Vivarium: Lorcan Finnegan's Dystopian Allegory of Suburban Conformity

Lorcan Finnegan's 2019 film "Vivarium" is a dystopian science fiction horror that critiques contemporary society through the story of a young couple trapped in an endless suburban development. Tom and Gemma, played by Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots, encounter a real estate agent named Martin who leads them to Yonder, a neighborhood of identical houses. After Martin disappears, the couple finds they cannot leave. They are given a rapidly growing infant, revealing the artificial nature of their environment. The film draws on post-war sci-fi cinema and art historical references, using surreal imagery and pastel green tones to depict a brutal imitation of reality. Finnegan, known for his 2016 film "Without Name," co-wrote the screenplay with Garret Shanley. The film is an Irish-Belgian-Danish co-production, running 97 minutes. It was reviewed by Giulia Pezzoli in Artribune Magazine #62.