Control Alt Delete

Control Alt Delete is a heartwarming, yet quirky comedy film set in the world of computers and technology. Made in 2008, directed by Cameron Labine, the movie stars his brother, the charismatic and inventive actor Tyler Labine, who leads an exceptional ensemble cast including Sonja Bennett, and Geoff Gustafson.

Tyler Labine plays Lewis Henderson, an introverted but brilliant computer programmer tasked with fixing the infamous ‘Millennium Bug’. It is the tail end of 1999, not only is the New Year about to ring in, but the world is bracing for the possible chaos that could ensue due to the anticipated Y2K computer disasters. Lewis, under heavy pressure from his company, is burdened with the enormous task of protecting a massive financial institution from impending digital apocalypse. This high-stakes environment helps establish the tense humor that permeates the film.

Right from the beginning, Labine's character, Lewis, is portrayed as a quirky man with a peculiar love for computers. It’s not just that he’s a computer programmer, but he has an oddly deep emotional connection to hardware. This sets the premise for the unique and hilarious path the film goes down. His relationship with technology, especially his own computer, takes an unusual, comedic turn that serves as one of the main narrative arcs of the movie.

Opposite Labine is the versatile actress Sonja Bennett, who plays Jane, a curious character who works in Lewis’s office. Jane finds herself drawn towards Lewis’s awkward charm and they develop a sweet, albeit unconventional relationship. The evolving dynamic between the characters of Lewis and Jane is a driving force of the plot, and provides a more conventional counterpart to Lewis's unusual relationship with his computer.

Geoff Gustafson enters the story as a delightfully eccentric office mate who is fully convinced that Y2K will be the end of civilization as we know it. His comic paranoia adds to the surreal atmosphere that permeates the office space, also providing a good deal of comic relief throughout the film. As the New Year rapidly approaches, these interwoven personal narratives play out amidst office politics and attempts to fix a potentially world-altering bug.

Control Alt Delete is set against the backdrop of the late 1990s tech scene, which lends a sense of nostalgia and a retro feel to the film. Through witty dialogue and humorous scenarios, it explores the human dependence on technology, touching upon themes of loneliness, connection, and personal discovery.

The film also wonderfully includes striking and colloquial visual comparisons between the vast complexity of hardware systems and the human relationships evolving within the story. Connecting the frustrations, intricacies, and sometimes surprising joys found in both series of relationships is a subtle but important thematic undercurrent.

Cameron Labine's direction is excellent, he seamlessly blends elements of comedy, romance, and drama together, creating a tone that is uniquely its own. The symbolism and metaphor wrapped into the film’s themes are presented in a light, accessible manner, keeping the audience pondering yet entertained.

Control Alt Delete is an authentic human comedy that uses the Y2K era and the tech world as a backdrop for an unusual and unforgettable tale of personal connection. It is a blend of strange, memorable, and at times awkward moments that go together to create a narrative that's like a strange interpretation of the actual Y2K paranoia and an exploration of our interaction with the digital world.

Smartly written and crisply directed, Control Alt Delete cleverly satirizes the tech industry and our relationship with technology, offering an engaging narrative that deviates from the typical norms of romantic comedies. Its humor styles range from darkly comedic to absurdly funny, providing an overall playful and lighthearted film.

Control Alt Delete is a charming, unconventional comedy that delves into the overarching anxiety of the Millennium Bug, and situated within this scenario, presents an amusingly bizarre and peculiar story about love and connection in an increasingly digital world. This film is sure to resonate with audiences who have an appreciation for offbeat humor and a fondness for the peculiarities of the tech world at the turn of the millennium.