The Future (2011)

When a couple decides to adopt a stray cat their perspective on life changes radically, literally altering the course of time and space and testing their faith in each other and themselves.

Director:

Miranda July

Writer:

Miranda July

Stars:

Hamish Linklater, Miranda July, David Warshofsky

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hamish Linklater	...	Jason
Miranda July	...	Sophie / Voice of Paw-Paw
David Warshofsky	...	Marshall
Isabella Acres	...	Gabriella
Joe Putterlik	...	Joe / Voice of The Moon
Angela Trimbur	...	Dance Studio Receptionist
Mary Passeri	...	Animal Shelter Receptionist
Ella	...	Real Cat
Kathleen Gati	...	Dr. Straus
Clement von Franckenstein	...	Alain First Solicitation
Tonita Castro	...	Second Solicitation
D.A. Sandoval	...	Neighbor Woman (as Diana Sandoval)
Mark Atteberry	...	Tree by Tree Canvasser
Frank Langley	...	T-Shirt Puppeteer
Erinn K. Williams	...	Tammy

Storyline

When a couple decides to adopt a stray cat their perspective on life changes radically, literally altering the course of time and space and testing their faith in each other and themselves.

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Plot Keywords:

cat | digging | prologue | exercise | hippopotamus figurine | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official Blog Official Facebook

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 October 2011 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Satisfaction

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$27,137 (USA) (29 July 2011)

Gross:

$568,366 (USA) (9 December 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

GNK Productions, Haut et Court, Match Factory, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Jason: You know how, like in cartoons, when the building gets hit by the wrecking ball, right before the building falls down, there's always like this moment where it's perfectly still right before it collapses? We're in that moment. The wrecking ball has already hit all of this, and this is just the moment before it all falls down.

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Connections

Featured in Brows Held High: The Future (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Master of None"
Written by Beach House
Performed by Beach House
Courtesy of Bella Union

User Reviews

Fear of Commitment

An odd-duck couple who have had plenty of years to be married (read: get bored) and far too much time on their hands decide to adopt a cat. They can't pick it up for a month because it's undergoing some medical treatments, and they're warned that if they fail to arrive on the designated date the cat will be euthanized. The prospect of that last month of freedom before they make a commitment to something other than themselves opens up a fissure in their lives and threatens to destroy a complacency they had begun to take for granted.

The fact that adopting a cat counts in their lives as a commitment great enough to alter their lives forever should tell you a little something about the personalities of these main characters, and if we end up being fed up with both of them, and her especially, I think we're meant to. It's nearly impossible to sympathize with people whose lives are basically so cushy that taking on a pet takes on the momentous proportions of a major life event -- but then I think of my own life, and how good I basically have it, and how good even the most average American basically has it, and how most of my problems would seem pretty petty to a lot of other people out there in the world, and realize that maybe what annoys me about these characters are the qualities I see in them that most annoy me about myself.

"The Future" I think is a cautionary tale about what happens to people when they spend all of their lives worrying about what their lives could be instead of accepting what their lives actually are. At some point, everyone gets to an age where he or she has to simply commit to SOMETHING, whether it be another person, a child, a cause, a pet, a life path, a career. Whatever it is, they have to make a conscious choice to make the best of what they have and stop worrying about what could have been. Easier said than done, probably, or many many people would be much happier.

I liked "The Future" well enough while I was watching it, but I can't say it really stuck with me. Miranda July has an off-beat writing and directorial (not to mention acting) style that will probably turn off some. I'm o.k. with it, and I must say that for once it was refreshing to see a movie in which it's the female rather than the male who does a worse job of dealing with a mid-life crisis. Thank you Ms. July for equaling the playing field a bit.

Grade: B