Bliss

Whatever impression the trailers or your film guide have given you - this movie is not a Sci-Fi movie - its a simple story about how a man can simply drop out of society because of things happening outside his control, and the challenges faced by homeless addicts with with mental health issues, top acting and a decent story and far better than a lot of the dross that has been unleashed on a disappointed public during the pandemic.

Mike Cahill never seems to disappoint me so far. All of his works are very creative and thought-provoking. This film is a truly awesome exploration of the human mind just like Enemy (2013) was, which is also an underappreciated and misunderstood film. There are at least 3 ways to interpret this film of what is real and what is fake, there are tons of hidden details which give hints. There's also tons of funny references to popular culture and some multiple-meaning themes as well. I say this is some fresh air in comparison to all the mindless films we get nowadays.

The review title contains the two films that blew my mind as much as this one did.

This film explores and exploits the idea of the unreliable narrator to the maximum. It poses questions, answers them, but then takes away the answers.

It keeps the two far sides of the possibility so precisely balanced and strong, that you could tie a string in-between, and the tension would be literally palpable. The tension that keeps guessing and wondering the entire film, until the Very Last Second.

It is incredibly dystopian but also utopian at the same time, and you can't help but feel for the unluckiest guy in the world, who might know the absolute truth.

This film has so many interesting ideas but i found that it doesn't really follow all of them though.

I'm pretty confused at the low score and how badly it is being panned by critics.

I thought the acting was pretty good and i was really interested in these characters. Which is where i think some of the issue are found.

I think this film needed to take a step back from the sci-fi elements. They are very sparse but are there enough to hinder the true storyline. If i am being honest i think the whole 2nd act needed retooling. It was like a brick wall that the movie just slammed into. And then it just sort of slogged along. Once again i thought 'oh this is interesting' but then it just like stalled and i sat around thinking what is this movie now. It kind of gets its momentum back in the 3rd act but i think the 1st is where this movie shines.

This movie is also great at visual storytelling. The production design, costuming and make up all work so well. It allows you to understand what the film is trying to say before the film explicitly tells you and i though that was really good.

I honestly think this movie could have been great but it just got its self bogged down with the sci-fi part and trying to trick? the audience.

I think it held its cards too close to its chest but i think the twist is blatantly clear from literally the first scene. This isn't a bad thing at all. I think it would have been better letting us view this world though the lens of us knowing twist from the beginning. I think that would have been a much more interesting and very eye opening character and subject study.

Watching this movie was both refreshing and challenging. I had no idea that the marketing had been so off target.

It is quite remarkable in its effort of painting the depths of addiction. Still, maybe its a condition you need to have first hand experience with in order to understand the narrative.

Hopefully time will repair its rating.