[Rock Fist Way Down]
The screener was sent with the description, “sci-fi satire film Creative Control starring Reggie Watts.” I like his comedy, enjoyed his work on Comedy Bang Bang, and whenever I see him pop up, I usually laugh. So I went in assuming I’d laugh and have a good time.
Boy was I wrong.
After I watched Creative Control, I had to look up the definition of satire because I thought I knew the meaning, but maybe I was wrong. So I checked, just to be safe.
“Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.”
That definition was in line with what I thought. My understanding wasn’t as in depth, but it included that general outline. Nearly 40 minutes into Creative Control and I hadn’t laughed, didn’t find anything, really, ironic, with what’s going on in these people’s lives. This is science-fiction, so things have to be exaggerated, I guess?
Thankfully, H. Jon Benjamin showed up provide the one laugh. I laughed once during the film’s 93 minute run. What’s even worse, Watts is not even the star of this film. Far from it. He maybe has like between 13-15 minutes of screen time, and that’s being generous. He is completely underused and I can’t figure out if his scenes were cut or if his name was just used to draw in viewers.
The setting is New York, five minutes in the future. (The idea sounds funnier than the execution.) Technological advances and communication devices of the future that are meant to increase connectivity and alleviate boredom are only increasing the anxiety level of the insecure New Yorkers who’ve inherited them. David (writer/director Benjamin Dickinson) is an overworked, tech-addled advertising executive developing a high-profile marketing campaign featuring Watts playing an unfunny version of himself. Feeling stuck in his relationship with yoga teacher Juliette (Nora Zehetner), he envies the charmed life of his best friend, fashion photographer and M.A.S.H.’s Donald Sutherland doppelganger Wim (Dan Gill) and his entrancing girlfriend Sophie (Alexia Rasmussen). David uses advanced technology to develop a life-like avatar of Sophie. Unwittingly, fantasy and reality begin to blur. People cheat on each other, jobs are lost, and everyone is generally unhappy.
I started off bored, but then I wondered if I just wasn’t getting it. There were what I assumed quite a few New York-centric jokes, like complaining about New Hampshire oysters or calling Midtown an “emotional Afghanistan.”
This movie was either way more sophisticated than my little Midwest brain could handle or it was just bad. Either way, I’m not going to bother watching it again to try and determine which one it actually is.
Creative Control opens Friday at Screenland Crossroads and Barrywoods 24.
Joe Jarosz is a Midwest boy living in California. As much as he likes to think he has an edge, he’s quick to cry at the latest animated movie he takes his kid to see.
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