Lapsis

Did You Know?

• The production met SAG-AFTRA's diversity incentive by casting two transgender actors, Aquino and Mohseni, playing cisgender characters in major supporting roles.
• Principal photography lasted 26 days, with 75% of the film taking place in the forest.
• Film Movement acquired North American distribution rights in August 2020.

Plot

In a parallel present, delivery man Ray Tincelli struggles to support himself and his ailing younger brother. After failed hustles, he takes a job in the gig economy: trekking into the forest to pull cable connecting metal cubes for a new quantum trading market. He faces hostility from other workers and the threat of robot cablers, and must choose between helping his coworkers or getting rich.

Reception

Dennis Harvey of Variety called the film a clever indie political satire of gig-worker economics, noting that the performers maintain a poker face and that Hutton's score is antic and otherworldly. Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times wrote that the narrative loses steam but the politics remain low-key, describing the film as a likable caricature with velvet-clad claws. Robert Abele of the Los Angeles Times found it a cleverly deadpan curio where Imperial's naturalistic appeal, critiques of capitalism, and menacing toy-like robots coexist.

Kate Erbland of IndieWire gave it a B+, remarking that Hutton does not entirely stick the landing but the cast finds humor and revelations without winking. John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter noted that payment is precarious in a system inspired by real gig work, allowing Hutton to champion the underclass without seeming strident. Phil Hoad of The Guardian gave 3 out of 5 stars, calling it a sensitive but flawed sci-fi comic dystopia that gets bogged down in details.