In writing, working long hours, playing basketball, screwing, and driving, among life’s countless activities, we carry the baggage of what may feel like a thousand years of our past, influenced and molded by family. We remember the fights, the moments where our parents might have stomped on future careers, just by a few ill-spoken words, and the annoying siblings.
Olivia (Susan Dalian), smart, filled-with-potential Olivia, finds this out all too unfortunately when a large, bumpy box made of different colors and shapes (symbolizing her set of problems from her past), blocks her from enjoying or even succeeding in her life. Her boyfriend Dion (Gary Poux) is ticked at not being able to make love to her because of this box in the way, literally in bed with both of them. It’s probably extra painful in his case.
Her smug boss Kyle (William Charlton) decides to recommend her for a sizable promotion, but only if her self-evaluation forms are on his desk by 2 p.m. But him asking her to get those in on time is like trying to convince SpongeBob SquarePants to take some downers. With each sequential shot, the box grows and grows, and she’s so panicked, pushing against it and pounding on it with her fists, too consumed by it that she doesn’t realize that while it may not be proper office etiquette, jumping over the cubicle walls not blocked by the box would have been ideal.
Writer/producer/director/editor Jennifer Sharp is snappy in her thinking. The solution Olivia finds towards the end seems too pat. That easy? That one moment and that’s it? But Sharp’s not done yet. She presents a worldly viewpoint, and implores us to think about our own lives in the context of our past.
We need more films like “Boxed” which concurrently presents its message with the fun that’s had by watching Olivia struggle with carrying and battling a rapidly growing box. The best message in a film is an intelligent one and there’s intelligence, wit, and warmth here that may even have the potential to change whomever sees this. And if not that, then certainly a lot to consider.
