All Sorts ( Castañeda, 2021)
J. Rick Castañeda, the film’s writer, and director, offers a movie on demand that is a delightful amalgamation of projects like Office Space (1999) and Beetlejuice (1988). Most movies that arrive to the consumer market strictly on demand encounter a headwind of derision and skepticism, but that should not be a problem for All Sorts. All Sorts has a strong story and solid character work. Moreover, Office Space, which shares nearly identical themes with All Sorts, was a box office flop, but became a cult sensation once it was discovered on DVD and cable. All Sorts has similar potential in form and function because it provides an original and creative escape for anyone that is suffering or has suffered through the monotony of white-collar office work and the lifestyle that goes with it. Additionally, the set design and editing techniques are cleverly reminiscent of Tim Burton’s wildly successful movie, Beetlejuice. Castañeda does a good job of taking the best components of those two movies and making an ostensibly boring set of circumstances (office work) whimsical, funny, and thought-provoking.
The film gives us all sorts of characters to appreciate and fall in love with. Castañeda even manages to make the office calendar and copy machines characters in their own right! However, the main character, Diego (Eli Vargas) stands out. He is as relatable as he is pitiful. Moreover, he lends himself and, subsequently, the film, to a Marxist critical analysis. Castañeda presents Diego as a destitute drone of the American workforce. Vargas does an excellent job throughout the movie to sell Diego’s commitment to that suffering in an endearing way. The film establishes work as a necessary evil, but by the end of it, utilizes Diego and June (Greena Park) to reveal its potential to be something creative and fulfilling. That makes the movie an uplifting experience.
Another character, Vasquez, played by Luis Deveze, maintains levity throughout the film with all of the skill of a Detective Clouseau. Deveze’s performance is delightful and, at times, even steals the show. There is a scene where he displays genuine amazement at Diego’s ability to type a rather average number of words per minute and it makes you wonder how or why this guy is in charge a la The Pink Panther (1963). It’s a clever method of viewer enticement. That exchange provides a wonderful segue to meet the other characters in the movie.
And the character work is one of the strongest parts of All Sorts. There are no A-list actors in the film, but the film’s ensemble delivers A-grade performances. Every character, whether they be principle or bit, brings something worthwhile to the story. The random discourse that goes on in the office throughout the film is a testament to that. At one point, Maria (Maria Galvan) refuses to acknowledge Diego’s presence because she’s on break. Another worker refuses to offer Diego any help unless he furnishes a king’s ransom in PAYDAYs. PAYDAYs. It all feels ostensibly absurd, but somehow, still, true to life. The film provides the controlled surrealism of a Salvatore Dali painting.
That controlled surrealism is the absolute best part of All Sorts. Castañeda makes incredibly efficient use screen space in nearly every scene. There are some wide shots and interstitial uses of B-roll, but most of the movie’s shots are deceptively tight. The constant tightness creates a deep level of intimacy with the characters of the film and everything they’re going through. You viscerally feel their emotional strife. You feel in tune with their tasks. This is made possible because it seems like you’ve been right there, almost in their lap, the whole time. This all becomes wonderfully evident during the emotional crescendo of the movie.
All Sorts is a fantastic and provocative piece of art. It makes excellent use of metanarration and seems to pay homage to writers like Edgar Allan Poe (The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket) and Henry James (The Turn of the Screw). I’ll leave it to you to identify those correlations. But trust me, they’re there.
All Sorts drops on VOD on October 5, 2022
