There’s an interesting premise here, one that sort of mirrors real life. A pill called Elotane can make all your troubles disappear. It’s an experimental anti-depressant, and Wesley (Jay Sullivan) is nothing if not depressed. Dealing with things like suicide, incest and friends who may be turning against you can do that sort of thing.
Told in a non-linear style, this movie presents some interesting characters, but struggled to thoroughly engage me. I wanted to know more about these people and their motivations, but the film itself felt a tad detached from the story, and that caused my mind to wander. Maybe it was the subject matter, which was far from pleasant and uplifting, or maybe it was the style in which the story was told. It doesn’t really matter either way, though, as my attention was constantly brought back to the screen by some subtle thing a character said that served to drive the movie forward by releasing a new nugget of information that answered one question while causing many more. (If this was done on purpose by the filmmakers, it is brilliant, because I ended up feeling like Wesley — disjointed from the reality of the film and distrustful of its intentions.)
Those looking for a film that hands you the plot right from the start and works toward a predictable conclusion will be well advised to stick to whatever is number one at the box office this week. Others, who can handle stories with a little more depth, will want to take this in … just don’t be surprised if you find yourself feeling somewhat manipulated. Not necessarily a bad thing, as far as I’m concerned, but I’m not sure that was the goal here.
