Reviewing ”Downsizing”: An interesting but flawed look at social issues and environmentalism through a tiny lens

Downsizing is a science fiction drama starring Matt Damon, Hong Chau, and Christoph Waltz. The film centers on the fictional concept of downsizing: using experimental techniques to shrink a human down to 5 inches tall. Starring Matt Damon as everyman Paul Safranek, Hong Chau as downsized Vietnamese activist Ngoc Lan Tran, and Christoph Waltz as Dusan Mirkovic, a well-connected downsized businessman, the film explores social issues in the context of the world of the shrunken-down people, such as poverty, discrimination, wealth disparity, and immigration rights.

The plot revolves around Paul and his experiences after downsizing. Paul and his wife Audrey decide to downsize to make the most of their meager savings, since downsized people are able to get more value for their money. Audrey ultimately abandons Paul and refuses to go through with downsizing, which Paul only finds out after the fact. This leads Paul to try to make a new life for himself in Leisureland, a city for the downsized, and he gradually realizes that the promises of a life of luxury are a lie. He is relegated to a meager phone answerer job, and spends his time spinning his wheels, unsure of what to really do with his life. Into the film walks Ngoc Lan Tran, a Vietnamese activist protesting against unscrupulous government activities. She now belongs to the hidden underclass of Leisureland, and Paul is roped into helping her, causing him to reflect on what really matters.

The acting is solid. Matt Damon sells Paul's frustration and constant weariness at all the events that gradually pile up around him. Hong Chau gives a very compelling performance, drawing on her own status as the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, and reflects issues of ever-present poverty with genuine heart and unfiltered emotion.

However, the film falters when it comes to the issues it wants to address. It starts with an environmentalist message, stating that downsizing is primarily a way to fight against global warming and climate change by reducing waste output, but the message is quickly drowned out by the other major issue of poverty and outsider marginalization prevalent in many societies. Sure, a film can use fantastical concepts to explore real-world issues, and can indeed tackle more than one, but only if the themes are delved into in an interesting way. Providing surface-level commentary, while helping to raise awareness of the issues at hand, certainly makes you feel like nothing profound is being told through the story.

Ultimately, Downsizing is an interesting film with a unique premise and solid actors that unfortunately meanders on and gets lost in the ambitious scope of its many messages. Maybe it would have been better if it stuck to exploring one issue, and sometimes staying small can be an advantage.

Score: 7/10