“Carlton Taylor Has Major Problems” follows a textbook editor who implodes after losing his job to a digital future, spiraling toward rock bottom while being pulled through time, space and fantasy.
The early stages of “Carlton Taylor Has Major Problems” are extremely cheesy. Almost too much so. It’s full of slide transitions and clock wipes that move from scene to scene at random. On top of the jovial visuals are upbeat musical rhythms that emphasize the lighthearted nature of Carlton’s life. With this start, writer-director-star Thomas Ryan Ward may deter many viewers. Give it some time, however, and everything comes crashing down — in a good way.
The innate strangeness of it all never disappears, with the cinematography playing a role in this. Whether the camera is pressed uncomfortably close to characters’ faces or maneuvering through environments, it takes you on the journey with Carlton. With limited resources, it’s impossible to take the film seriously at times. On top of the cheap transitions are digital effects that are equally laughable. Because of the established eccentricity, however, these ripples and distortions somehow don’t feel completely out of place.
“Is this some kind of Ridley Scott fever dream?”
Ward (Carlton Taylor) feels like the epitome of a person going through a mid-life crisis. He has a magnetic delivery that encapsulates many emotions at once, meaning that the character feels like a real person suffering from a breakdown. While conveying plenty of feelings, he still brings absurdism that allows the individual to fit inside this world. Grayson Berry (Major) acts as a sidekick to Carlton, carrying himself with a sense of confidence that makes you question if everything is normal. It feels like an average day in the life of Major because of his performance, providing a humorous contrast to Ward. Also appearing are Carly Christopher (Annabelle), Theron LaFountain (Simon) and Maria Tornberg (Tina).
As “Carlton Taylor” progresses into its story about the digital world overtaking the physical one, it becomes more cohesive and more confusing at the same time. At its heart, this is about a man coping with being laid off. There’s also an imaginary friend. There’s also alternate realities. There’s also… alcoholism. Eventually, it falls into a repetitive structure of drinking and dozing off. In each instance, something more confusing than the last follows. This makes the film feel monotonous, even as it grows weirder and weirder.
By the end, Ward manages to tie together themes of self-identity and the meaning of life itself. No one’s past, present or future is perfect, but all of it is part of who they are as a person. From this, the message grows clear: Carlton Taylor may have major problems, but he’s still Carlton Taylor. While this is evident by the time the credits roll, the screenplay remains fuzzy in its execution. There is a certain charm that comes from the arbitrary nature of the film, but at a certain point, it all begins to blend together — and the conclusion alone can’t save that.
Even though almost nothing is symmetrical, you can’t help but admire the outlandishness of “Carlton Taylor Has Major Problems.” The film is goofily unserious, making for an entertaining experience despite its technical shortcomings.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
