July 6, 2023
FILM: BIOSPHERE
STARRING: MARK DUPLASS, STERLING K. BROWN
DIRECTED BY: MEL ESLYN
RATING: 3 ½ OUT OF 4 STARS
By Dan Pal
What happens when two best friends are the last people on Earth? How far will they go to save our species and planet? That is a rough idea about the premise of Biosphere, a new film directed by Mel Eslyn from a script she co-wrote with Mark Duplass. Sterling K. Brown stars along with Duplass as the last two men on earth living in a biosphere that Brown’s character Ray constructed. Billy (Duplass) was the U.S. President when something seemingly catastrophic occurred. The two men have been lifelong friends and have grown accustomed to their new way of life stuck inside this dome. Ray (Brown) is the more optimistic of the two while Billy has taken on the role of the pessimistic child believing the end is near. When they begin to notice a strange phenomenon occurring with their fish, the whole idea of the future of the human race begins to take on a new focus. Without spoiling what is truly a surprising and provocative narrative twist, hope for the future appears in the form of some unexpected physical transformations.
This is essentially a very well-acted two man show that presents some interesting and challenging ideas for viewers. I know there will be people who will be turned off by where the narrative goes but I thought it was pretty brilliant and enlightening. The changes that occur relate to a reference to Jurassic Park which suggests that “life finds a way.” The question is, at what cost? The men have to confront their own senses of self as well as their perceived ideologies. Ray is a progressive when it comes to science but even his own beliefs that “there’s goodness in change” and “life evolves even with the threat of extinction” causes a strong internal struggle when he’s forced to deal with the implications of the physical changes occurring in their midst. Basically, he’s a progressive with limits resulting from his own upbringing and self-imposed set of restrictions.
Billy adapts in a way that some might find hard to buy but given the situation the men find themselves in, his various decisions actually make a lot of sense. I realize I’m being very coy here but I had no idea where this film was going and was very glad I didn’t! The characters and writing really make this film standout. The men are extremely well-developed with their own sets of flaws and insecurities. The discussions they have tackle everything from survival to masculinity and homophobia.
Even without the premise, Biosphere ranks as one of the best buddy/bromance films of recent years. Duplass and Brown have undeniable chemistry and it’s not an accident that the film is filled with references to other great screen partners from Sam and Diane on Cheers to the guys in Lethal Weapon to Mario and Luigi in the Super Mario franchise. Both actors are very appealing on screen and they’re both more than well-equipped to handle the material here. Both have had a great run playing well-developed, feeling, and thinking characters in their separate projects from Brown’s This is Us and American Crime Story to Duplass’s work in Your Sister’s Sister, Safety Not Guaranteed, and the most related to this film, Humpday.
I also really love the reference to Kiss of the Spider Woman here. In that book/film two characters share a prison cell and are forced to look at their relationship in a new and survival-based way. The same happens in Biosphere. Some may find that the direction the characters’ relationship takes here is a bit uncomfortable and I get that. However, it’s important to think beyond our own prejudices and beliefs and consider what we would do if we were in the same situation as Billy and Ray. This is a great film for discussion and is also very well-written, acted, and entertaining. I think it’s one of the best films of the year so far.
Biosphere opens in select theatres and on VOD tomorrow.
FILM: BIOSPHERE
STARRING: MARK DUPLASS, STERLING K. BROWN
DIRECTED BY: MEL ESLYN
RATING: 3 ½ OUT OF 4 STARS
By Dan Pal
What happens when two best friends are the last people on Earth? How far will they go to save our species and planet? That is a rough idea about the premise of Biosphere, a new film directed by Mel Eslyn from a script she co-wrote with Mark Duplass. Sterling K. Brown stars along with Duplass as the last two men on earth living in a biosphere that Brown’s character Ray constructed. Billy (Duplass) was the U.S. President when something seemingly catastrophic occurred. The two men have been lifelong friends and have grown accustomed to their new way of life stuck inside this dome. Ray (Brown) is the more optimistic of the two while Billy has taken on the role of the pessimistic child believing the end is near. When they begin to notice a strange phenomenon occurring with their fish, the whole idea of the future of the human race begins to take on a new focus. Without spoiling what is truly a surprising and provocative narrative twist, hope for the future appears in the form of some unexpected physical transformations.
This is essentially a very well-acted two man show that presents some interesting and challenging ideas for viewers. I know there will be people who will be turned off by where the narrative goes but I thought it was pretty brilliant and enlightening. The changes that occur relate to a reference to Jurassic Park which suggests that “life finds a way.” The question is, at what cost? The men have to confront their own senses of self as well as their perceived ideologies. Ray is a progressive when it comes to science but even his own beliefs that “there’s goodness in change” and “life evolves even with the threat of extinction” causes a strong internal struggle when he’s forced to deal with the implications of the physical changes occurring in their midst. Basically, he’s a progressive with limits resulting from his own upbringing and self-imposed set of restrictions.
Billy adapts in a way that some might find hard to buy but given the situation the men find themselves in, his various decisions actually make a lot of sense. I realize I’m being very coy here but I had no idea where this film was going and was very glad I didn’t! The characters and writing really make this film standout. The men are extremely well-developed with their own sets of flaws and insecurities. The discussions they have tackle everything from survival to masculinity and homophobia.
Even without the premise, Biosphere ranks as one of the best buddy/bromance films of recent years. Duplass and Brown have undeniable chemistry and it’s not an accident that the film is filled with references to other great screen partners from Sam and Diane on Cheers to the guys in Lethal Weapon to Mario and Luigi in the Super Mario franchise. Both actors are very appealing on screen and they’re both more than well-equipped to handle the material here. Both have had a great run playing well-developed, feeling, and thinking characters in their separate projects from Brown’s This is Us and American Crime Story to Duplass’s work in Your Sister’s Sister, Safety Not Guaranteed, and the most related to this film, Humpday.
I also really love the reference to Kiss of the Spider Woman here. In that book/film two characters share a prison cell and are forced to look at their relationship in a new and survival-based way. The same happens in Biosphere. Some may find that the direction the characters’ relationship takes here is a bit uncomfortable and I get that. However, it’s important to think beyond our own prejudices and beliefs and consider what we would do if we were in the same situation as Billy and Ray. This is a great film for discussion and is also very well-written, acted, and entertaining. I think it’s one of the best films of the year so far.
Biosphere opens in select theatres and on VOD tomorrow.