What happens when the state decides that love is something that can be tested, measured, or verified? Mar Sudac explores that unsettling question in his quietly unnerving satirical short drama (0, ∞) . Set in a near future America, the story follows Gus (Brandon Wilson) and Clark (Cheech Manohar), a married couple forced to undergo an invasive government-mandated procedure to ‘verify’ their sexuality.
Mar Sudac crafts a quietly unnerving story, allowing its premise to emerge gradually from the shadows rather than announcing itself outright. The film taps into the zeitgeist of modern politics, and despite the knowing absurdity of its situation, its premise sadly doesn’t feel too far removed from reality. Yet for all its dystopian unease, (0, ∞) is never a depressing watch. There are moments of levity throughout, and Sudac maintains a sharp satirical edge, keeping the film grounded even as the implications of its world become increasingly disturbing.
Brandon Wilson, who broke through in RaMell Ross’ remarkable Nickel Boys, and Cheech Manohar give brilliantly muted performances as Gus and Clark. They undergo the procedure without outward protest, appearing resigned to their circumstances and beholden to the authority of the state. Yet there is a quiet act of resistance in the way they love and care for one another, one that becomes particularly moving in the film’s final moments.
Beneath the political and speculative framework, this is ultimately a deeply human story about the enduring nature of love and connection, and it is here that (0, ∞) finds its emotional power. Beautifully filmed and cleverly constructed, (0, ∞) uses its clever premise to examine the very real impulse to categorize, regulate, and control bodies and identities. With its quiet unease, dark humor, and deeply human center, Sudac’s film is a pointed and timely piece that ultimately argues that love cannot be quantified or claimed by the institutions that seek to define us.
Brian Cotter
