Waydowntown (2000)

70% of critics liked it
(33 reviews)
69% of users liked it
(1,831 ratings)

Office workers existing in varying states of disgruntlement/insanity, Tom, Sandra, Randy, and Curt bet a month's salary to see who can stay indoors the longest. Since their office is located in a downtown area, where almost all of the buildings are connected by a system of glass-enclosed bridges,… More Office workers existing in varying states of disgruntlement/insanity, Tom, Sandra, Randy, and Curt bet a month's salary to see who can stay indoors the longest. Since their office is located in a downtown area, where almost all of the buildings are connected by a system of glass-enclosed bridges, this doesn't seem like such a difficult proposition. However, the longer they stay indoors, the stranger things get. Waydowntown, which was screened at the 2000 Vancouver International Film Festival, was directed and co-written by noted Canadian filmmaker Gary Burns, and features celebrated actor and filmmaker Don McKellar in a role as a cubicle drone. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 27 min.
Directed By: Gary Burns
Written By: Gary Burns, James Martin
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 25, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Mar 15, 2005
Studio: Lot 47

Critic Reviews

Jay Carr, Boston Globe
The film's snags and stumblings are more than compensated for by its wryly subversive tone.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
Dilbert without the right-on satiric humor.
John Anderson, Newsday
A well-put-together piece of urban satire.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Burns never really harnesses to full effect the energetic cast.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
A smart, sardonic satire.
Jessica Winter, Village Voice
With wit and empathy to spare, waydowntown acknowledges the silent screams of workaday inertia but stops short of indulging its characters' striving solipsism.
Brent Simon, Now Playing Magazine
Stay in the suburbs.
Joshua Tanzer, Offoffoff
A subtly brilliant satire.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The perfect film for those who like sick comedies that can be snide.
Phil Hall, Film Threat
A sour, nasty offering.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...either you're willing to go with this claustrophobic concept or you're not.
Jeffrey Bruner, Des Moines Register
Waydowntown just like most large cities, isn't somewhere you'll want to spend the rest of your life, but it sure is a fun place to visit for a while.
David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor
A smart and creative comedy that skewers cheaply dehumanizing architecture and self-absorbed yuppie mentalities in a series of skillfully assembled scenes.
Pam Grady, Reel.com
You wouldn't want to live waydowntown, but it is a hilarious place to visit.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Lafe F

A nice visit to my home city of Calgary; too bad most of it is spent trapped indoors. I like the shots where he is swimming through the walkways like a fish.
Linda K

Not recommanded to claustophobic ppl!