To the wide, wide, wide swath of creatives around the world, there’s nothing greater in mythmaking to plumbing the highs and lows of the human soul.
Why we do what we do – why we think the things that enter our mind – has always been of singular fascination to those who have a bit of time on their hands and wish to pursue documenting it for the ages. This has led countless people to pursue the search of self via books, dialogue, counseling, meditation, and any other avenues that might shed even a little bit of light on identity. I, too, have committed my share of ink to the subject – some have told me that my endless writings on films and what they mean to me are part and parcel of the same methodology to understand my place in the cosmos – and, while I accept that may be some burning motivation buried deep in my subconscious, I’ve grown a bit old in the tooth to spend too much time on any psychological wild good chase. Accepting we are what we are and then going about the business of living life is the first step toward wisdom; and I encourage each of you who traffic in SciFiHistory.Net to find peace with those sentiments and go out and seize the day as time permits.
Phenomenologically, history for each of us begins at birth, and I believe it’s this trend that keeps new storytellers from thinking there’s still something to be said on this topic despite the volumes upon volumes upon volumes already created. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a new take or new iteration, I’d argue that it’s still incumbent upon those who go where angels fear to tread to – minimally – bring something new to the table in the process. As the saying goes, why reinvent the wheel when we already have one that works perfectly? If the goal is to just have a shinier one or one with hip and current ‘bling,’ then you run the risk of delivering something that likely won’t get noticed all that much beyond the contemporary bells and whistles … and, yet, maybe that’s good enough for those perfectly accepting of one more trip around the narrative sun because … hey … what else ya got?
So, yes, I’ve seen stories like Me, Myself, & The Void before. (Hint: that isn’t an insult. It’s merely an observation.) By taking a dash of 1946’s It’s A Wonderful Life along with a hint of 1943’s Heaven Can Wait and maybe even sprinkling on a wee smidge of 1990’s Jacob’s Ladder, writer/director Tim Hautekiet (along with contributions from Nik Oldershaw) have crafted a modern era ‘vision quest’ on the part of a fumbling comedian struggling with finding peace of mind in a world that offers little remorse for the worn and weary. The Fantasy/Comedy stars Jack De Sena, Chris W. Smith, Kelly Marie Tran, Akilah Hughs, and James Babson in key roles; and it’s presently available for digital purchase via a variety of internet platforms.
Is it fresh? No. Is it new? Meh. Is it worthwhile? I’d say so, but that’s mainly because I like what it does with its players and its circumstances even though there’s a bit of predictability to its obvious feel-good sentimentality when all is said and done.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
Why we do what we do – why we think the things that enter our mind – has always been of singular fascination to those who have a bit of time on their hands and wish to pursue documenting it for the ages. This has led countless people to pursue the search of self via books, dialogue, counseling, meditation, and any other avenues that might shed even a little bit of light on identity. I, too, have committed my share of ink to the subject – some have told me that my endless writings on films and what they mean to me are part and parcel of the same methodology to understand my place in the cosmos – and, while I accept that may be some burning motivation buried deep in my subconscious, I’ve grown a bit old in the tooth to spend too much time on any psychological wild good chase. Accepting we are what we are and then going about the business of living life is the first step toward wisdom; and I encourage each of you who traffic in SciFiHistory.Net to find peace with those sentiments and go out and seize the day as time permits.
Phenomenologically, history for each of us begins at birth, and I believe it’s this trend that keeps new storytellers from thinking there’s still something to be said on this topic despite the volumes upon volumes upon volumes already created. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a new take or new iteration, I’d argue that it’s still incumbent upon those who go where angels fear to tread to – minimally – bring something new to the table in the process. As the saying goes, why reinvent the wheel when we already have one that works perfectly? If the goal is to just have a shinier one or one with hip and current ‘bling,’ then you run the risk of delivering something that likely won’t get noticed all that much beyond the contemporary bells and whistles … and, yet, maybe that’s good enough for those perfectly accepting of one more trip around the narrative sun because … hey … what else ya got?
So, yes, I’ve seen stories like Me, Myself, & The Void before. (Hint: that isn’t an insult. It’s merely an observation.) By taking a dash of 1946’s It’s A Wonderful Life along with a hint of 1943’s Heaven Can Wait and maybe even sprinkling on a wee smidge of 1990’s Jacob’s Ladder, writer/director Tim Hautekiet (along with contributions from Nik Oldershaw) have crafted a modern era ‘vision quest’ on the part of a fumbling comedian struggling with finding peace of mind in a world that offers little remorse for the worn and weary. The Fantasy/Comedy stars Jack De Sena, Chris W. Smith, Kelly Marie Tran, Akilah Hughs, and James Babson in key roles; and it’s presently available for digital purchase via a variety of internet platforms.
Is it fresh? No. Is it new? Meh. Is it worthwhile? I’d say so, but that’s mainly because I like what it does with its players and its circumstances even though there’s a bit of predictability to its obvious feel-good sentimentality when all is said and done.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Trapped in a mysterious void outside the bounds of time and space, a struggling stand-up comedian must investigate how his body wound up motionless on his bathroom floor and wake himself up before it's too late.”
Some audiences struggle a bit with cinematic Fantasy mostly because their various filters are prone to criticize theatrical sentimentality because “it ain’t the real world.” This is why a film like 1989’s Field Of Dreams might resonate so strongly with a certain percentage of viewers and yet fall flat with realists who point out that there’s no such thing as ghosts much less ghosts that live in an Iowa cornfield. If watchers can’t suspend their disbelief long enough to merely enjoy the merits of a good story, then they’re likely to experience frustration with Me, Myself & The Void for many of the same reasons.
Bluntly, it’s a light-hearted Drama (with fantastical elements) that dabbles in the ether between life and death, between consciousness and unconsciousness. Jack (played by Jack De Sena) is a comedian struggling under the weight of his own world and his own choices in ways a bit too thick to count. While he can’t seem to keep the various women in his life happy – Mia (Kelly Marie Tran), Anna (Akilah Hughes), Tanya (Sophia Esperanza), and mother Amanda (Kristin Carey) – he’s willing to make only superficial attempts to please them all, a strategy that only lengthens the divide between him and them. Like many comedians, Jack is really only using laughter to conceal the pain he sees in himself and the world around him, never giving these troubles anything more than lip service in the process. And he’s struggling to maintain his only authentic relationship with his best bud Jack (Chris W. Smith), eventually even inadvertently pushing him away while careening under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Rather than explore this trauma from legitimate rock bottom, director Hautekiet instead has Jack waking up in a dark and endless otherworld we’ll call ‘the Void.’ In here, Jack can be onstage seemingly bombing to hit any good punchlines while he’s simultaneously back in his apartment, peering down at his injured body lying motionless on the bathroom floor. The mirror is cracked. His head is bleeding. Clearly, he’s in need of some medical assistance – or is he? – and he can’t quite remember exactly where either of him are, exactly how either of them got here, and what it all might mean for the nature of his existence. In this Void, Hautekiet allows Jack and the various people of his life to reconnect, walking through moments of recent memory all in hopes of trying to figure out who might be responsible for the version of himself on the bathroom floor and whether or not there’s still time to save himself.
As can happen in Fantasies of this sort, there’s no real hard-and-fast setting of rules. Jack is soon joined by Chris; and, together, they spend a great deal of time conducting their existential investigation, more of it intended for laughs than anything else. As they move through these various scenes, they come to understand that they can interact with the real world from this other side but are always restricted from changing events for the better. Still, it isn’t too long before both of them realize that there are risks in life and laughter – some of which can bring dire consequences – and they’re even joined by an angelic version of Mia who eventually serves as the catalyst to pulling off the band-aid over the many scars left in the wake of Jack’s flawed choices. In the end, all of this evolves into a journey of discovery – albeit with some magical elements – leaving our main character with a shot at redemption in exactly the way that happens in heartwarming movies.
“Trapped in a mysterious void outside the bounds of time and space, a struggling stand-up comedian must investigate how his body wound up motionless on his bathroom floor and wake himself up before it's too late.”
Some audiences struggle a bit with cinematic Fantasy mostly because their various filters are prone to criticize theatrical sentimentality because “it ain’t the real world.” This is why a film like 1989’s Field Of Dreams might resonate so strongly with a certain percentage of viewers and yet fall flat with realists who point out that there’s no such thing as ghosts much less ghosts that live in an Iowa cornfield. If watchers can’t suspend their disbelief long enough to merely enjoy the merits of a good story, then they’re likely to experience frustration with Me, Myself & The Void for many of the same reasons.
Bluntly, it’s a light-hearted Drama (with fantastical elements) that dabbles in the ether between life and death, between consciousness and unconsciousness. Jack (played by Jack De Sena) is a comedian struggling under the weight of his own world and his own choices in ways a bit too thick to count. While he can’t seem to keep the various women in his life happy – Mia (Kelly Marie Tran), Anna (Akilah Hughes), Tanya (Sophia Esperanza), and mother Amanda (Kristin Carey) – he’s willing to make only superficial attempts to please them all, a strategy that only lengthens the divide between him and them. Like many comedians, Jack is really only using laughter to conceal the pain he sees in himself and the world around him, never giving these troubles anything more than lip service in the process. And he’s struggling to maintain his only authentic relationship with his best bud Jack (Chris W. Smith), eventually even inadvertently pushing him away while careening under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Rather than explore this trauma from legitimate rock bottom, director Hautekiet instead has Jack waking up in a dark and endless otherworld we’ll call ‘the Void.’ In here, Jack can be onstage seemingly bombing to hit any good punchlines while he’s simultaneously back in his apartment, peering down at his injured body lying motionless on the bathroom floor. The mirror is cracked. His head is bleeding. Clearly, he’s in need of some medical assistance – or is he? – and he can’t quite remember exactly where either of him are, exactly how either of them got here, and what it all might mean for the nature of his existence. In this Void, Hautekiet allows Jack and the various people of his life to reconnect, walking through moments of recent memory all in hopes of trying to figure out who might be responsible for the version of himself on the bathroom floor and whether or not there’s still time to save himself.
As can happen in Fantasies of this sort, there’s no real hard-and-fast setting of rules. Jack is soon joined by Chris; and, together, they spend a great deal of time conducting their existential investigation, more of it intended for laughs than anything else. As they move through these various scenes, they come to understand that they can interact with the real world from this other side but are always restricted from changing events for the better. Still, it isn’t too long before both of them realize that there are risks in life and laughter – some of which can bring dire consequences – and they’re even joined by an angelic version of Mia who eventually serves as the catalyst to pulling off the band-aid over the many scars left in the wake of Jack’s flawed choices. In the end, all of this evolves into a journey of discovery – albeit with some magical elements – leaving our main character with a shot at redemption in exactly the way that happens in heartwarming movies.
Back in my college days (many moons ago, folks), I acted in a good number of stage plays; and there’s a great portion of Me, Myself & The Void that feels as if it may’ve been derived from such a project. People and places are rather simply defined – several sequences are shot in what looks to be an open black soundstage decorated with only the essentials the cast of characters required – and it isn’t difficult to imagine how some of this might’ve worked in front of a live audience. I bring this up because, frankly, there’s nothing quite like live theater for emotionally connecting with those watching: there’s a closeness – an intimacy – that makes all of it work on another level, something that gets sacrificed a bit when converting stories to film. Still, the picture solidly hits enough strong notes that I suspect many who stumble upon this undertaking will enjoy it for what it is, not looking necessarily for any deeper meaning and, instead, admiring the house that Jack built.
Me, Myself & The Void was produced by Echobend Pictures, Extraordinary Alien Films, and TimH. Based on a quick Google.com search, the production shows as presently available via a handful of streaming platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can assure you that the film both looks and sounds exceptional from start-to-finish. There are a few small sequences that use some in-camera trickery as well as what looks like some minor special effects, but it’s all supportive of the entire experience and doesn’t distract in the slightest. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I viewed this one via streaming, there were no special features under consideration.
Highly Recommended.
At times, Me, Myself & The Void (2023) feels like it may’ve evolved from an experimental live theater piece (again, not an insult as I love that vibe) while there are other scenes that could only have worked as a motion picture. Because this might be the blending of two genres, I’d strongly suggest that it makes advantage of being the best of both worlds. Performances are solid – Tran underplays a lot of her moments (in my opinion), and maybe she was trying to give her character some motivation owed to other circumstances or cut scenes – and I’d still advise audiences to be accepting of creative staging. This is cinematic Fantasy – maybe not of the highest order but still evident – and it helps to immerse yourself in its charm even when there are hints of potential doom. That’s just how it all works best.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Echobend Pictures provided me with complimentary streaming access to Me, Myself & The Void (2023) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
Me, Myself & The Void was produced by Echobend Pictures, Extraordinary Alien Films, and TimH. Based on a quick Google.com search, the production shows as presently available via a handful of streaming platforms. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can assure you that the film both looks and sounds exceptional from start-to-finish. There are a few small sequences that use some in-camera trickery as well as what looks like some minor special effects, but it’s all supportive of the entire experience and doesn’t distract in the slightest. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I viewed this one via streaming, there were no special features under consideration.
Highly Recommended.
At times, Me, Myself & The Void (2023) feels like it may’ve evolved from an experimental live theater piece (again, not an insult as I love that vibe) while there are other scenes that could only have worked as a motion picture. Because this might be the blending of two genres, I’d strongly suggest that it makes advantage of being the best of both worlds. Performances are solid – Tran underplays a lot of her moments (in my opinion), and maybe she was trying to give her character some motivation owed to other circumstances or cut scenes – and I’d still advise audiences to be accepting of creative staging. This is cinematic Fantasy – maybe not of the highest order but still evident – and it helps to immerse yourself in its charm even when there are hints of potential doom. That’s just how it all works best.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Echobend Pictures provided me with complimentary streaming access to Me, Myself & The Void (2023) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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