DVD Review: Miranda July Can’t Get a Grip on ‘The Future’

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CHICAGO – One man’s delightful whimsy is another man’s annoying hipster facade. For every person who gets on the wavelength of a band like The Decemberists or Belle & Sebastian, there are others who find their music too self-aware and, well, hipster. The same is true with film. Even though I’m often a fan of music and fiction that could be deemed hipster — you know the kind, the Sundance whimsy that comes through the art house a few times a year — I found “The Future” grating in its lack of emotional truth. It all feels like artifice to me, which is especially problematic given the clear attempt at something deeper.

DVD Rating: 2.0/5.0

It’s all about balance. Miranda July’s “Me and You and Everyone We Know” was JUST weighted enough to balance out the writer/director’s flights of fancy, in no small part due to the contributions of the always-excellent John Hawkes. “The Future” spins off into so many elements of magical realism that it drains the realism realism of its impact. July has written an undeniably ambitious piece about two people realizing that responsibility is about to come into their lives and basically spinning out of control because of that realization, but, to be blunt, I never bought it. I don’t buy the plot developments. I don’t buy the anxiety. I don’t buy the mopey ennui. OK, well, I guess I buy that but it still annoys me.

July is still an intriguing presence. Like I said, I admire the ambition of “The Future.” Any movie that tries to tie narration by a cat and a man who talks to the moon into a relatively routine romantic drama about commitment deserves some credit for the effort. But I can’t deny my gut reaction to “The Future” — I was annoyed by every character in the piece. I didn’t believe them and I didn’t like the way they were being used as hipster artifice. I guess some people are probably annoyed by The Decemberists too.

The Future was released on DVD on November 29th, 2011
Photo credit: Lionsgate

Synopsis:
Sophie and Jason are like many couples in their 30s: They live in a cramped apartment, have jobs they hate and are just learning what it means to be an adult. But when they decide to adopt an injured cat, the couple is hit head-on with a panicked sense of responsibility. With just one month left to themselves, how should Sophie and Jason spend their fleeting freedom: Surrender themselves to fate and quit their jobs? Tune out their dreams and embrace suburbia? Reeling through their options, the couple finds themselves facing the beginning of adulthood - or the beginning of a very big problem - in this whimsical, smart comedy from Miranda July.

Special Features:
o Audio Commentary with Writer/Director/Star Miranda July
o “Making The Future” Behind-The-Scenes Featurette
o Deleted Scene
o Theatrical Trailer

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com