Lapsis (2020)

So, here we are, back on-track in the A-to-Z Part Deux challenge. We are up to the letter “O”, and it brings us Ori Gilady (hairstylist) who in this movie happened to be the Makeup Department Head. The movie…Lapsis (2020).

Title: Lapsis

Director: Noah Hutton

Released: July 11, 2020 (South Korea – Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival)/October 1, 2020 (United States – Nashville Film Festival)

Runtime: 1 hour 48 minutes

Available to stream on: Kanopy

Ray Tincelli (Dean Imperial) is just trying to do what’s best for his younger brother, Jamie (Babe Howard). You see, Jamie suffers from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Symptom), and the treatments are expensive, to say the least. Unfortunately for Ray, he keeps striking out with his extra side hustles and attempts to turn a quick profit. Luckily Ray isn’t completely out of options just yet.

Quantum is a tech company that is on the verge of a monopoly on both software and hardware. In the “New Economy” the quantum trading market is the way of the future. The servers for Quantum are all connected by cables that are plugged into giant black cubes, strategically placed in low-populated and desolate areas. CABLR, the company that ensures all these cables are plugged in, happens to be hiring.

What exactly does the job entail? Well, each contractor is assigned a route and along the way they unspool the cable and plug it into the cubes as they come across them. For each route accepted and successfully completed, you earn a set amount of money.

Sounds like a rather easy and straightforward way to earn some extra money, right? Maybe on paper.

As it turns out, humans aren’t the only ones that are assigned routes. CABLR also happens to be using robots to run the same routes. If a robot passes you on a route and completes it before you, you don’t receive the full payment.

Will Ray be able to complete enough routes to help Jamie?

Is there a way to outsmart the robots and eliminate the competition?

What if the fellow cablers along the trail aren’t as friendly as they appear?

Lapsis (2020) is one of those movies where after the end credits roll, you find yourself sitting there wondering if you fully grasped everything that just happened.

Noah Hutton wrote, directed, edited, and scored a clever science fiction film that pulls no punches in poking fun at the “gig economy”. It’s very easy to look at CABLR offering “financial freedom” and increased pay/better routes the more routes you complete and draw comparisons to Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Amazon, etc. Dangle the carrot in front of those who need help the most all while working to make them obsolete.

Full disclosure, when I first saw Dean Imperial as Ray, I wasn’t sure if I could get behind him as a protagonist. Boy was I wrong. As the story unfolds, we are gaining a better understanding of what exactly is taking place at the same time as Ray is. This allows you to connect with Ray’s character and align yourself “in his corner”, if you will.

It is tough to talk about Lapsis (2020) at-length without giving too much away. If you fancy yourself a dystopian sci-fi flick, definitely seek this out. If you’re on the fence, give it a shot anyways. It is a brisk 108 minutes and who knows, you just might surprise yourself.

So, there you have it. Those are my thoughts on Lapsis (2020), but what are yours? Tell me what you thought of it in the comments below or by reaching out on social media!

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As always, keep an eye on Threads and Instagram this Wednesday for a preview of what the letter “P” will have in store for us next week.