to Nanni Moretti... The movie keeps the tension, creates perfectly chained situations and solves with good arts a script that could have fallen a hundred different places. The atmosphere and aesthetics of the film are noteworthy, with its mild anachronistic touch, and has no cracks in its approach of frightening (and suggestive at once) speculative fiction while being an American comedy about thirtysomething people and their usual problems: love, job, friends, addictions, unfulfilled desires and the reality that —always— imposes itself (problems that, apparently, are the same in the future). A striking film for those interested in Speculative Fiction.

"Creative Control" (2016 release; 97 min.) brings the story of two couples. There is David and his girlfriend Juliette. David is working at an ad agency and is tasked with coming up with a good ad campaign for a new "augmented reality system" called Augmenta. David gets to try it out (by wearing regular-looking glasses) for some time. Juliette is a yoga instructor. It looks like their relationship isn't the greatest. Then there is Wim and Sophie. Wim is David's long-time buddy who hasn't the slightest problem with cheating on Sophie. David then hires Sophie to come work at the ad agency. At this point we're not even 15 min. into the movie, but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out. Couple of comments: first, this is the latest release from Amazon Studios, which is starting to spread its wings in the movie business quite nicely. Second, this is the Benjamin Dickinson show all the way: he stars (as David), directs, co-writes and co-produces this film, his first feature-length as a director. Dickinson sets the story in the not too distant future, where things still look quite familiar (certainly New York does), but technology has made continued progress. Yet the idea of an "augmented reality system" is of course not new. In fact, conceptually the movie is eerily similar to/reminiscent of that movie from the early 80s, "Brainstorm" (starring Christopher Walker and Natalie Wood, in her last film), where sex also was a big driver. Yes, I said sex. There is quite a bit of nudity in "Creative Control", so if that bothers you, you'd better pick another movie. "Creative Control" is shot in black and white, and given the slightly futuristic setting, it makes for a very stylish movie, and one of its better aspects. The other lead performers (Nora Zehetner as Juliette, Dan Gill as Wim, and Alexia Rasmussen as Sophie), all below the radar names, do their best to flesh out their characters, but in the end, the biggest failing of the movie is that it left me emotionally uninvolved and, frankly, I didn't feel invested in any of the movie. Plenty of style, but not enough substance. "Creative Control" opened this weekend out of the blue without any pre-release buzz or advertising on a single screen here in Cincinnati. The Saturday matinée screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not great. Given the lack of star power and lack of marketing for this movie, I can't imagine that this will play long in theaters. If you are into movies heavy on relationship drama but here with a sci-fi twist, I'd encourage you to check out "Creative Control", be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually of DVD/Blu-ray and draw your own conclusions.

Creative Control