Right up front, to save you the 5 mins of reading my review (if not the 97 mins of this movie) let me say this is an artsy flick. So if the phrase "artsy flick" scares you then you probably won't enjoy this movie. But at the same time it's not annoyingly artsy; it isn't like Andy Worhol's 8 hour movie consisting of 1 still camera shot of the Empire State Building. So don't run away screaming just yet.
I'll get to the actual review in a sec. But first let me throw out a few directors' names which might give you an idea of what to expect if you decide to watch this movie. Jim Jarmusch. Krzysztof Kieslowski. Béla Tarr. Darren Aronofsky. And a director whom I suspect was overtly alluded to in this film because one of the main characters, a photographer/director, happens to be named "Wim", uh Wim Wenders. If you're a fan of any of these directors then read on. If you've never heard of them that's ok, maybe this film will inspire you to check them out.
"Creative Control" is broadly a science fiction story. But don't expect spaceships, robots and sexy blue aliens. Instead, much like Wim Wenders's "Until the End of the World" or "Million Dollar Hotel" or "Promised Land", this movie is set in an ambiguously familiar future--it could be 5 years from now or it could be 50 years--with the idea of presenting a story that is NOT in the present, so it immediately immerses us in a fantasy setting, even though these are real people in real situations like you & I might be experiencing today. It's set in a contemporary looking New York City, except that iphones are totally clear and computers look like sheets of plexiglass. The plot is about a futuristic device, "Augmented Reality glasses", which give the wearer access to real-time technological tools in everyday life.
For example, the minute you look at someone, their face is instantly mapped into a database, and that database can be used to create artificial characters who are projected into your living space. Ah, do you see where this is going? Yes--you can create virtual characters who look exactly like people you know.
The main character, "David" (played by writer/director Benjamin Dickinson himself) gets his hands on a pair of these magic glasses and he proceeds to do exactly what you or I would probably do; that is, he creates a fantasy character who looks exactly like the chick he secretly has a crush on. And this chick ("Sophia") happens to be--if you caught the reference in my title--his best friend's girlfriend. As he gets deeper into this fantasyscape, which blends into his real life because he can see her and interact with her whenever he puts on the glasses, David rapidly loses his sense of reality. And it doesn't help that he's taking a cocktail of mind-altering medication as if they're m&ms.
If you find this concept interesting then you'll grasp the beauty of this flick, no need for spaceships and sexy blue aliens. This film presents us with the very real social problem we are facing today: what happens when we become addicted to technology in a way that redefines our lives and relationships? As such, this "scifi" is not as far-fetched as you may think, and that's what gives it power. If you're paying attention, this movie can really get under your skin.
That's all I'll say about the story. But I wanted to touch on some technical merits of this film. First of all, the soundtrack is fantastic. It features a lot of classical pieces as well as modern beats, and all of the pieces are powerful and moving. Similarly the cinematography and camera work is very polished and professional, with lots of smooth, long shots reminiscent of Orson Welles or Hitchcock's meticulous attention to detail. "Creative Control" is in black & white but there are some very significant elements of color which will make you smack your forehead and say "ah now I understand why the movie is in black & white." And lastly I have to say the acting is terrific with every character presenting a very memorable personality. Love it or hate it, you have to admit that this is a very carefully planned film.
If my wordy review didn't scare you off, I think you should give this movie a shot. Even though not a lot happens, there's a lot going on. Huh? Watch the movie and maybe that'll make sense.
