Summary

Share? is a human story disguised as a science fiction film, showcasing the mundanity of everyday life in an entertaining and thought-provoking way. The film explores the concept of being trapped, whether it’s in a physical room or during a COVID-19 lockdown, and raises questions about complacency and the power of distractions. Share? is a claustrophobic indie film with powerful performances, particularly from Bradley Whitford and Melvin Gregg, and offers insight into how we gravitate towards creature comforts even in dire situations.

For a movie so rooted in science fiction, Share? is as human of a story as you will see. Writer-director Ira Rosensweig (Mr. Student Body President) and co-writer Benjamin Sutor (Where’s The Money) have crafted a simple story with minimal production value. The end result is an entertaining yet meditative take on the mundanity of everyday life. Anchored by lead performances from Melvin Gregg (American Vandal) and Bradley Whitford (Get Out), the acting in Share? is undeniably engaging. With a single set repurposed multiple times, Share? makes the most out of a little — metaphorically and literally.

A young man (Gregg) wakes up in a small room with no idea how he got there. Aside from a non-functioning toilet, sink, and shower, the only other thing in the room is a computer that responds to requests. After several failed attempts at asking the computer for a way to escape, the young man soon discovers that if he can provide the computer with entertainment, he earns points that allow him to buy things. By the time he has a bed and food, he realizes he is not alone. An older man (Whitford) pops up on his screen, and they form an unlikely bond. Their philosophies are not the same, but they do find a way to make each other’s experience in this modern prison a little easier. Just when they are about to get content with their situation, a woman (Alice Braga) enters the fray and, unlike them, she is hellbent on escaping. With this newfound momentum, the trio begin to test the system that is testing them.

The existential question being asked is how different would your everyday life be if not trapped in a room? How different was the COVID-19 lockdown from being in a semi-comfortable prison? And moreover, how long before Stockholm syndrome sets in, and you get used to a life that is slowly killing you? When Braga raises that question to Gregg, she points out that they shouldn’t be scared of impending doom but rather complacency: “Distraction is more powerful than suppression.”

Rosensweig doubles down on this notion with a stellar third act that doesn’t break the mold of conventional storytelling but does break its main characters in half.

Reasonable comparisons to Share? would be films like 10 Cloverfield Lane and Missing. The key difference is that the entire film is one set. We often sit in reverence at films that are essentially stage plays, but Share? is not theater in subject matter or execution. The claustrophobic nature of the film is not to be reveled in but rather explored for its nefarious nature. Rosensweig doubles down on this notion with a stellar third act that doesn’t break the mold of conventional storytelling but does break its main characters in half.

The performances in Share? are restrained when necessary and jump off the screen when needed. Whitford, being the character who has been held captive the longest, is bouncing off the walls in every scene in juxtaposition to Gregg, who is a newcomer just trying to get the lay of the land. Braga meets them both in the middle; daring in her aim to escape but composed in the face of opposition. That opposition comes in the form of the fourth lead, a young woman played by Danielle Campbell (Tell Me A Story). Her incessant positivity drives Braga crazy, while the two heterosexual men are just happy to see a cute woman. These dynamics play out as they would at a house party and give insight into the way we are so ready to accept creature comforts even when we know they may be the author of our demise.

Share? is a fun indie that will make you think while still being able to enjoy it without the weight of a mystery box holding it down. It’s unclear how much of Rosensweig’s direction played into any aspect of the film outside of the performances, and the cinematography is quite literally the exact same shot throughout the entire film. Still, you can’t help but feel a little flourish in every moment of comedy or dread as the director’s hand guides us through the story.

Share? is 78 minutes long and available on demand November 10. The film is not rated.