I wish I could watch this movie in a vacuum. But I can’t so…

Alexander Payne’s farcical pitch here is still great: a group of scientists figure out how to safely shrink living organisms, which in theory could instantly solve so many of the problems humanity has brought onto this planet.

Of course, as expressed through Christoph Waltz’ character, there will also, instantly, be human beings who will take advantage of anything good for their own personal gain.  And there was more enough drama and conflict here for him and Matt Damon.

Then, beyond the superficial shrinking story, the movie turns when Matt Damon’s character takes an interest in a handicapped Asian cleaning lady who he recognizes as a former political activist…

Matt Damon is taken to ‘the other side of the shrunken town’ which is filled with poor minorities who are not living in any way near the luxury of the public image that was the main selling point of the shrinking procedure.

By the time the story wraps up, Matt Damon has redeemed himself as a champion of the people, now in a loving relationship with the former activist (who never gets past speaking in broken English…)

Again, in a vacuum, I could throw out everything Matt Damon has said the past couple of years and some of his movie choices, I could just watch the scene where the minority love interest (who really didn’t need to be a love interest) asks Matt Damon if she fucked him or if they made love…but…2018.

So yeah, I checked out mentally on this one.  Maybe I can come back to it in a few years and appreciate it.