By contrast, in his new film Downsizing, Payne expands his perspective to the entire planet, and in so doing loses some of the authenticity that he’s been known for. Downsizing doesn’t seem to trust the audience to pick up on its save-the-world thesis, and ends up feeling more like an over-eager university student giving a speech than a satisfying moviegoing experience. It’s not a bore, but it wastes too much energy wagging its finger while the story is lagging behind.

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