Society, as of late, has been taken over by AI, replacing not only how the internet functions but also our own thoughts and memories. For users who partake in generating images or answers for simple questions, there’s no limit to the autonomy mankind loses. Blurring realities with a manicured chatbot or image generator strips humanity of its creativity. Thankfully, Sour Minnows, the second feature from Harrison Atkins, is a sweetly strange reflection of how life feels in a post-pandemic world where everything is becoming artificial against our will.
Atkins’s mind-bending film, Sour Minnows, doesn’t find its footing right away. A jarring opening shows a group of people lying on the roadway in front of Ricky (David Brown). More alarming than them being on a residential road is that the group is licking the pavement like a delicious cone of their favorite ice cream. This is just the beginning of the strangeness that appears in Ricky’s life, and it only follows him closer and closer as the film progresses. Finding it harder and harder to tell the difference between what is reality and what is a lie.
Sour Minnows’ Autonomy
Ricky lives a normal life, as anyone would in our time, with a roommate and working jobs that require him to engage with AI entities for a paycheck. It’s obvious that Ricky isn’t a fan of his job, yet as he tries to find work in screenwriting, it’s what he has to do to pay the bills. While in the middle of seeing Aura (Suzanna Son), a movie lover that he has more in common with than he first knows. A relatable aspect of the film is the struggle Ricky lives with; Atkins doesn’t shy away from how we are all losing ourselves as the world is on fire, and the dangers of ignoring those feelings. In the film, these struggles manifest as “the yellow thing,” an entity that wears humans as flesh suits, stripping them of their uniqueness and personalities.
There are aspects to Sour Minnows that are easy to slip into its experimental wavelengths. Such as Ricky pulling literal minnows from his pocket, or the frantic way the film is edited. There’s a real sense of confusion, paranoia, and fear that Atkins evokes with the film’s screenplay. Seen through a spiraling of situations that makes Ricky fall deeper into thoughts of peril. The confusion that comes with not being able to tell the difference between déjà vu and false memory. Paranoia when you confide in a friend that they’ll believe your pain. And the inevitable fear of isolation if you are honest about your feelings.
While some aspects of Atkins’ filmmaking leave more questions than answers, that’s not entirely a bad thing. At each new turn for Ricky’s psyche, the choices he makes don’t always connect, at least at first. Atkins establishes that everyone has their version of “the yellow thing”. Whether it’s a couch rotting to the point of forgetting which day you watched a certain movie, or losing out on the now because our minds are preoccupied with society’s downfall. Sour Minnows is at its best narratively when it explores human connections and how community pulls us out of ruts in our lives. Atkins surely knows how to direct and write thoughtful friendships that overflow with authenticity.
Living Truthfully In Fabricated Reality
Without a doubt, the cast of Sour Minnows nails each of their roles to drive home just how uncommon the times we are living in are. Suzanna Son and David Brown create a couple that just makes sense. The shy cinephile and the overworked screenwriter, and the performances make you root for their budding romance. Son is quiet, but her eyes express the terror of losing a grasp on what’s real. Brown has a tough battle in the film, having to capture extreme mental highs and lows. Their performances alone make Sour Minnows a treat to watch.
If there were a film to point older generations to that reflects the feelings and concerns of youth about their own future, Sour Minnows is that film. Though it has its issues with underutilizing its surreal elements, it’s a great example of how life feels now. With the constant fear of our autonomy being stripped away, dead-end jobs, and passions put on hold to pay the bills. The “why me?” that Ricky expresses as his life is slipping away is all too familiar.
Atkins isn’t afraid to create a film that is hard to digest, with Sour Minnows being the newest of those. While its impact on the viewer will vary, especially with those less aware of the world, its messaging of strength through humanity is powerful.
Sour Minnows debuts at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 24th.
