Downsizing, starring Matt Damon, is a twist of an unlikely love story and personal journey all wrapped in one. Directed and co-written by Alexander Payne, Matt Damon explores his midlife crisis a few sizes smaller than the rest of us.
In the beginning scenes, we are introduced to two Norwegian physicists who have come up with the cure for the world's most dangerous threat, overpopulation, by creating the "downsizing" serum. Through this serum, one would be able to shrink down to five inches, help the world, and live lavishly due to expenses becoming miniature as well.
A few bad transitions later we meet a middle aged Paul Safranek (Matt Damon) who not only has lost his mother, but having a hard time appeasing his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) due to being strapped on money.
After going to a school reunion and getting advice from former classmate who had already downsized, Dave Johnson (Jason Sudeikis), Paul and his wife make the decision to downsize to live a bigger life.
Damon accurately depicts a modest, wavering man who is unsure if he can do anything right. After losing everything his character begins to bloom after forming unlikely friendships with his whimsical neighbor Dusan (Christoph Waltz) and a blunt Vietnamese housekeeper Ngoc Lan Tran (Hong Chao).
With every pun intended, Downsizing, takes you on a journey exploring the question that many of us asks ourselves, what is my purpose? Matt Damon along with the eerily comedic cast portray the lengths gone to achieve consumerism goals. Although having a serious environmental matter looming over the film, writers Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor home in on questions about where we are going as a society when all of humanity is at risk.
Downsizing has a release date of December 22, 2017 in the U.S.
