Sundance Films: The Assistant and Downhill - a podcast by MTR Network

Sundance Roundup: Downhill and The Assistant

Joi and Ro sit down to discuss two  films showcased during the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Each film's central theme, gaslighting, plays out subtly and in real time. Both film open the door to a discussion that ultimately ends up about relationships and the care you take of you while in them. 



Joi On:

The Assistant 

Written and directed by Kitty Green, The Assistant follows Jane (Julia Garner), a young assistant at a film production company with aspirations to rise in the industry. While doing her daily tasks, she gradually notices the inappropriate behavior of her boss. Motivated to speak up, her concerns reveal the complicit nature of the company she works for. 

Green leverages her expertise in documentaries to edit and direct the story in a succinct manner. Explorative, we begin with Jane's daily routine as an assistant. Most of her duties are what you expect from an assistant. But scenes like Jane deep cleaning her boss' office and throwing out syringes set the tone that something is off in this work culture. The story is crafted based on implication versus "cold hard facts." This is not to diminish the severity of the actions, but rather confront the sobering truth that many sexual assault and harassment cases lack evidence for "believability." 

The first twenty minutes of the film moves at a snail's pace. But it's deliberate in it's messaging: in the crawl of the day-to-day, we sometimes miss the red flags. Jane eventually can no longer ignore the signs and approaches Human Resources rep Wilcock (Matthew Macfadyen) in the climactic scene of the film. What proceeds is an uncomfortable moment of gaslighting, where Jane is made to feel unsure of the behavior she's seen. Shocked, she returns to her desk and is forced to email her boss an apology for reporting him.

The realization of this shady workplace weighs heavily on Jane. But in the end, we assume that Jane will clock into work tomorrow, to fight another day. Open about the inspiration from Weinstein and the #MeToo era, Green has stated her goal was to "make a project that tackles not just this misconduct, but these broader themes of a system that’s inherently structured against women[.]" She succeeds in taking these meaty themes and streamlining them, without undercutting the impact. Simple, yet effective in its delivery, The Assistant is a cautionary tale of how easy it is to ignore abusive structures. And once you're sucked in, how hard it is to speak up.



Downhill

An American remake of the 2014 Swedish dramedy Force Majeure, Downhill - directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash - follows the Staunton family, led by the father Pete (Will Ferrell) and the mother Billie (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). While on a ski vacation with their children in the Alps, the couple experience what they assumed to be an avalanche. Pete's reaction to flee versus protecting his family causes problems for his relationships with his wife and sons.

The cinematography juxtaposes the dark family dynamics with bright sweeping shots. Danny Cohen has an easy muse in the beautiful, white Alps background. But being the cinematographer for films such as The Kings Speech, The Danish Girl, Room, and much more certainly helps. Cohen's eye is utilized best on the slopes, with stock photo shots of skiers enjoying the sport. He brings a lightness that marries well to this black comedy. It puts a spotlight on how even in the most beautiful places, families can crumble. 

Even with such a stunning backdrop, the story hones in on how Pete and Billie aren't on one accord after the avalanche incident. Unfortunately, the written lack of chemistry of the characters is overshadowed by the actual lack of chemistry be...

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