How can one enact escapism when escaping from one’s reality is seemingly impossible? In an attempt to reflected the state of the world and his mind, Bo Burnham turned the camera on himself and began to create a new comedy special. Burnham wrote, directed, starred in, and edited a simplistic yet stunningly beautiful musical over the course of the pandemic, shot entirely in his home. The result is a stunning one-man production packed with upbeat songs and raw glimpses into the effects of a global pandemic. The comedian and up-and-coming director has been delivering brilliant musical stand up performances since his teen years blending comedy and music in his first tracks on YouTube. Inside stays true to this style but features somewhat darker musical numbers ranging from campfire sing-alongs to electrical sounding tunes, all broken up by brief commentaries and several skits. Over the course of the 90-minute
special, viewers at home watch as Burnham effortlessly turns sensitive subject matter into captivating and comprehensible tracks that take some weight off the difficult topics without diluting them.
Inside features a sundry scope of stylized songs, some of which question the role of technology in the degradation of society’s mental health while others poke fun at performative activism and current social media culture. Songs like Comedy and A White Woman's Instagram are lighthearted with messages that highlight Burnham's natural talent. The songs from the latter half of the special, however, remain unmatched as they are an uncensored depiction of mental illness and the often incomprehensible sensations that go along with it.
The examination of mental illness is maybe the most essential aspect of Inside. Burnham alludes to wanting to take his life numerous times in the special. He wrestles with the strange sensation that many of us have had over the previous couple of years – the feeling that emerges from living in a society on the brink of collapsing. Regardless, we watch Burnham endure the difficulties of the pandemic and experience the making of the entire special, right in front of us.
Inside is divided into two acts, with an intermission in which we see Burnham wipe clean his camera lens—one of the special's numerous meta-references to its own laborious making. Other references include shots of wires tangle on the floor, montage of him setting up his backdrops, adjusting the lighting, editing his own tunes, and simply staring into space; the authenticity of the work is significantly enhanced by these behind-the-scenes glances.
The strange tonal swings and abrupt transitions between visuals also add to the list of reasons why Inside can be considered a masterpiece pleasure of the encounter. From arrays of musical homemade effects to changing aspect ratios, varying camera angles, and a masterful job with light and shadows, Burnham builds an intricate cinematic experience that deepens the psychological journey in play.
Inside has no precedent as its entire tone emerges from an unprecedented moment in human history. The special will most likely be a great depiction for future generations of what it was like to live through a global pandemic, in a society obsessed with mindless consumption of online content, stuck in a subsequent descent into a deep and dark depression. In five to ten years from
now, when the cultural and social context it was created in has receded into the past, the film will be considered even more of a masterpiece.
Featuring images from The Audient Blogs and Netflix's Inside
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