Vivarium (2019)

Vivarium Poster

A young woman and her fiancé are in search of the perfect starter home. After following a mysterious real estate agent to a new housing development, the couple finds themselves trapped in a maze of identical houses and forced to raise an otherworldly child.

Introduction
"Vivarium" is a 2019 science-fiction thriller directed by Lorcan Finnegan, co-written by Finnegan and Garret Shanley. The movie stars Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg who play Gemma and Tom, a young couple aiming to acquire their very first home when they stumble upon a mystical and disturbing rural development called Yonder. The film explores styles of rural life, being a parent, and existential fear, wrapped in a surreal, Twilight Zone-esque story that leaves viewers questioning the nature of truth.

Plot Synopsis
Gemma, a teacher, and Tom, a handyman, are looking for the ideal place to start their lives together. During their visit to a real estate workplace, they fulfill a peculiar salesman who persuades them to visit a brand-new real estate advancement called Yonder. Yonder seems an unlimited sea of similar green homes, and regardless of their worry, Gemma and Tom follow the salesman to house number 9 for a tour. Suddenly, the salesman disappears, leaving them alone in this eerie suburban labyrinth.

When they try to leave, they find themselves inexplicably looping back to the very same house, no matter which instructions they travel. Caught in Yonder without any contact to the outside world and an upsetting sense of isolation, Gemma and Tom are required to settle in home number 9 as attempts to get away prove ineffective.

Their surreal experience takes an even stranger turn when a strange box appears at their doorstep, consisting of an infant young boy with directions: "Raise the child and be launched". As the kid grows at a freakishly sped up rate, showing strange behavior and a haunting, robotic voice, the couple's distress and desperation deepen. Gemma attempts to get in touch with the child, looking for responses about their predicament, while Tom becomes obsessed with digging a hole in the front yard, wanting to find a way out.

Themes and Analysis
"Vivarium" works as a dark satire of suburban life and the societal pressures of conformity, being a parent, and the pursuit of the so-called "American Dream". The horrible depiction of suburbia represents the uniformity and trapped feelings lots of experience in the pursuit of this idealized life. As the couple's relationship frays under the strain of their enforced parental roles and the sheer repetitiveness of their days, "Vivarium" comments on the existential dread that can arise from a loss of autonomy and purpose.

Additionally, the movie discuss the worries and obstacles of parenting. The abnormal kid acts as a driver for the couple's growing misery, showcasing the anxieties surrounding the upbringing of the next generation and the loss of identity that often takes place when individuals become parents. The movie likewise has fun with the concept of nature versus nurture-- in spite of Gemma and Tom's care, the child stays alien and removed, raising questions about the fundamental characteristics versus the environment's impact on development.

Conclusion
"Vivarium" concludes without offering clear answers, maintaining its surreal atmosphere to the very end. Tom's fate in the mystical hole he digs and Gemma's final fight with the kid and the beings behind their captivity provide a bleak and unclear resolution. They never ever experience liberty from Yonder, and their roles as reluctant surrogate moms and dads pertained to a stressful conclusion.

The movie leaves the audience with a sticking around sense of unease, contemplating the significance behind the couple's surreal journey and the bigger implications it holds for our understanding of uniqueness, freedom, and the life process. "Vivarium", with its minimalist cast and setting, successfully creates a thought-provoking mental thriller that immerses the viewer in a twisted, hyperreal variation of domestic headaches.

Top Cast

  • Imogen Poots (small)
    Imogen Poots
    Gemma Pierce
  • Jesse Eisenberg (small)
    Jesse Eisenberg
    Tom
  • Jonathan Aris (small)
    Jonathan Aris
    Martin
  • Senan Jennings (small)
    Senan Jennings
    Young Boy
  • Eanna Hardwicke (small)
    Eanna Hardwicke
    Older Boy
  • Molly McCann (small)
    Molly McCann
    Molly
  • Danielle Ryan (small)
    Danielle Ryan
    School Mom
  • Olga Wehrly (small)
    Olga Wehrly
    Crying Woman
  • Jack Hudson (small)
    Jack Hudson
    Estate Agent (uncredited)
  • Mark Quigley (small)
    Mark Quigley
    Estate Agent (uncredited)
  • Michael McGeown (small)
    Michael McGeown
    Factory Worker (uncredited)