
Watch ‘Cost of Living,’ a Great Workplace Sci-Fi Short Featuring Bret Harrison and Brandon Routh
Posted on Monday, February 13th, 2012 by Russ Fischer
Remember, if you will, the days of Fantastic Fest 2011. One of the most buzzed about films at the Austin, TX festival wasn’t a feature from an established director. It was Cost of Living, a short written and directed by first-time filmmaker BenDavid Grabinski.
The short stars Bret Harrison (Reaper, Breaking In) and Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) as employees of a company that makes, or engineers… something. Or ‘somethings.’ Actually, let’s say very violent, very dangerous somethings.
Cost of Living throws a couple of more or less regular guys into a really crappy situation and then watches them fight their way out. It is a tasty blend of splattery, tense action with just enough self-awareness and humor to balance the danger. Oh, and it is beautifully shot by Morgan Susser, and features a special guest as the voice of the company computer. The full film is now online; check it out below.
All you really need to know about this one before watching is the Bowie-esque note that BenDavid included on the short’s Vimeo page: “Please play loud.”
Check out FoIndustries for more info.
Here’s a behind the scenes view of the action, shot and edited by Riley Stearns. (We just featured his short Magnificat last week.)