What if you could be shrunken to a miniature version of yourself? It's not the first time the concept has graced the silver screen and as you might expect, Downsizing ends up asking more questions than it answers.
Nonetheless, in an interesting take on human reduction, director Alexander Payne (Sideways, The Descendants) has taken this well-used idea and wrung out a surprisingly bleak look at the possibilities.
Matt Damon plays the disgruntled Paul Safranek, an occupational therapist who, along with his wife (Kristen Wiig), is finding it increasingly difficult to get ahead financially.
After much deliberation, they decide to undergo the irreversible procedure of "downsizing" — a new technology invented by Norwegian scientists in the hope of turning the tide of human consumption.
Interestingly, the film is more concerned with exploring the environmental and humanitarian impact of downsizing rather than having fun with the shrinking concept itself. And although it has its playful moments, this is far less Honey I Shrunk the Kids and more High-Rise ... well, okay, maybe not that aggressively grim.
