by Lisa Nystrom
Worth: $17.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Alex E. Harris, JS Oliver, Constance Shulman, Thomas Jay Ryan
Intro:
Co-writers and directors Eric Laplante and Susie Moon have something special here, a good-natured comedic gem with a welcome level of unpredictability thanks to its out-of-the-box storytelling.
Offbeat and refreshingly original, Darla in Space is a blend of comedy, sci-fi and just a touch of magical realism that embraces its weirdness and is all the more enjoyable for its unapologetically oddball moments.
On the surface, it might seem like Darla Peterson (Alex E. Harris) is going through some pretty typical struggles. She’s got an unexpected tax bill hanging over her head thanks to her careless mum making bad investments and linking them all to Darla’s business (designing and building custom coffins for cats, or as the theme song goes: Kitty Kasket, put your cat in my little basket). Trying to brainstorm her way out of a $349,000.22 tax bill while filling in as a custodian for her injured mother, Darla comes across a locked shipping container that just might hold all the answers to her problems. And this is where any sense of logic flies out the window and you just have to strap in for the ride, because said answer to her problems just so happens to be a sentient kombucha mother who can grant mindblowing orgasms and wants to go to space. And just like Darla’s self-help books advise, the answer to that should of course be “yeah okay”.
Co-writers and directors Eric Laplante and Susie Moon have something special here, a good-natured comedic gem with a welcome level of unpredictability thanks to its out-of-the-box storytelling. When the heart of your film relies on the connection between your two leads, one of whom is a zoogleal mat of yeast, it feels like an impossible ask to hit any true emotional beats, and yet JS Oliver’s robotic yet naïve and open-hearted portrayal of “Mother”, together with Alex E. Harris’ delightfully quirky Darla are the ideal buddy comedy duo, and one you can’t help rooting for.
Featuring a psychedelic score by Gretchen Lohse and Thomas Hughes, the soundtrack is a perfect blend of synthesizers, keyboards, and an upbeat sense of whimsy. With a surprising amount of heart, and the second most off-putting tomato-related scene since Denethor sat down to lunch in Return of the King, we absolutely recommend saying Yeah Okay to Darla.
