Waydowntown

One of my top 20 movies for sure.

The characters are what make this movie. And the touch or surrealism. The premise is that four coworkers make a bet that whoever is the last to remain inside wins a month's salary. Until then they live their entire lives inside this bubble.

One of my favorite props is that even the smokers can live their entire existence indoors; they smoke in these little tubes inside the building.

Some of the characters are a kleptomaniac boss, a suicidal cubicle slave, a directionless young office worker, and the initiator of the bet, who had succeeded living indoors for something like a year.

A hilarious psychological comedy where 4 Calgary coworkers bet on who can go the longest without going outside. The exaggerated personality degradation and hallucinations are funny and successful at drawing the audience into their warped world. There is a glass ant farm that is shown often as an allegory to the people living in the channeled tubes of sky walks & high-rises, and it serves a narration at a couple points. The actors did convey a sense of disorientation from having been indoors for 24 days, but it seemed from their behavior that they were indoors somewhat longer. The story takes place in one fateful day when several big events occur that they can't fully handle because of the bet induced stress, but a critical enlightenment is also realized. In this 18 day low budget shoot, the location and background information are left fuzzy intentionally as are the costume changes that occur randomly. This was shot in DV which made the post production effects much easier on a budget, so they are used with good results throughout the story. Film maker Gary Burns feels that the sky walk system "ruined down town Calgary," and even the title is part of his film statement of "modernization gone terribly wrong." This movie is worth going to see if you can find it.

OK, I'm not from Calgary, but I headed down there for the film festival to check this one out. I spent an afternoon in Calgary's Plus 15 system being totally, utterly, lost. Then I saw the Alberta premiere of waydowntown. Finally a film from the prairies that doesn't involve hearts breaking in wintry farmhouses! Clever use of digital Beta, 35mm, and security cameras. Brilliant use of colour. Exceptionally well acted, fine deadpan performances from all. And most importantly, WELL WRITTEN. Smart, funny, unpretentious. Gary Burns rocks.

Very funny independent Canadian film that shows what happens when four people make a bet to see who can stay the longest indoors. They all work in an office tower that is linked to malls , other office towers and their apartment buildings by closed-in walkways. The film begins on day 24 and the four are starting to show signs of cracking! All that lack of fresh air is taking its toll. I especially liked the main character, Tom, who is having a hard time keeping everyone focused. What makes the film so funny is that we can all easily identify with the co-workers who share office space with these four. There's a great scene where one of the four tries to have sex with a co-worker in a very narrow bathroom stall!

Overall, a great film to see if you are in the mood for something just a little different.

I'm going to be honest. I saw Fab Filippo on Queer As Folk and wanted to check out some of his other work. Yeah, he's gorgeous, but that isn't the only thing I liked about this movie. It's so funny, and so well done that it has become one of my favorite indie films. If you've ever had to work in a cubicle and felt like a rat in a maze; if you've ever had co-workers you were sure would be starring in a hostage negotiation; If you've ever let someone continue to call you by the wrong name because it's just easier, WayDownTown is about YOU. The bet that these 4 co-workers have undertaken requires that they stay indoors for 24 days and counting. Their voluntary confinement combined with that all-too-familiar daily grind has resulted in a wicked sort of "mall buzz". Tom (played to absolute perfection by Filippo) carries the movie along with running narration that we hear as he tries to multi-task while stoned. He runs into an assortment of difficult people and to make matters worse, he's starting to hallucinate. The head trips he's pulled on the other 3 involved in the bet are taking full effect and we gradually watch them all come unglued in situations that are funny because of their familiarity. The movie does a great job of making one day run into the next, just like real life. What color is his tie? What color is her sweater? Wait wasn't he wearing a blue shirt? The colors in the movie are used to enhance the stifling artificiality of the office and the attached mall. You won't be able to resist trying to figure out who the Bradley in your office is...