Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.0

Relaxer Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 14, 2021

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray courtesy of Powerhouse Films' Relaxer Limited Edition release, which also includes writer and director Joel Potrykus' earlier feature Buzzard on a bonus Blu-ray disc.

Those who have had a bit of "home alone time" lately (ahem) and may have explored various nooks and crannies of the world wide web may have gone down various rabbit holes on well trafficked internet sites like YouTube, finding all sorts of arcana in the process. Some lucky pioneers may therefore have stumbled across this hilarious video from the so-called “Onion News Network” detailing the (then) new arrival of a game supposedly called World of World of Warcraft, where players could play a player playing the game (just watch the video if it isn’t clear). The haplessness of some of the people ostensibly profiled in this short but funny piece might make them perfect characters to insert into either of the films by Joel Potrykus which Powerhouse Films has assembled in this Limited Edition release. If the gaming aspect of the Onion News parody might make the connection to Relaxer most secure, the same kind of “loser slacker” character at the center of that film is also part and parcel of Potrykus’ earlier Buzzard, also included in this release. Both films can be generally discomfiting, simply because the characters are so maladjusted, but each film also offers black humor in droves, and so may appeal to those who actually do peek out of their (parents’?) basements long enough to take a withering glance at the “real” world on occasion.

Joshua Burge is one of those actors whose face almost inherently suggests a sad sack underachiever, albeit one with perhaps unexpected amounts of ambition. Burge reminds me, appearance wise at least, of a young Tim Curry type, maybe with just a pinch of Stan Laurel thrown in, and that weird combo platter of legendary performers may give at least a hint of some of Burge's performance capabilities as well. Burge is pretty much a ubiquitous presence in Relaxer, a really odd and angst inducing "comedy" that is about an unhinged sibling rivalry playing out ( playing being the operative term) in the general context of the end of the millennium and pre-Apocalyptic fervor over the impending "Y2K crisis".

It's 1999, but brothers Abbie (Joshua Burge) and Cam (David Dastmalchian) are hardly partying. The two have a contentious, maybe even abusive, relationship, with older sibling Cam constantly berating his younger brother. Cam actually uses Abbie's predicament as fodder for a video feed, and his latest stunt is making Abbie get to the "final level" of Pac Man without pausing, ostensibly to win some kind of a huge prize. Was ensues is kind of like an electronic, not totally nude version of the television series Naked and Afraid, with Abbie giving in to almost feral tendencies as his efforts continue.

Relaxer is rather ironically almost bound to make viewers feel less and less relaxed as it goes on, and while there is definitely humor here, it's often jet black and kind of melancholic. My colleague Brian Orndorf may have liked Relaxer just a bit more than I did, and you can read Brian's thoughts here.

Relaxer Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Relaxer is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Powerhouse Films' Anti-Worlds imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Shot with Arri Alexas (according to the IMDb) and presumably finished at a 2K DI, Relaxer , kind of like Abbie himself, can't quite escape the confines of a drab and dreary apartment, and as such there are several sequences in the film that suffer from a fair amount of murk, where detail levels can ebb and fine detail in particular can be variable. In brighter lighting situations, and in some close-ups, things perk up considerably in terms of detail, but the palette here is often pretty neutral looking. I noticed no compression anomalies.

Relaxer Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Relaxer features an LPCM 2.0 track that supports the films pretty basic sound design perfectly well. The entire film plays out in Abbie's apartment, and a lot of the film simply deals with Abbie attempting to play the game while planted firmly on his couch, and so the soundtrack is not especially exciting in and of itself. Dialogue and occasional effects are rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Relaxer Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary with Joel Potrykus


• Behind the Scenes (HD; 7:05)


• Deleted Scene (HD; 4:11)


• Rehearsal Footage (HD; 10:00)


• Milk Party (HD; 9:02)


• Joel Potrykus Short Films and Music Video

  The Ludivico Treatment (1990) (HD; 1:39)

  
  

  The Ludivico Testament (1998) (HD; 4:09)

  
  

  Coyote (2010) (HD; 24:10)

  
  

  Heavier Than Air Flying Machines: Follicle Gang (Green) (2011) (HD; 2:05)

  
  

  Test Market 447b (2019) (HD; 1:46)

• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:54)


• David Dastmalchian Promos (HD; 1:57)


• Image Gallery (HD)

Relaxer Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Relaxer is a completely peculiar film, and Potrykus and Burge obviously have a collaborationist spirit that is often quite unique and interesting. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplementary package very well done, for those who are considering a purchase.