The series "Maniac": cyberpunk and loneliness in the style of the 80's

September 21 came the series "Maniac" from the director Cary Fukunaga. This is the story of two patients who agreed to the experimental treatment of mental illnesses. Before the premiere of the series is supplied as a black comedy about the games of the mind. But in fact it is a very emotional and vivid statement about the loneliness of modern people and how to cope with internal problems. All this is shown with a good sense of humor and is wrapped in a sheath of cyberpunk, where the eighties fashion combined with the technologies of the future.

Retro-futurism and unhappy people

The action takes place in a world similar to ours. But from the very first episode the viewer hint that here the development of technology has gone a slightly different way. Everything seemed stopped at the level of the eighties: convex monitors, large computers and dot matrix printers. At the same time there are VR-points and devices that allow sex in virtual reality.

It is a world where the videotape "Betamax" won, and Steve Jobs hit by a bus. A lot of coincidences between the eighties and our time has led to other developments.

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Patrick Somerville, screenwriter

In addition, there developed artificial intelligence, but a person can leave his place machine that will communicate with his family. This, incidentally, ties "Maniac" with some episodes of "black mirror». The future is not shown deliberately gloomy, as in "Blade Runner"And it serves as a backdrop for the story.

Even before the main action the authors say that literally everyone will show on the screen, very lonely. To someone talk, they can hire a "friend to replace» (Proxy Friend). He depicts an old friend, and discuss any topics of interest. And even chess in the park you have to play with mechanical koala.

The development of technology does not allow to improve communication, but on the contrary, isolates, creating an illusion of prosperity. If someone has run out of money, he calls "other advertising" - the purchases or travel, but instead reads the advertisement for a certain time.

And like a reflection or a collective image of all people are the two main characters. Owen Milgram (Jonah Hill) is constantly under pressure from the family. He was born into a wealthy dynasty, made a fortune in the production of robots for cleaning dog excrement. His relatives sharp, energetic and aggressive. And Owen, on the contrary, closed and soft. Ten years ago, he suffered a nervous breakdown, and he was put in a psychiatric hospital. Since then, he sees an imaginary brother obsessed with the conspiracy theory.

Annie Landsberg (Emma Stone) is living in poverty and spending all the money on psychotropic pills. Her mother once left the family, and his sister was killed in a car crash. Annie feels guilty and is fenced off from the surrounding constant rudeness. She takes medication and is constantly undergoing a day of destruction sister. It is for her both a punishment and the possibility of more time to be with someone else.

Owen and Annie first introduced polar opposites. He - hesitant and timid, she is - sarcastic and arrogant. Although, if you think about it, they have a lot in common. Both of them feel completely lost and constantly tormented by guilt. Owen's father forces to give false testimony in court, but he was too afraid of it. Annie feels guilty for the death of his sister.

This leads them both into an experimental laboratory where the promise to free them from the negative. However, Owen goes there with the purpose to earn money and gain independence from the family and Annie wants to get another batch of tablets. But it is they who are the main participants in the experiment. The characters strangely begin common vision, and they realize that they can help each other.

Complexes and mind games

After the first few episodes of the story goes far beyond the main story. Secondary lines show exactly the same lonely and zakompleksovannost people. Dr. James Mantlerey (Justin Theroux), once invented the very idea of ​​treatment, can not get rid of the problems associated with rigid and domineering mother. Even the computer, whose intelligence is based on the personality of the mother herself, too depressed.

It reminds the viewer that this is not about specific characters, but the whole world of the unfortunate people who have to struggle with inner demons. Moreover illustrates this struggle through phantasmagoria equally impregnated humor and insanity. To make the situation more clear, and Annie Owen sent to various fantasies, and then they have to look for a lost chapter of "Don Quixote," the FBI agent working undercover, then generally converted to elves.

But in fact these crazy stories show quite realistic healing phase, which must pass everyone who wants to get rid of such complexes. First, Owen and Annie are aware of their main problems and their root causes, get rid of the guilt complex, and then refuse to permanent experiences of the past and move on. In this case, the final episodes clearly show that to cope with this, it will take care of someone close and understanding.

It's not so serious

Ease of supply - another important plus. Screenwriter Patrick Somerville and director Cary Fukunaga created a universal story. It varies depending on how attentive audience.

If you watch the show with one eye open for lunch, it just seems strange tragicomedy about two lunatics. If you think about it - this is the story of our life and common problems. And if we look into the fine details, the "Maniac" turns into a whole collection of references to classic films and previous work Fukunaga. There are also a favorite director scene where the whole skirmish removed without gluing, so that creates a sense of presence. In the visual range many hidden characters: you can search for duplicate numbers 1 and 9, a Rubik's Cube, the reference to "Don Quixote" and other important stuff.

In this comedic scenes abound. The author takes the characters in fictional worlds, allowing them to play on the screen multiple roles. A "dream logic" assumes that any madness looks reasonable. In one episode, the characters must steal lemur, in the other - to meet with the elves and witches, and in the final and did appear aliens. Explain it does not have to - everything happens in the mind of mentally unstable people, so you can entertain the viewer that he is not bored at screens.

This creates an atmosphere of slightly comic series with references to the familiar scenes and subjects. But under the frivolous shell hidden real drama, after watching that wants tighter hug their loved ones, and once again call friends.

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