Joel Potrykus’ ’90s-era grossout character piece isn’t for the faint of heart, but it’s worth checking out if you’ve got the stomach.
Sometimes you watch a movie and you figure out early into it that it’s not for you. Maybe you just can’t connect with the characters, or the world it’s building is too unfamiliar. At that point you have to make a decision: either you turn it off and go about the rest of your life without ever thinking about it again, or you see it through and hope that either it will end up a movie for you after all, or at least, it won’t ruin film as an art form for you.
Joel Potrykus’ Relaxer does neither of those things. It’s not a movie for me, but I’m not sure it’s for anyone else either. It is its own inscrutable beast, always weird, often grotesque, and never boring. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, because it’s profoundly unpleasant at times. At the same time, however, should you find yourself watching it, see it through to the end, because it will go to places you won’t imagine.
Relaxer doesn’t just take place in 1999, it’s an homage to 90s indie movies, with fast-talking characters speaking almost entirely in profanities and pop culture references, and everything is badly lit and covered in a layer of grime. The action (such
Cam sets up Abbie for his biggest “challenge” yet: beat level 256 of Pac-Man, an impossible task due to the real-life split screen glitch that prevented players from completing the game. Despite the futility of it, Abbie agrees, even though it means he can’t leave the couch until he finishes, not even to eat or use the restroom. Cam gives him until the end of year (when he believes that Y2K will bring the collapse of society), then inexplicably disappears. Even though days stretch into weeks and Cam doesn’t return, Abbie continues to play Pac-Man with grim determination, even through a cloud of insecticide, while at the same time resorting to capturing rainwater with a withered Styrofoam cup and, in one scene, eating boot leather to survive.
I could tell you more of what happens beyond a third act time jump, but it would both spoil the ending and sound like the ravings of a lunatic. Again, as off-putting as Relaxer is at times (of all the 90s filmmakers Potrykus emulates here, none is so apparent as Harmony Korine), it’s a fascinating movie. It’s fascinating mostly because you can apply virtually any meaning you want to it, and you’ll probably be correct. It could be about toxic masculinity, and how the only reason Abbie puts himself through any of this is to win the approval of Cam, his tough guy punk rocker brother. It could be
More than anything else, it’s about young male slackerdom, a well Potrykus has dipped from in his previous movies Ape and Buzzard, both also starring Burge. It’s impossible to tell how old Abbie is, but he’s clearly found begging for basic necessities like food and drink more amenable than trying to hold down a job. He’s somehow convinced himself that by drinking his own sweat he’s being
It’s a sort of 4D chess he’s playing with himself: bend to Cam’s will to such lengths that he becomes a human pretzel somehow will also give him the upper hand over Cam (that the brothers’ relationship has some squirmy BDSM subtext to it is but one more reason I can’t say this is a movie that’s going to have universal appeal). But don’t we all know someone who has chosen a life of passivity and toxic dependence—whether on relatives, friends, or lovers—over having to become part of the nine to five grind? We don’t know why Abbie lives the way he does. All we know is that it was a choice. He could leave whenever he
Read next: The Spool's Best New Releases
Streaming guides
The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
The praises of live TV streaming services don’t need to be further sung. By now, we all know that compared to clunky, commitment-heavy cable, live TV is cheaper and much easier to manage. But just in case you’re still on the fence about jumping over to the other side, or if you’re just unhappy with ... The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
Season 3 of the hotly anticipated Power spin-off, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, is arriving on Starz soon, so you know what that means: it’s the ’90s again in The Southside, and we’re back with the Thomas family as they navigate the ins and outs of the criminal underworld they’re helping build. Mekai Curtis is ... How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so back! To celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, the BBC is producing a three-episode special starring none other than the Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor himself, David Tennant. And to the supreme delight of fans (that would be me, dear reader), the Doctor will be joined by old-time companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and ... How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
For whatever reason, The Hunger Games series isn’t available in the same countries around the world. You’ll find the first and second (aka the best) installments in Hong Kong, for instance, but not the third and fourth. It’s a frustrating dilemma, especially if you don’t even have a single entry in your region, which is ... Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
After a years-long hiatus, scientist and explorer Albert Lin is coming back to National Geographic with a fresh new season of Lost Cities, renamed “Lost Cities Revealed.” In the past, Lin, who is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a real-life Indiana Jones, has traveled everywhere from the ancient Knights Templar in Israel to ... How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
As the sister channel of the much bigger Univision, Unimás is home to popular Spanish-language telenovelas and talk shows (yes, including El Gordo y La Flaca), as well as a couple of sports events and programs. Most notably, however, Unimás also operates a couple of station affiliates around the country, so it also reports local ... How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial