I saw this movie at 2008 SXSW film festival, and it has the best storyline and worst production of any of the movies that I saw during this festival. About the production - the camera was shaky, a lot of the shots are in-and-out of focus, and the sound was terrible. Many of the cars that drive by in the scenes are louder than the characters talking. About the story - we follow a traveling salesman while he is trying to sell investments into a product that he knows nothing about. The lead actor Jeff Clark does a marvelous job of evoking the audience's sympathy. The story is one of the most interesting and unique that I have seen in a narrative feature in a long time. As I watched the credits, I realized that the filmmaker Jake Mahaffy wore many different hats while making this film (writer, directer, camera) which explains why the production was so bad. I hope that he continues to make films because the production issues can be fixed with money; great stories are priceless.
4 Reviews
Beautiful Story of An Ugly Movie
Jenova_Project26 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
As a film school student, I am constantly reminded of how important technical and production values are. Film stocks, lighting, and sound are always emphasized in favor of truly great storytelling. While I always feel that a great story was the most important thing, "Wellness" is prime example of how in fact my film school motto has a glint of truth.
"Wellness" follows Thomas Lindsey, played brilliantly by Jeff Clark, who is selling a miracle product known as Wellness. Unbeknowst to Thomas, Wellness is actually a pyramid scheme, and the entire movie chronicles his trouble selling the drug to people.
The story is intriguing. From the very onset, something appears very wrong about the situation, and every customer Thomas goes to only serves to add more tension to see how damaged Thomas will truly get by the experience.
Jeff Clark is wonderfully funny as an incompetent salesman. The best bits are usually when he babbles about the benefits of Wellness. Clark turns Thomas into a likable character, and the film, despite being frustrating at times, never becomes to overreaching because of how much we root for Thomas.
However, what nearly caves the movie in is its glaring technical issues. Numerous scenes are coupled together from different takes, which Mahaffy admits were taken from hours apart. Every time an editing mistake occurs, it immediately breaks the flow and calls attention to itself.
Additionally, lighting and cinematography choices are extremely frustrating. At times, the camera is far too close in someone's face and shakes more than a Jason Bourne movie on acid. The common indie audience might say that it adds style as the movie has a documentary feel to it, but it comes off as rather unprepared. During one scene in the film, Thomas and his boss are pitching to a couple in an apartment, and the lighting is so dark that any of the reactions of the actors are obscured.
"Wellness" is a great example of how interesting storytelling really buoys a common indie film. I guarantee you won't dislike Wellness after you leave the theater. You just might feel a little sick, however.
"Wellness" follows Thomas Lindsey, played brilliantly by Jeff Clark, who is selling a miracle product known as Wellness. Unbeknowst to Thomas, Wellness is actually a pyramid scheme, and the entire movie chronicles his trouble selling the drug to people.
The story is intriguing. From the very onset, something appears very wrong about the situation, and every customer Thomas goes to only serves to add more tension to see how damaged Thomas will truly get by the experience.
Jeff Clark is wonderfully funny as an incompetent salesman. The best bits are usually when he babbles about the benefits of Wellness. Clark turns Thomas into a likable character, and the film, despite being frustrating at times, never becomes to overreaching because of how much we root for Thomas.
However, what nearly caves the movie in is its glaring technical issues. Numerous scenes are coupled together from different takes, which Mahaffy admits were taken from hours apart. Every time an editing mistake occurs, it immediately breaks the flow and calls attention to itself.
Additionally, lighting and cinematography choices are extremely frustrating. At times, the camera is far too close in someone's face and shakes more than a Jason Bourne movie on acid. The common indie audience might say that it adds style as the movie has a documentary feel to it, but it comes off as rather unprepared. During one scene in the film, Thomas and his boss are pitching to a couple in an apartment, and the lighting is so dark that any of the reactions of the actors are obscured.
"Wellness" is a great example of how interesting storytelling really buoys a common indie film. I guarantee you won't dislike Wellness after you leave the theater. You just might feel a little sick, however.
A stunning dark and downbeat portrait of a man in a business which doesn't exist
xxxneon14 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
MasterMath® Reviews ... Wellness Thomas Lindsay (Jeff Clark) is a dedicated, hard-working, tireless employee of the Wellness Corp. All of which takes on special significance when one realizes said business doesn't actually exist. His boss (Paul Mahaffy, the director's real-life father) explains proper sales technique to Tom during a training session in the former's car in a parking lot: When asked what the product is, say there's different levels. When asked about assets, say there's factories and real estate. Say you're going to the headquarters building tomorrow.
There's also levels within the corporation: regional manager, district supervisor and manager, business unit manager, the latter making $400K a year. It's left as a mystery how many employees there actually are. We gradually learn Wellness is an actual, physical product, with alleged pharmaceutical properties, though what these are seems to vary from scene to scene and from one potential customer to the next.
Without giving away too much of the plot, let me just say that the scenes of Tom getting his bonus; renting a car; buying photocopies; phoning his wife; phoning HQ to inquire why his product shipment hasn't arrived; and running an important sales seminar are all entertaining in their own fingernails on a blackboard sort of way. His conversation with a blue collar city worker in the field about his failed attempt to get in to see the mayor is simply priceless. And the images of cattle watching him cut down a hornets nest on the side of a snow-covered road, and of the solitary figure of him wheeling his suitcase down a lonely country road, speak volumes as to who he is and what he's about.
This film doesn't drag, which isn't easy when there's often only one actor on camerathe level of interest and anticipation is consistent throughout. By the endhell, ten minutes inyou have such an emotional attachment to this guy, you want to jump out of your seat, pound on the screen and yell, 'Hey dudeWellness doesn't exist!' As to the script, according to director Mahaffy, 'We made it up as we went along.' I asked him, 'How did you come up with so many bad things to happen to this guy?' He replied, 'It was really easy. Jeff didn't know how it was going to end. I told the rest of the cast to screw with him.' In other words, this is metascrewing. I'm not sure that's a word, but that's what's going down herescrewing with an actor above and beyond the screwing of his character in the script. Clark gives a top-notch performance as a clueless yet decent guy, trapped 24 / 7 in the ultimate job from hell. He was in Mahaffy's film, War, and has done improv on his own, but has no formal training in acting. BTW, Paul Mahaffy actually collects hornet nests.
The sad part is, there ARE businessmen very much like this one, MANY of them. In businesses which barely exist. It was tough to watch this guy throwing his life away and not even knowing it. And yet, I'd gladly watch the film again. Is it wrong to feel that way? I'm reminded of the Mel Brooks line, that tragedy is when I get a paper cut, and comedy is when you fall down a flight of stairs.
For a low-budget indie film, it doesn't feel like that at all. Given that, and the fact that a single camera was used, the cinematography of outdoor scenes and the numerous indoor shooting locations is simply outstanding. In the end, this downbeat, sometimes dark portrait of a man is truly stunning. It needs to be seen by anyone in business. And by everyone else.
MasterMath® is a registered trademark of W. G. Raley.
There's also levels within the corporation: regional manager, district supervisor and manager, business unit manager, the latter making $400K a year. It's left as a mystery how many employees there actually are. We gradually learn Wellness is an actual, physical product, with alleged pharmaceutical properties, though what these are seems to vary from scene to scene and from one potential customer to the next.
Without giving away too much of the plot, let me just say that the scenes of Tom getting his bonus; renting a car; buying photocopies; phoning his wife; phoning HQ to inquire why his product shipment hasn't arrived; and running an important sales seminar are all entertaining in their own fingernails on a blackboard sort of way. His conversation with a blue collar city worker in the field about his failed attempt to get in to see the mayor is simply priceless. And the images of cattle watching him cut down a hornets nest on the side of a snow-covered road, and of the solitary figure of him wheeling his suitcase down a lonely country road, speak volumes as to who he is and what he's about.
This film doesn't drag, which isn't easy when there's often only one actor on camerathe level of interest and anticipation is consistent throughout. By the endhell, ten minutes inyou have such an emotional attachment to this guy, you want to jump out of your seat, pound on the screen and yell, 'Hey dudeWellness doesn't exist!' As to the script, according to director Mahaffy, 'We made it up as we went along.' I asked him, 'How did you come up with so many bad things to happen to this guy?' He replied, 'It was really easy. Jeff didn't know how it was going to end. I told the rest of the cast to screw with him.' In other words, this is metascrewing. I'm not sure that's a word, but that's what's going down herescrewing with an actor above and beyond the screwing of his character in the script. Clark gives a top-notch performance as a clueless yet decent guy, trapped 24 / 7 in the ultimate job from hell. He was in Mahaffy's film, War, and has done improv on his own, but has no formal training in acting. BTW, Paul Mahaffy actually collects hornet nests.
The sad part is, there ARE businessmen very much like this one, MANY of them. In businesses which barely exist. It was tough to watch this guy throwing his life away and not even knowing it. And yet, I'd gladly watch the film again. Is it wrong to feel that way? I'm reminded of the Mel Brooks line, that tragedy is when I get a paper cut, and comedy is when you fall down a flight of stairs.
For a low-budget indie film, it doesn't feel like that at all. Given that, and the fact that a single camera was used, the cinematography of outdoor scenes and the numerous indoor shooting locations is simply outstanding. In the end, this downbeat, sometimes dark portrait of a man is truly stunning. It needs to be seen by anyone in business. And by everyone else.
MasterMath® is a registered trademark of W. G. Raley.
Prophetic
providenceeastsidehomego8 October 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I was thinking about this movie recently and thought to post a comment- not really a review or analysis of the film- just a realization.
I saw Wellness in Newport back in June. I liked it then- thought it was brilliantly-acted, unpretentious and still poetic. The technical stuff people complain about didn't faze me. The style (or lack of) seemed to fit the story perfectly: low-budget, gritty, down and out, not slick or hip at all.
But what amazes me the most now is how it tapped right in to what's happening with the huge financial scam and 'bailouts' going on. We've all bought into a scheme like the salesman in this movie and finding out now that the entire economy doesn't even exist.
I saw Wellness in Newport back in June. I liked it then- thought it was brilliantly-acted, unpretentious and still poetic. The technical stuff people complain about didn't faze me. The style (or lack of) seemed to fit the story perfectly: low-budget, gritty, down and out, not slick or hip at all.
But what amazes me the most now is how it tapped right in to what's happening with the huge financial scam and 'bailouts' going on. We've all bought into a scheme like the salesman in this movie and finding out now that the entire economy doesn't even exist.
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