In the not-too-distant future, the last two men on earth must adapt and evolve to save humanity.
Pam says: This is a two-man show with Mark Duplass as Billy, the former President and his trusty intelligence advisor and best friend from grade school, Ray played by Sterling K. Brown who live in a dome, a biosphere. Slowly the circumstances under which the two have found themselves in this precarious situation are revealed. We learn that the two are polar opposites; Ray, a brilliant scientist from meager means and Billy, a privileged Yale grad whose SAT scores were most likely embarrassingly low. Years have passed and now there are seemingly slight changes in their environment. The changes catapult the pair into an emotional, physical and cognitive spiral that will impact humanity. But the story isn’t about the big picture, it’s about the smaller one. The one that matters; relationships and evolution of them.
Co-writers Mel Eslyn and Duplass strategically reveal just enough background information about each of the characters and what happened to allow us to understand both Ray and Billy better. Their friendship is at the core of the film, but even surviving apocalyptic events can’t shake the Mario and Luigi buddies, but what’s to come may be the straw that breaks the camels back.
The entire story takes place in a dome with just these two actors. There’s a sense of claustrophobia as the camera takes us into their living quarters and we find ourselves holding our breath or even laughing as their perceived relationship changes. We are in that dome experiencing their happiness, their worries, and their tragedies thanks to deft direction and skilled cinematography.
This is a smart film based in science and then sprinkled with Miracle-Gro to push the boundaries into fiction. Duplass’s Ray doesn’t understand it all which allows the writers to explain it to the audience without condescension. Brown’s character of Ray with his nurturing personality protects Billy from the dire circumstances just beyond the glass walls, but both characters grow and change in unexpected ways. Understanding themselves better and identifying the significance of genders in the circle of life, Billy and Ray dig deep into looking at that big picture as they survive and attempt to find hope for tomorrow.
Duplass is no stranger to small ensemble casts as we saw in the touchingly raw film “Paddleton,” the quirky “Safety Not Guaranteed,” and the heartbreaking film “Language Lessons” to name just a few. He thrives in these films with understated performances and we see this in “Biosphere” as well. Brown is magical to watch. His body language and expressions are so finely tuned, he exhibits a myriad number of emotions in each and every scene. Together with Duplass, the story unfolds with gripping intensity thanks to the chemistry between these performers.
With many of Duplass’s independent films, the endings can be jarringly unpredictable and at times they leave a sense of dissatisfaction. “Biosphere” dropped the ball with the open ending leaving too much to our imagination and not enough resolution. This film and its details stick with you after the credits roll and even with what I deem to be a dissatisfying ending, it’s a story I won’t soon forget.
3 Stars
Chuck says:
While Mel Eslyn and Mark Duplass’ “Biosphere” makes the mistake of tipping its hand too early, there’s no question that it takes its premise much further than anticipated. An end-of-the-world, two-hander, this black comedy is a sly examination of gender roles that brilliantly subverts societal norms while upending viewer expectations, providing far more than a sardonic look at the state of the world.
The scenario unfolds gradually but it’s obvious from the start something dire has occurred. Billy and Ray (Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown) are the only two inhabitants of a much-too-small survival shelter. Though they have a routine, the monotony of their existence is wearing on them. Things take a potentially calamitous turn when the last female fish in the pond they maintain dies. With their main food source seemingly at an end, the pair fret over how they can go on, when a radical event takes place. One of the remaining male fish begins to show female characteristics and before you know it, a fresh batch of fish eggs are in evidence.
So, if sequential hermaphroditism can occur with fish when only one sex remains, it stands to reason that…
Yes, Eslyn and Duplass go there and while it comes as no surprise, the premise proves a fruitful one. As Billy gradually begins to display female characteristics, the dynamic between he and Ray shifts radically. The script is constructed so the dynamics of their relationship is revealed in piece-meal fashion. We learn they were friends from an early age, that they have an unwavering loyalty to one another and, as with any long-term friendship, there have been rough spots that have never been addressed.
It becomes apparent the fate of humanity may rest with these two and the decision as to if they should attempt to procreate once Billy has completely changed physically comes to the fore. The way in which the filmmakers address this is inspired as many standard genre tropes are seen through a different lens. Becoming more emotionally sensitive as his body changes, this alters Billy’s outlook on their future, as limited as it may be. However, more importantly, it forces him to reevaluate the past. The justifications he used for his previous boorish behavior suddenly don’t hold water and as a result, he comes to appreciate Ray more and truly regret his past mistakes. He also becomes more optimistic, which is vital as, heaped onto their already copious mound of woes, is the fact that there’s a mysterious light in the night sky that continues to grow larger with each passing day.
As outlandish as the premise is, Duplass and Brown ground the film, their performances having a lived-in quality that speaks to the intimacy these two long-time friends would have. Each actor employs a deft touch as more of their characters’ true selves are revealed, and they are forced to redefine who they are to one another. In the end, it is the history they share – tattered though it may be – that sees them through one calamity after another.
An examination of existentialism on multiple levels, “Biosphere” winds up being a testament to the power of hope. An inexplicable event from their youth, one in which a bowling ball inexplicably appeared as part of a magic trick, is a reference point throughout. Though logically its existence could not be explained, the pair agree it did exist and must simply accept that there may be a greater power at work. They cling to this notion in the face of annihilation, a philosophy that our times have regrettably given credence to.
3 Stars
