Relaxer

Name: Relaxer
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy
Released: March 22, 2019
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 82
Cast: Adina Howard, Amari Cheatom, Andre Hyland, David Dastmalchian, Jeen Na

2019

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 7 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Ratings

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6.5

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6.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Ratings

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Relaxer

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Movie Details & Credits

Oscilloscope Laboratories | Release Date: March 22, 2019 | TV-MA

Starring: Adina Howard, Amari Cheatom, Andre Hyland, David Dastmalchian, Jeen Na, Joe Anderson, Joshua Burge, Madigan Bachman, Mahfuz Rahman

Summary: Doom and gloom are on the way. The Y2K apocalypse can't be stopped. Abbie's older brother issues him the ultimate challenge before it goes down: stay on the couch until he beats the infamous Billy Mitchell record on Pac-Man by getting past level 256. No getting up, no matter what. No quitting. Abbie must survive inside a rotten living roomDoom and gloom are on the way. The Y2K apocalypse can't be stopped. Abbie's older brother issues him the ultimate challenge before it goes down: stay on the couch until he beats the infamous Billy Mitchell record on Pac-Man by getting past level 256. No getting up, no matter what. No quitting. Abbie must survive inside a rotten living room with no food or water, and numb nut friends and toxic gas getting in his face. Luckily, Abbie's secret 3D glasses begin to give him new abilities, controlling the powers of his tiny universe.… Expand

Director: Joel Potrykus

Genre(s): Fantasy, Comedy

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 91 min

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Critic Reviews

100

IndieWire Eric Kohn

Mar 16, 2018

Potrykus’ movies are fixated on the self-destruction inherent to all capitalist systems, and there may be no better avatar for this concern than a brain-dead dude playing video games until the end of time. Read full review

The Playlist Kyle Kohner

Mar 18, 2018

Beneath the film’s grunge and characteristically dingy aura, the daring Potrykus proves once again why he is one of the most promising young filmmakers and provocateurs around, as he wields weighty commentary, an extremely limited setting and a darkly comedic turn of events to his advantage. Relaxer is Potrykus’ most discomforting and unforgettable experience to date. Read full review

The Film Stage John Fink

Mar 20, 2018

Relaxer is a hard film to “like,” full of commentary and situations that push the bounds of good taste and camp but it’s one of Potrykus’ best pictures; watchable, hilarious, uncompromising, and even thrilling in its final moments–if you have the stomach and patience for it. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Simon Abrams

Mar 22, 2019

Relaxer is a light, but moody comedy about an irredeemable loser who is too unwell to save himself. Imagine a deceptively optimistic comedy concerning a neurotic fish who's slowly circling his unwashed, slow-draining aquarium. Read full review

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

Mar 20, 2019

For a movie that’s often embarrassingly funny — with its absurdist hangout dialogue, posturing nobodies, and perfectly timed spews — Relaxer is fundamentally sad. Read full review

Carson Lund

Jun 28, 2018

Joel Potrykus's droll world is defined by feats of man-child pettiness, by lazy guys who turn the banalities of daily life into meaningless trials of integrity. Read full review

John DeFore

Mar 16, 2018

Especially in light of a short parable Cam tells early on about work and retirement, it's pretty obvious that Abbie's voluntary imprisonment is meant to reflect an American underclass that can't imagine any kind of life beyond our late-capitalist constraints. Read full review

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User Reviews

CinemaCrush

Jul 9, 2019

Oh yes, Joel Potrykus is back! Odds are, if you're reading this, you're either already a Joel fan OR you saw it on some streaming service and are here to check out what others thought. This is definitely a gift for Joel fans. We see him taking a break already from the last fare ofOh yes, Joel Potrykus is back! Odds are, if you're reading this, you're either already a Joel fan OR you saw it on some streaming service and are here to check out what others thought. This is definitely a gift for Joel fans. We see him taking a break already from the last fare of indie-fried horror-surrealism and dark comedy with the also great 'The Alchemist Cookbook'. With 'Relaxer' Potrykus returns and could make what one might call a surrealist cap to a trilogy, with Joshua Burge back, who we know so well from 'Buzzard' and 'Ape'. This time, throw a little more production and polish it up. Potrykus has really honed his talents with 'the Alchemist Cookbook' and with Oscilloscope Labs behind it, 'Relaxer' takes the great 90s for-better-or-worse throwback (and it's the 90s people, let's face it. It was a dark time) direction again, and nails it! Set right at y2k. You don't get any more fear-mongery than y2k when it comes to the 90s. I'll put a disclaimer: If the two words 'art' and 'film' don't look right together for you, this probably isn't your movie. And if you're already a Joel fan, buckle up, for another crazy trip. And keep your eyes peeled for more Joel in the future!… Expand

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CaptainHowdy

Aug 27, 2019

The first 30 minutes of this film had me laughing hard. The remainder kept me interested but didn't really pay off in the end the way I hoped it would. This is the second Potrykus film I've watched (the other is The Alchemist Cookbook, and I'm getting around to Buzzard), and though I thinkThe first 30 minutes of this film had me laughing hard. The remainder kept me interested but didn't really pay off in the end the way I hoped it would. This is the second Potrykus film I've watched (the other is The Alchemist Cookbook, and I'm getting around to Buzzard), and though I think he has interesting ideas, he has a hard time executing those interesting ideas in an interesting way. I'll keep an eye on this filmmaker.… Expand

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