I heard about “The Future” a couple months ago when it was playing at a second run theater. I immediately got the vibe that this would be an interesting movie, but probably not one that would be easy for a broad audience to digest. I was probably right.

The disappointing thing about “The Future” was that first of all it was listed as a comedy. I’m not sure why Independent Films all get categorized as a comedy. It’s like they’re too quirky to be considered dramatic and so when they catch a light joke here and there they just assume it’s meant to be funny and they just didn’t catch the humor. But like always, these independent “dark” comedies are always filled with tension and sadness.

“The Future” has a cool set up in my opinion. A mid-30’s couple decides to adopt a cat which spirals into a conversation about life and how it seems like they’ve more or less reached their prime. So when the cat heals in a month and is ready for adoption, that’s the end of their life, more or less.

What seemed like a humorous, “Shoot for the stars! Now’s the time!” kind of plot, turned into a chaotic reckless lifestyle with a downward spiral towards sadness. And where some films can nail this concept by presenting something honest and difficult, I feel like some of the aspects of this film were a little forced to create tension and emotion. 

I don’t mean to rock the film to hard, it was an enjoyable and complicated film with great talent and unique perspective. There’s also the lovable yet creepy “Paw-Paw” the cat who makes a few appearances and adds a new layer of depth to the story and meaning of the plot.

[STATUS REPORT]

BROAD vs. NICHE – Definitely a niche film. I enjoyed this movie, but it’s not the kind of film I would feel confident sharing with a lot of people. The tension and dark side of this movie make it a little less consumable for a broad audience.

WATCHABILITY – The first 20 minutes of this film were pleasant and easy to fall in love with. Shortly after this, the film takes a bit of a dip and the direction gets a little off centered. The last 30 minutes or so I just felt like I was desperately waiting for resolution. 

WHEN TO WATCH – I think this is a good movie to watch on a plane where you need to pass the time and feel like thinking a little outside the box. I enjoy writer/director/actor movies so for that reason it was also interesting to take in. I dont’ really have a great time to watch this film, but it doesn’t suck so if you find yourself in a room full of people interested in different perspectives and you want a safe choice that errs a little on the dark side than pick up “The Future” in confidence.