Movie Review ~ Problemista

As a lifelong fan of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, I’ve seen it through its ups and downs as it continually found its way through an ever-changing climate of comedy. With a cast that has grown to 17, an astronomically large size compared to its original roster of seven, there isn’t always room to see talent bloom like it could have in the past. That’s why the show has entered another one of its dark ages, with no one standing out as much as blending in and hoping to be recognized with a sketch that hits. That’s not including the writers who collaborate with the players, many of whom are funnier and have enough star quality to do it all.

Hailing from El Salvador, Julio Torres worked on SNL from 2016-2019 and contributed sketches that helped to establish his voice as a comedian further. The constraints of that network program led him to greener pastures and to create the HBO series Los Espookys, and eventually write his first movie, which A24 is now releasing. Though initially not planning to direct Problemista, the encouragement of his co-star gave Torres another (fashionable and well-fitting) hat to wear, and the result is a far-out bit of frivolity that isn’t quite like any comedy you’ve seen before.

Already known for his whimsy with a dash of insight, in Problemista, Torres blends the fantastical with the painfully real. By combining humor, pathos, and a pinch or two of the surreal, a fine feast awaits viewers looking for a comedy that marches to the beat of its drummer. Featuring Tilda Swinton as one of the most formidable (and formidably funny) characters we’ve seen her take on, the film dances on the edge of the absurd, inviting comparisons to the eccentricities of pop culture icons while forging its own identity.

In modern-day New York, Alejandro (Torres, Together Together) is an aspiring toy designer struggling to find his place in a world that doesn’t seem to get his brand of creativity. Working in a cryogenic lab and assigned to watch over the frozen body of a deceased artist (RZA, Clean), his journey takes a turn for the extraordinary when he crosses paths with the artist’s partner, Elizabeth (Swinton, The Killer). Equal parts tyrant and mentor, monster, and muse, Elizabeth offers Alejandro a lifeline when his job situation changes, and he needs to find work to stay in the country and pursue his dream job at Hasbro.

Together, Alejandro and Elizabeth wind their way through a series of bizarre and increasingly strange challenges of working with one another. She wants the catalog of her partner’s work in perfect alignment but doesn’t understand technology. He knows what she needs but isn’t used to standing up for himself against the full force of her might, and asserting his opinion is a foreign concept. Drawing on their singular perspectives to tackle each obstacle, they bash heads in uncomfortably passive-aggressive circumstances delivered with a droll tongue. Eventually, the narrative gets tangled in its maze of oddness, losing its path toward finding the deeper layers of the character and story.

You don’t have to squint too hard to see the visual inspiration Torres has taken from anime and incorporated into Problemista. Fredrik Wenzel’s (Triangle of Sadness) cinematography is unobtrusive but captures the otherworldly quality of Katie Byron’s (C’mon C’mon) production design. Alejandro frequently finds himself lost in a daydream, and these visions come through in bold, bright colors with sets and effects that are often impressively realized. As these lines between fantasy and the every day become blurred, the visual tone complements the narrative’s whimsy and anchors the weirder elements in a tactile world. This makes the film a feast for the eyes and creates a transfixing backdrop against which Alejandro and Elizabeth’s journey unfolds.

With his specialized deadpan humor and sincerity, Torres has created a relatable and enigmatic character. His chemistry with Swinton is electric, even when she’s most beastly. You have to be able to believe this man would stick it out with a woman who can be a nightmare because he has some respect for her, and both actors walk that fine line with skill. Swinton, ever the sly chameleon, transforms Elizabeth into someone who is at once terrifying and captivating, a masterclass in balancing the sour and the sweet. When they work together, they shake off traditional tropes of the woefully mismatched, opting instead for characters as quirky as they are complex, their eccentricities never overshadowing the fact that underneath all that, they have humanity.

While labeled a comedy, Problemista almost defies easy categorization.  Straddling the line between reality and fantasy with grace and humor uniquely on its own, the experience of watching it with an audience is both disarming and delightful. For me, Swinton’s performance is an early contender for Best Supporting Actress (please, let’s continue rewarding big swings like this!), and Torres makes a dynamite feature film debut as writer/director/star. Never losing sight of its emotional core as it polishes its laughs, it’s a reminder of the sparks that can fly when creativity is let loose on the silver screen.