The dread reek of Long-Cherished Project Syndrome spills around every corner of Alexander Payne’s strange science-fiction satire. Two more Oscar-nominated films, The Descendants and Nebraska, intervened before the boys finally got around to doing what they should have left undone. Like so many Long-Cherished Projects, Downsizing hangs around one bossy high concept that seeks to corral all the world’s concerns into an enclosed area. Paul and Audrey (Matt Damon and Kristen Wiig), a suburban couple with the usual discontents, are initially reluctant, but they eventually decide to make the leap and enjoy tiny, tiny luxury. Paul places his wedding ring in a smallish L-shaped box and carries it to the downsizing facility.

Source: The Irish Times January 24, 2018 07:30 UTC