Waydowntown

if you've ever worked in an office tower, you can sympathize with these characters. trapped in an inhumane and unnatural setting all day can be excruciating, but these 4 genXers try to take on this mantle 24 hours a day.

the writers have tried to make an analogy between the hostile environment of the modern corporate world to young minds and the closeted world of calgary's plus-15 network of above-ground enclosed walkways between downtown towers. the surrealism of office kowtowing is matched with the narrator flying thru colour-saturated mall displays.

the director and co-writer sat for a question and answer session after the screening at calgary's (first) international film festival and they made a valid point that the +15 network has decimated the downtown pedestrian life that is the core of other larger cities. personally, i like the +15 network, especially when the temperature outside is in the -40 degree range.

the fault for the lack of pedestrian life in most downtown cities should instead be laid at the choice of acquiescing quietly to the ascendance of car culture. when people are presented with the option of dodging traffic or walking safely high above, the result is predictable. the film does have a very funny scene showing how accidents can still take place even in the +15.

if you've seen and enjoyed mike judge's 'office space', you will enjoy watching this film. look for it in wider release at a theatre near you in late 2000.