SDIFF 2020: One of These Days
sdiff 2020Capitalism is a largely unforgiving economic system that often leads to mass hardships for the working class. This can lead to desperation, which can be seen in Bastian Günther's newest feature One of These Days. Following a group of individuals who have randomly been drawn to compete in a “Hands on a Hardbody” competition for a brand new truck, the film builds a rather moving viewing experience that, despite some messy moments, overall holds its own as an inspired and unique modern social commentary.
The biggest strength of the film is the personalities within it. This display and exploration of the American dream and the experience of working-class families ultimately hook the audience through its characters and the performances behind them. Whilst nearly every character is turned up to 10 with cliches and over-the-top dialogue, the haunting aspect of the film is still how relatable they are. From a man trying to create a better future for his family to one who is addicted to these types of competitions, every character has their own motivation and reason for being in the competition with the universal backbone of wanting a better future. The film breaks down the American dream which claims that those who work hard will achieve the most, yet the characters, to a tragic degree, are living proof that this is not the case. Joe Cole, specifically, reaches deep with his character of Kyle, stealing the show from a rather strong ensemble. Every character puts on a smile and tries their best to get by with what they have, but no one is perfect in masking their shortcomings, which ultimately leads to the most powerful breakthroughs the film finds.
The screenplay, also coming from Bastian Günther, caters to this conversation nicely but ultimately is also where the largest shortcomings of the film are found. One of These Days, in general, feels messy. Not only does it jump between multiple perspectives but the focus is constantly torn. The film balances the competition, social commentary, character dynamics and flashbacks in a way that, whilst competent, ultimately hurts the depth it is able to find in any specific area. The dialogue also often feels clunky and on the weaker side. With every character being an exaggerated version of real individuals, the cliches really can start to shine as a distraction in the dialogue and it often can feel unnatural. Perhaps the most questionable aspect of the screenplay however would be its third act. Without getting into spoilers, it is safe to say that the third act of the film is bold. On paper, the rabbit hole it goes down seems like a good idea, but the execution is lacking in urgency and intensity and, ultimately, the film should have ended 20-minutes before it actually did.
Still, One of These Days was a genuinely enjoyable film. The acting is solid across the board and though the screenplay might be messy, its emotions and larger ideas do connect overall. This is a film that will challenge audience members and stay with them as it forces individuals to confront their own place in the system and their dreams to rise above their current places in it.
