This is one of those movies that you get to the end of, and you just know that a lot of people are going to be too scared to admit what they really thought of it, and so instead they're going to start suggesting it's a clever art piece.
It could have been so much better, but the execution is ultimately flawed.
Firstly, the entire plot is reliant on a Machiavellian plan that is so complex that even the Emperor Palpatine would consider it above his pay grade of nefarious scheming.
If it's a piece of pointed satire (presumably the target is Amway) it seems like a rather confused and dishonest way of satirising the cult-like behaviour of a certain direct marketing company - they've mixed honest satirisation in with dishonest and far fetched absurdity.
If it's meant to be a more general artistic commentary about modern life and the modern search for meaning, then it's even weaker - the development of those themes is barely even present, let alone brought to completion, and the entire premise relies on a bizarre act of blackmail to be achieved (hardly the stuff of an honest and sincere examination of the modern search for meaning.)
There is definitely the genesis of a good idea here, but the final product is totally lacking in depth and clarity of vision, and as a result you walk away feeling like you've just been subjected to a technically well made film school project that's more about showcasing set pieces rather than telling a compelling story or presenting a particularly believable and engaging narrative.
The acting is great, but other than that, it's not a particularly good or memorable film - certainly not something I'd re-watch or recommend to anyone.
It could have been so much better, but the execution is ultimately flawed.
Firstly, the entire plot is reliant on a Machiavellian plan that is so complex that even the Emperor Palpatine would consider it above his pay grade of nefarious scheming.
If it's a piece of pointed satire (presumably the target is Amway) it seems like a rather confused and dishonest way of satirising the cult-like behaviour of a certain direct marketing company - they've mixed honest satirisation in with dishonest and far fetched absurdity.
If it's meant to be a more general artistic commentary about modern life and the modern search for meaning, then it's even weaker - the development of those themes is barely even present, let alone brought to completion, and the entire premise relies on a bizarre act of blackmail to be achieved (hardly the stuff of an honest and sincere examination of the modern search for meaning.)
There is definitely the genesis of a good idea here, but the final product is totally lacking in depth and clarity of vision, and as a result you walk away feeling like you've just been subjected to a technically well made film school project that's more about showcasing set pieces rather than telling a compelling story or presenting a particularly believable and engaging narrative.
The acting is great, but other than that, it's not a particularly good or memorable film - certainly not something I'd re-watch or recommend to anyone.