Downsizing

Name: Downsizing
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Comedy
Released: December 22, 2017
Duration: 135 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Brigette Lundy-Paine, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Ingjerd Egeberg, James Van Der Beek

2017

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 223 Ratings

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5.3

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5.3	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 223 Ratings

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Downsizing (Trailer 2)

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: December 22, 2017 | R

Starring: Brigette Lundy-Paine, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Ingjerd Egeberg, James Van Der Beek, Jason Sudeikis, Jayne Houdyshell, Joaquim de Almeida, Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Margo Martindale, Maribeth Monroe, Matt Damon, Neil Patrick Harris, Niecy Nash, Rolf Lassgård, Søren Pilmark, Udo Kier

Summary: When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to over-population, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community — a choice that triggers life-changing adventures. [Paramount Pictures]

Director: Alexander Payne

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Drama, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 135 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Ann Hornaday

Dec 21, 2017

Weird and wonderful, zigging where it should zag and zagging where it should zig, this wildly imaginative flight of fancy strikes an admirably poised balance between whimsy, screwball comedy, social satire and generous meditation on the foibles and highest aspirations of human nature. Read full review

Leah Greenblatt

Dec 20, 2017

The result is a dadaist swirl of satire, pie-eyed whimsy, and speculative futurism — like "Gulliver’s Travels" through the wrong end of a telescope. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Dec 21, 2017

Damon is in prime everyman mode as Paul, a good guy with a good heart who wouldn’t mind catching a break, a big break, just once. Waltz has a blast playing the party king Dusan, who has some wise observations about the ways of this new world. And Hong Chau is brilliant as the fiery and funny and fantastically blunt Ngoc Lan. Read full review

Calvin Wilson

Dec 21, 2017

Working from a screenplay that he co-wrote with Jim Taylor, Payne delivers what must be his least funny film — if, indeed, his intention was to be funny. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Dec 21, 2017

Downsizing is an ambitious movie about the value of modesty, and its faults are proportionate to its insights. I sort of wish it felt like a bigger deal, but maybe that’s my problem. Read full review

Ty Burr

Dec 20, 2017

The film’s ultimate message — help other people, basically — is, while useful and necessary, dramatically rather slack, and you notice with a shock that the film’s central conceit has almost entirely dropped off the table by the final third. Payne’s microcosm is so like our macrocosm that after a while he simply forgets to make the distinction. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Dec 20, 2017

By the end, Downsizing is one of those great ideas that should have just stayed an idea. Read full review

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User Reviews

Existentialman

Dec 23, 2017

I saw Downsizing last night and immediately after I would have given it a 6, but after letting it sink in, the film really resonated with me. At this point I will give it a 10. I'm going to make this a spoiler free review, in the hope that some people will see it based on my experience.I saw Downsizing last night and immediately after I would have given it a 6, but after letting it sink in, the film really resonated with me. At this point I will give it a 10. I'm going to make this a spoiler free review, in the hope that some people will see it based on my experience. The film speaks to issues of global warming and who we should be spending our life with knowing that we're destroying our environment and possibly destroying ourselves as a species. I really feel like I now have a better understanding of how I want to live my life in the face of climate change. It also feels like a feature film version of a Black Mirror episode. I love Black Mirror, so if you're a fan of that show you'll probably have a great time watching Downsizing.… Expand

7 of 40 users found this helpful733

Bitash

Jul 10, 2020

I watched the movie since I knew Matt Damon doesn’t do awful movies, it surprised me as what it was about and could not predict the script at all. I loved the script idea, acting was superb. The Vietnamese actress was amazing. Her last two scenes were so believable that I forgot I’m watchingI watched the movie since I knew Matt Damon doesn’t do awful movies, it surprised me as what it was about and could not predict the script at all. I loved the script idea, acting was superb. The Vietnamese actress was amazing. Her last two scenes were so believable that I forgot I’m watching a movie.
Great script, movie takes you through a ride. Enjoy it, it will make you think at the end. Yes the world is over populated. So maybe we will stop having so many kids. Loved it… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

peeteelee83

Nov 26, 2018

The trailer does this movie a huge disservice. The trailer tries to sell this movie as a silly comedy, like Matt Damon's "Stuck On You." While the movie does have some silly, comedic bits, it's main focus is a satirical take on modern consumerism. If you go into the film expecting to beThe trailer does this movie a huge disservice. The trailer tries to sell this movie as a silly comedy, like Matt Damon's "Stuck On You." While the movie does have some silly, comedic bits, it's main focus is a satirical take on modern consumerism. If you go into the film expecting to be rolling on the floor laughing, you're going to be disappointed.
"Downsizing" is to modern 21st century mass consumerism as Voltaire's "Candide" was to 18th Century Leibnizian Optimism. Both works take the perspective of a generic everyman to illustrate the flaws in the times they live in and the mindset of the people around them. And in both works, the main character starts off seemingly indoctrinated by the world around them and proceeds to live through experiences that cause disillusionment. I won't spoil the ending, but if you didn't like "Candide," you're probably not going to like "Downsizing."
It's not a comedy. It's meant to be a thought-provoking, satirical commentary on rampant, self-destructive consumerism. It does an acceptable job at that, though if you go into the movie blind like I did, you'll endure about an hour and a half of "where is this movie going" confusion.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

BHBarry

Dec 24, 2017

“Downsizing” was directed by Alexander Payne who, with Jim Taylor, wrote the story and screenplay. The film stars Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Kristen Wiig and Hong Chau. I went to this film expecting to see an elaboration of a very tempting trailer but, unfortunately, the best part of the“Downsizing” was directed by Alexander Payne who, with Jim Taylor, wrote the story and screenplay. The film stars Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Kristen Wiig and Hong Chau. I went to this film expecting to see an elaboration of a very tempting trailer but, unfortunately, the best part of the film was, in fact, all in the trailer itself. What starts out with a very intriguing concept, i.e. shrinking human beings to a height of 5 inches with a proportionate environment around them, loses itself in the first 30 minutes and travels in a number of different directions, most of which involve the writer’s political statements about climate change and the harm humans are doing to the planet. Also, to add another negative to the film is the role played by Thailand actress Hong Chau and what has to be the worst attempt ever made at imitating a Vietnamese émigré. Simply stated, she ruins each scene in which she appears with this ‘chalk on a blackboard” dialogue. Couple all of this with plot changes and ideas that make no sense and you have a disappointing and uncomfortable 135 minutes. I give the film a rating of 6.02 because of what it started out to be, and could have been, but unfortunately went downhill in mid reel. In summary, all of Mr. Payne’s efforts as director and co-writer of this film came up short (pun intended).… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

FilmTVReview

Jul 27, 2019

I’ll just wait til it’s on Netflix’ is the type of film this is and why it flopped at the cinema. Full of great actors, but a hollow script. I’ve never seen a film that starts so promisingly, intriguing and quirky, but then just slowly gets worse and worse. I want my money back! Oh rightI’ll just wait til it’s on Netflix’ is the type of film this is and why it flopped at the cinema. Full of great actors, but a hollow script. I’ve never seen a film that starts so promisingly, intriguing and quirky, but then just slowly gets worse and worse. I want my money back! Oh right yeah, didn’t go to the cinema... phew!… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

muldjord

Oct 6, 2022

The movie is quite interesting all up to the point where they enter the tiny world (about 30 minutes in). Then it becomes a boring drama. I'd expected it to be a bit like "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids", but it is not - not even by a long shot.

You don't even know they are in a tiny world duringThe movie is quite interesting all up to the point where they enter the tiny world (about 30 minutes in). Then it becomes a boring drama. I'd expected it to be a bit like "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids", but it is not - not even by a long shot.

You don't even know they are in a tiny world during most of the movie. They have everything from TV's to coffee machines and busses. And basically NONE of it looks "small". It's just an ordinary coffee machine and an ordinary TV.

I was interested in the tiny concept of the movie. But when that was removed, there was nothing left but a sluggish, sleep-inducing drama.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

jackbailey02

Dec 10, 2018

A strong contender for the worst film of all time, certainly the worst movie of 2017. The initial premise of the film is set up well, but after around thirty minutes the film becomes a total mess and seems to have no idea where it is going, jumping from idea to idea throughout the rest ofA strong contender for the worst film of all time, certainly the worst movie of 2017. The initial premise of the film is set up well, but after around thirty minutes the film becomes a total mess and seems to have no idea where it is going, jumping from idea to idea throughout the rest of the duration. A total waste of time, I actually watched it again as I couldn't believe how poor the film was and I wanted to give it a chance to redeem itself. It didn't. There is a very good video essay on youtube called "How Downsizing Cheated You" which sums it up in quite a humorous way.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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62	#62 Most Discussed Movie of 2017
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