DRIB
Where to Watch DRIB
The 2017 movie DRIB is an inventively satirical, uniquely structured pseudo-documentary that deconstructs the advertisement industry and challenges the viewer’s idea of reality. Directed by Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli, the movie introduces us to Amir Asgharnejad, a comedian from Oslo who gained popularity online due to his unconventional, slapstick humor, often depicted through staged fight videos.
In the movie, Amir's scripts are set in motion when a renowned energy drink company catches sight of him and is eager to seize upon his internet fame as their advertising campaign's subject. This endeavor promises a compelling twist on the age-old ad-fluff formula, intending a wild combination of blood, violence, and carbonated beverages. Brett Gelman, as the fast-talking Chief Marketing Officer of DRIB, embodies a dazzling display of denial and desperation. His energetic performance articulates the paradoxical, deceptive world of advertisement that thrives on the borderline between semblance and reality.
Adam Pearson, known for his breakout role in "Under the Skin," plays another central character in this groundbreaking film. The plot thickens as he struggles with a disfiguring genetic disorder and goes toe-to-toe with Amir, adding another layer of uncanniness to the movie’s already surreal atmosphere. All these roles are crucial to carrying the film’s striking commentary on the superficiality of commercial enterprises and their hungry pursuit of the 'new' and 'different'.
DRIB’s narrative format is exceptional, with Asgharnejad himself retelling his real-life experience of being courted by an energy drink company for an ad campaign, an opportunity that veers into the absurd and the unsettling. However, due to legal reasons, the film has to recreate the events with fictional elements— leading to a unique blend of fiction and non-fiction, where the real-life Amir stars as the actor Amir in a movie about his own life. This meta-filmmaking lends itself to critique the manufactured narratives of the advertising world and the nature of performativity in everyday life.
DRIB is also visually striking, capturing the hauntingly sterile landscape of Los Angeles, interspersed with the vibrant colors of the energy drink. It showcases the poetic aridity of modern life, adorned with malls, motels, and other manifestations of consumerism. Borgli has utilized LA as a setting where his characters can drift and collide, underlining the film's themes of intimacy amid artificiality. The film's overall aesthetics, boasting retro elements infused with contemporary styles, capture the unsaid emptiness despite the modern glitz.
Boxed in this multi-layered premise, the viewer grapples with the shifting bounds of reality, caught between the mirages quicksilver plated by the ad industry and the extreme absurdity that true stories often unfold. DRIB's real strength lies in its ability to epitomize the audacity of real-life situations, wherein their hyperbolic elements surpass the absurdity often contrived by the creative realm.
By externalizing the internal struggles of a comedian trapped in the insincerity of the ad world, DRIB explores the boundaries between truth and fiction, reality, and spectacle. High on satirical commentary, it submits the viewer to a sensory Sicilian bull– a forceful sensory experience that is hard to define or put in a singular category.
From its meta-fiction narrative format, surreal humor, and robust performances to its insightful critiques of advertising mechanics, DRIB is an offbeat cinematic creation that's critical, self-aware and illuminating. The film showcases Borgli's directorial prowess by harnessing the narrative's chaos and presenting it as a complex, nuanced critique of consumer culture, creative commodification, and the blurring lines between authenticity and performance.
As deliberate, fascinating, and eccentric as the energy drink it gets its name from, DRIB is precisely what indie cinema aspires to be. It shakes up genre constraints, confronts viewer's perceptions, and kicks open fresh doors for storytelling - all while managing to be wildly entertaining.
In summary, the movie DRIB is an exciting exploration into the warped reality of advertising. It's an innovative blend of documentary and fiction that oscillates between multiple narratives and warps the interplay of fact and fiction. It is also an evocative critique of the advertising industry's manufactured narratives and the struggle to find authenticity in a world reliant on artificial constructs. Engaging, thought-provoking, and visually dynamic, DRIB is an unmissable, enigmatic piece of modern cinema.
DRIB is a Documentary, Comedy, Drama movie released in 2017. It has a runtime of 90 Critics and viewers have rated it moderate reviews, with an IMDb score of 6.3..
How to Watch DRIB
Where can I stream DRIB movie online? DRIB is available to watch and stream, buy on demand, download at Tubi TV, Vudu Free, Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube VOD, Vudu. Some platforms allow you to rent DRIB for a limited time or purchase the movie for downloading.