-Written by Kyle Bain.
At a start-up crypto currency company, an overworked employee, Mary (Abbey Toot), struggles to deal with an overbearing boss. The Coder sees Mary attempting to save the company. But at what cost?
The film opens to a dark screen, only broken up by an equally intense red. There’s someone present, someone working. We don’t yet know their role in all of this–but then, as we transition to a montage of sarcastic and overwhelming emotional moments, we understand that the person isn’t important–but rather that The Coder is an attempt to speak out against many of the ongoing issues present in corporate America. While the film physically lightens up almost immediately, our entrance into the film is enough to set the tone, and to understand the sarcastic language going forward.
The Coder sort of presents viewers with a hyperreal iteration of a toxic workplace. As the camera shifts from place to place throughout this office building, those transitions are accompanied by sound effects. A simple whoosh is often all that exists in these moments–but they exist nonetheless. Those effects are almost whimsical, countering the dark, harrowing tones that surround Mary throughout the film. While I do believe that this juxtaposition does pose a potential threat to the film in regard to damaging the overall tone, what I believe it ultimately accomplishes is creating an immersive experience, one that, again, does feel hyperreal, but equally accessible. Even though The Coder does feel a skosh silly at times, I feel that the emotional ebb and flow of the film ultimately lends itself to success. We are grounded in the opening seconds, and rather than bury us deeper as the film continues, Writer-Director Will Crouse achieves something fluid and altogether more natural than what could have been painstakingly monotone.
The characters in The Coder are caricatures of real life, with no one a better example than Thad (Mickey O’Sullivan), the boss. Every aspect of his being is exaggerated, focusing on the negative aspects of his character, and allowing viewers the opportunity to easily see aspects of the overbearing boss that we are all familiar with. As off putting as he is, the familiarity that exists within this character is interestingly welcoming.
The Coder resonated so strongly with me. We’ve all been in less-than-ideal work situations–but there are some of us that have found certain work experiences to be unbearable and debilitating. I’ve been there; I’ve lived that experience. As The Coder comes to a close, as Mary finally understands what she needs to do–I felt a deep connection to her and the story as a whole. That feeling that you’d like nothing more than to watch the company burn to the ground (metaphorically speaking of course–we don’t need any casualties in the process); that feeling that, while you’re integral to the company, you’re far from respected; that feeling that your mental health doesn’t make the list of things important to the company–these sentiments and more are covered in The Coder. These are real-life experiences, real scenarios in which I have found myself, and the somewhat exaggerated approach to developing this film is what allows these things to be brought to life in this short film.
There are both emotional highs and lows present in The Coder–and they create some semblance of balance that manages to exist throughout the majority of the film. The emotional peaks are the ones satirical in nature, embellishing a bit, but remaining accessible nonetheless. Those lows are the ones that are more direct in nature–expressing to viewers that Crouse understands our plights, that he’s been in our shoes at least once before. The Coder effectively runs the gamut of emotion, but the almost romantic tug of war that plays out before us is so welcoming and honest. The Coder is almost dreamlike, and it’s an incredible expression of human struggle.
Written & Directed by Will Crouse.
Starring Abbey Toot, Mickey O’Sullivan, Sean Kazarian, Yuchi Chiu, James Dawson, etc.
9/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW
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