Relaxer (2018) is a strange hybrid of Beavis and Butthead, Castaway and David Cronenberg. Set in one location, a dilapidated living room, and focused on Abbie (Joshua Burge) who suffers a tortured life of constant “challenges” by his older punker brother Cam (David Dastmalchian). Set in 1999 during the lead up to the millennium (and the fear of Y2K), Abbie is challenged to play Pac-Man non-stop until he finds a secret “glitch” level that could potentially earn them ten thousand dollars, without leaving the couch. As strange characters enter and leave the apartment, the film observes more the complicated methods Abbie tries to keep himself hydrated while stuck to the couch night and day; the camera takes in the viscus details of sweat, dried milk and vomit, the story slowing building in body horror until the surreal climax. Directed by Joel Potrykus, this is a low budget cult movie gem that has deliberate long shots and effective camera panning as well as a throwback electro score by Neon Indian. There were several times I laughed heartily (particularly Andre Hyland’s talkative, Jerry Maguire quoting, Faygo guzzling visitor) even as it stands as a sad, disturbing tale of arrested development with a great performance by Burge in the lead (I want to track down the other films the director and actor have made, specifically Buzzard). Recommended; available to stream on Kanopy.
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