The American indie Save Yourselves! was premiered in January 2020, before the coronavirus spread around the world. The comedy proved to be well-suited to the fraught, survivalist mood that has gripped the planet over the past several months.
Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s film revolves around a hipster couple from New York City who embark on a week of digital detox hours before aliens land on the planet. Even as they commune with nature and re-evaluate their relationship, fluffy pouffes wreak havoc across America.
Save Yourselves! was launched in India on Friday on the BookMyShow Stream platform.
Su (Sunita Mani) and Jack (John Reynolds) toss aside city life for a week of promised bliss in the countryside. The vacation offers time away from the internet and the opportunity to think about “how to be a better we”.
The attempt to disconnect from the addictive pleasures of the internet and re-connect with each other is rudely interrupted by the arrival of pouffes. Rather than lying in a corner like the pieces of furniture they are meant to be, these pouffes prove that they are not just alive but also evil.
Equal parts modern relationship drama and survival saga, the movie is low on budget but high on humour. Despite barely any visual effects to suggest a countryside being overrun by extra-terrestrials, the movie retains its charm through clever, perfectly timed repartee and superb turns by the leads.
The screenplay, which is also by the directors, is hampered by irregular pacing and an uneven balance between the narrative elements. Fortunately, the filmmakers keep the material light and ensure that the movie floats on the strength of the central performances. Sunita Mani and John Paul Reynolds are in great form as the unmarried couple who discover new facets about each other while facing challenges for which they are clearly unprepared.
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