Watch: Martin Starr Tries To Keep Up In Short Film 'Leonard In Slow Motion'
By Angie Han/Feb. 4, 2015 5:00 am EST
After years of supporting roles, Martin Starr takes the lead in not one but two films you can watch right now. The first is Amira & Sam, a charming full-length feature currently in theaters and on VOD. The other is the short film Leonard in Slow Motion, and you can see it right here.
The title is quite literal. Starr is Leonard, who lives his entire life in slow motion even as the world around him moves along at a normal pace. While others laugh and gawk at his unusual condition, Leonard struggles to keep up in work and love. Watch the entirety of Leonard in Slow Motion after the jump.
Leonard in Slow Motion is one of Vice's series of short films. Though Leonard moves slowly, his story goes quickly — it comes in at just over 9 minutes including credits.
The story is engaging but slight, but Starr more than makes up for it by being his usual fascinating self. He has a knack for bringing dignity and humanity to even the smallest, sad-sackiest roles. John Ross Bowie, Steve Agee, and Beth Dover make up the capable supporting cast.
Of course, the other big star of Leonard in Slow Motion is the bag of camera tricks used to achieve the slo-mo effect. Director Pete Livolsi lays out the specifics here. Long story short, it involves shooting three versions of each scene, or four versions for certain effects.
Leonard, star of Pete Livolsi's hilarious new short, is a little slow. Literally, Leonard lives his life in slow-motion while everyone around him lives active, normal lives. Martin Starr from Silicon Valley plays the titular motion-challenged character who, despite every attempt to be a normal office drone, can't seem to stay up to speed.
While Leonard's slow-motion should be classified by today's workplace standards as a disability, it's treated more like a novelty or a clown show. His boss even blackmails Leonard into performing tricks at his kid's birthday party.
It's tough being Leonard. A bathroom break now lasts 20 minutes, and that doesn't include wiping or washing. He redefines the term "slow eater." And what's sex like if you can never go faster than "super slow"?
Livolsi plays beautifully with the tribulations of Leonard's life, whether it's getting to work on time or literally being too slow to get the girl. It's a fantastic tale of personal redemption that also happens to include one of the best vomit scenes in all of film.