One guy’s firing leads to a series of deadly events in the feature debut film Blow Up My Life from writer and director duo Abigail Horton and Ryan Dickie.
Available as of November 21, 2023 through AppleTV and Prime Video, Blow Up My Life follows disgraced pharmaceutical employee Jason (Jason Selvig: Sleepwalk With Me 2012, Catfight 2016). After an all night bender results in an online video of him doing cocaine, Jason is unceremoniously fired. Now he lives in his van and makes ends meet as a computer repair service man. His ex-girlfriend Priya (Reema Sampat: Reclaim 2014, I Am Michael 2015) wants nothing to do with him and his only friend is fellow computer whizz Charlie (Kara Young: Chemical Hearts 2020, Master 2022).
One day, Jason is called out to a job only to find that he is servicing the computer of his former boss. Whilst working on the computer, Jason discovers that the app he was formerly working on, and designed, is being repurposed to profit from users’ opioid addictions. He saves evidence of the deception with plans to expose it, but soon everyone he turns to finds themselves in grave danger. Can Jason expose the shady company? Or is it simply too dangerous?
A bit different, Blow Up My Life is a great mix of Thriller and Comedy. It also leans into old school noir with Jason narrating events in the style of a jaded detective as he goes on the run. This might all sound like Blow Up My Life is gimmicky, but these tones all work really well together. The film could have worked as a straightforward corporate thriller but adding all comedic elements and noir makes Blow Up My Life infinitely more fun.
This in mind, the cast also elevates Blow Up My Life above other lower budget indie films. Selvig is great as Jason. He is at once both a character that the audience roots for whilst also being slightly exasperating. After all, not only did he work for big Pharma, he also got himself fired for doing drugs after acting like he was invincible. However he is so charming and silly that it’s hard not to like him regardless. Young makes a great pairing with him as the smart and savvy Charlie, and you want to watch to see what happens to them.
Furthermore, Blow Up My Life also addresses the power that the pharmaceutical industry has over so many peoples’ lives though it only really scrapes the surface of this issue so this is not a film to watch if you are looking for a more in depth and serious take on that. Overall, a fun film that flies by and packs an unexpected punch of an ending, Cryptic Rock gives Blow Up My Life 4 out of 5 stars.
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