The 4th Dimension

by Ari

The 4th Dimension is the feature-film debut of writers/directors Tom Mattera and David Mazzoni, a low-budget but well made psychological drama that explores the subconscious emotions of a lonely, obsessive compulsive genius played with effective restraint by actor Louis Morabito. The premise involves speculation about the nature of time itself (hence the title), but the concept is used more for an intimate and ultimately realistic emotional connection than it is for a mind-bending theoretical commentary. This is one of those films that introduces the pieces to a puzzle and slowly connects them together until the big reveal at the end. Some pacing issues aside, the narrative comes together quite nicely before everything is finally explained, with a surprisingly moving conclusion that makes any previous shortcomings seem insignificant.

The film travels through the real and the surreal, a contemplation of dreams, memory, and altered, maybe parallel states of consciousness. The surreal is a difficult thing to portray on film, so it’s to Mattera’s and Mazzoni’s credit that they handle the material with considerable craft. I’d like to think that the filmmakers have seen The Trial (probably more than once), as the visual sensibilities and Daniel Watchulonis’ crisp black and white cinematography seem heavily influenced and are quite striking. Low angles, sharp close-ups, atmospheric lighting, and gritty, decaying sets create a wonderfully bleak and nightmarish mood to represent the character’s emotional state. The Angelo Badalamenti-esque score by John Avarese underlines the film’s mysterious edge.

It’s difficult to describe the plot without ruining the entire thing, as everything you’re seeing is essentially a symbol of what you eventually learn about the character. Jack (Morabito) works in an antique shop and is presented a broken clock by a strange, unknown woman. The discovery of Einstein’s journal on The Unified Field Theory inspires him to unravel the mystery of time. Time is the central theme of the story, but the big question is why is he so obsessed with discovering the secret? We jump back and forth from his present as an adult and his troubled past as a child, and just as the idea of time being discontinuous and non-linear is an important theme, the film’s structure is purposely disjointed and somewhat confusing. But it’s confusing in a provocative and involving way, not distancing or impenetrable.

The film drags a bit in the middle, something that will surely test the patience of an unprepared viewer, but it’s a minor quibble. As with most low-budget, independently produced films, the use of unprofessional actors is always a factor. Most of the cast is passable, and as previously stated, Morabito does fine work in the lead. A few static supporting performances stand out a bit, but it’s nothing too distracting. This is a confident and visually assured work that shows the definite potential of these two new filmmakers.