Warning! Major Spoiler! I feel this film is a funkified version of, in essence, a classical Hollywood story. The plot is drawn by the active goal oriented protagonist (Zia trying to find Desiree, his ex-love, in the suicide world), fueled by desire (his ex-love), who in the pivotal moment has to make a decision (new girl Mikal or old girl Desiree), comes to a realization (I love Mikal!) and ultimately changes (accepts his situation, lets himself fall into the black hole, ultimately comes back etc). The film also has a pretty strong sense of ending closure and the narration tends to be objective.
In essence these elements are all found in the ol' Hollywood formula. The film's style, however, reeks of indie all over. The offbeat dark humor, free flowing, low budget road trip section, and fantastical characters and situations may not always appeal to the mass Hollywood audience. Furthermore, while the girl and the guy do find each other again in the end (and presumably fall in love again), it is not because both characters fought obstacles to remain with each other. Mikal clearly leaves Zia in the suicide world to have another chance in the world she left behind. Even though they wake up in the same hospital room, look at each other, and light up with a knowing smile, Mikal still has ultimately abandoned her love to pursue her own self-serving goal. This hint of disappointment and satire so close to the end of the film perhaps encompasses a more accurate and whole view on the complexity of sacrifice and individuality in relationships. This overall uplifting yet slightly unsettling end would surely be shunned within the happy-end-hungry Hollywood formula where love the invincible beams brightly at the end of every tunnel.
Overall, despite its Hollywood and non-Hollywood elements, I deeply enjoyed this film and would love to see it again. Its dark humor tickled me just the right way from the very beginning and its zany happenings kept me involved throughout. I would definitely recommend this film to others who enjoy the struggle between hope and cynicism, laughter and disconcertment.
In essence these elements are all found in the ol' Hollywood formula. The film's style, however, reeks of indie all over. The offbeat dark humor, free flowing, low budget road trip section, and fantastical characters and situations may not always appeal to the mass Hollywood audience. Furthermore, while the girl and the guy do find each other again in the end (and presumably fall in love again), it is not because both characters fought obstacles to remain with each other. Mikal clearly leaves Zia in the suicide world to have another chance in the world she left behind. Even though they wake up in the same hospital room, look at each other, and light up with a knowing smile, Mikal still has ultimately abandoned her love to pursue her own self-serving goal. This hint of disappointment and satire so close to the end of the film perhaps encompasses a more accurate and whole view on the complexity of sacrifice and individuality in relationships. This overall uplifting yet slightly unsettling end would surely be shunned within the happy-end-hungry Hollywood formula where love the invincible beams brightly at the end of every tunnel.
Overall, despite its Hollywood and non-Hollywood elements, I deeply enjoyed this film and would love to see it again. Its dark humor tickled me just the right way from the very beginning and its zany happenings kept me involved throughout. I would definitely recommend this film to others who enjoy the struggle between hope and cynicism, laughter and disconcertment.