Bliss Movie Review: Why should we watch it?

When you watch Bliss you are faced with a choice: take the blue pill or the red pill. Rather, blue and yellow crystals are in this movie. Taking the yellow crystals gives the illusion of super power. Taking the blue crystals ends the simulation and returns you to your blissful world. The movie starts with is Greg (Owen Wilson, playing his best role), losing his job and family. The movie alludes to drug addiction problem. The grim atmosphere in the work floor, the constant phone ringing and the fluorescent light prepare us for Greg’s breakdown. Greg attempted to escape his reality when he meets his partner in crime, Isabel (Salma Hayek, playing her best role). Emily (Nesta Cooper, brilliant performance) is Greg’s daughter and his bridge to reality.

The plot is revealed (after an hour, which was a little too long) when Greg and Isabel are disconnected from the Brain Box Simulation. They enter their beautiful world of luxury. Good to know that Lime Gatorade will still be here in the future! We discover that both characters are indeed doctors. The Brain Box Simulation is Dr. Isabel research, which she developed to help people feel bliss. Something went wrong with the experiment.

At this point the viewer is left perplexed and wondering which of the two worlds is real. The movie might be confusing at times because of the long time spent inside the simulation and unnecessary scenes of violence ( Ice rink scene). The writer/director Mike Cahill spent a lot of time showing the effects of the yellow crystals. This might lead viewers to think the movie is literally about a drug addict’s life. The movie left few clues to show that the first half is a simulation like what seemed like glitches in Greg’s vision or the accidental death of his boss. If Cahill added more scenes contrasting the two worlds instead of the long intro of simulation, the movie would have been less confusing and frankly probably more enjoyable. I believe this movie will have viewers divided into two camps. Viewers in the first camp might find the movie very relatable, but exposing sad realities. There is a beautiful moment where Greg repeats to himself, “This is fake.” Who among us did not have a bad day and wanted to wake up from that simulation we call life?

In the second camp, viewers will marvel at the plot. It is based on negative visualization. Yes, that is not a typo. It is not based on Norman Vincent Peale’s concept of Positive Thinking. It is the idea that negative visualization helps people feel the gratitude and bliss. The idea of using negative simulation to build satisfaction and find bliss is a powerful idea. Realizing our goals only leads to temporary satisfaction. We are used to watching futuristic movies that are almost always set in a dystopia. This movie presents an optimistic future with scientific advances, yet humans are still dissatisfied. This reminds me of a Gibran poem: For man is happy only in his aspiration to the heights; When he attains his goal, he cools and long for other distant flights. Regardless of which pill you choose, whether you watch with a realist or creative lens, the movie has high entertaining value. At the end, Greg develops gratitude and feels Bliss. The experiment worked. Greg presents a picture of Emily and shares: “This woman says I am her father. I choose to believe her.”This angle added a valuable twist highlighting that we all need a human connection to anchor us. I recommend watching the movie and maybe forgive the ice rink frivolous scene.