“Landscape with Invisible Hand” is a marvelous movie and an incredibly thought-provoking film. Based on a book by M.T. Anderson, the picture seamlessly merges elements of a passive alien invasion and a family story. Its twists and turns are often unpredictable with humor interspersed in the drama.

The story begins with paintings created over the years by Adam Campbell (Asante Blackk), now a high-school student. From these we discover that first contact with an alien race called the Vuvv occurred in the 2030’s.

The Vuvv offered new technology in exchange for Earth resources. While some humans became rich dealing with the aliens, others lost their jobs as Vuvv efficiencies replaced the need for human workers.

Adam lives in a run-down house with his mother Beth (Tiffany Haddish) & sister Natalie (Brooklynn MacKinzie). Beth is an out-of-work lawyer trying to find menial jobs to keep her family going. Adam’s father is out of the picture. He was a realtor who went to California looking for work and has not been heard from in a while.

In a scene in their backyard, Adam is painting and Natalie is trying to grow a garden in their now dilapidated swimming pool. Overhead, a flying disk that appears to have rock on the bottom and an entire city with skyscrapers on top starts to blot out the sky. On the disk, the Vuvv live in the obsidian tunnels below while wealthy humans enjoy jet-set status above them.

At school, students wear nodes on their temples. These are narrow strips through which the Vuvv can communicate with the pupils. After an instructional module is over, the English teacher announces that he has been let go as the nodes can do the teaching. He later shoots himself on the school’s front steps.

Adam meets Chloe Marsh (Kylie Rogers) in art class. He finds out that she and her family are living in their car. He invites, much to the surprise and chagrin of his mother and sister, the Marsh family to live in the unused basement at his home.

Chloe and Adam soon develop a romantic attraction to each other. Chloe suggests using the nodes to do a courtship broadcast. The Vuvv are fascinated with human rituals. The nodes provide a multi-sensual experience for the Vuvv who pay money as they view Chloe and Adam. With the teens’ extra money, the two families are able to rise above merely surviving.

Chloe’s attraction to Adam fades. The two of them are summoned to one of the flying disks to meet with a Vuvv official. The Vuvv can sense dishonesty in a relationship and so the two teens have been charged with misrepresenting themselves for money. They are told to pay all the money back or be in debt for six generations.

They do not have the money anymore. So Beth goes topside to the disk. Realizing that a young Vuvv is attracted to her, she agrees to marry him so that he can experience the Ozzie-and-Harriet family lifestyle from its viewings of Earth TV.

Adam’s school is closed since the nodes can teach students at home. More teachers are out of work. Adam decides to paint a mural on the abandoned building. Soon it is noticed by the Vuvv.

In a press clip, M.T. Anderson describes his book as “science fiction satire.” The idea of not having super-benevolent aliens provide benefits to the Earth or evil ones overtaking the planet by force, but rather traders who bring their form of capitalism to the Earth is brilliant. Not only does it upset the usual sci-fi tropes, but it provides an opportunity to critique our current economic system of haves and have-nots.

I liked the film’s questioning of what it means to be human when your whole world literally gets turned upside down. What sacrifices and humiliations are you willing to make and endure to not just survive, but prosper in an economic system ruled by the Vuvv’s needs and desires?

Adam’s skill at painting provides him with a reason to go on. Ironically, this very human means of expression is something that fascinates the Vuvv. Hence, it has economic value to have humans produce their cultural artifacts for their consumption. So we are drawn into the artist’s dilemma: stay true to yourself or sell yourself to the highest bidder.

The Vuvv reproduce asexually, so their fascination with our courtship rituals brings up another very human aspect to examine. It is as much a social commentary on reality shows as it is about the commodification of a basic emotion.

I don’t want to overlook the often very funny moments in the movie. The attempts by the Vuvv who marries Beth to be a “father” in a very 50’s sense is hysterical. When Mr. Marsh has to take over as the “wife” when Beth rebels, his outfit is one for the ages.

This truly was a picture where I had no idea where each scene would lead me. I often felt as disoriented as the characters in guessing what new aspect of or consequence of being in this culture would appear. The dialogue is well-done and all the characters ring true.

The acting is first-rate as well. Asante Blackk is astoundingly natural and self-assured in his performance. Tiffany Haddish is perfect as the Mom trying to care for her family while keeping her dignity. The other supporting actors are well-cast and add to the often ensemble feel of the movie.

I give the filmmaker Corey Finley credit for not introducing an actual alien until well into the picture. Their appearance, described by one character as “gooey coffee tables,” is a completely unique design. Finley in a press clip discusses his work with foley crews to create the staccato bursts of Vuvv language. This level of detail adds to the story’s believability.

Artist William Downs was engaged to do Adam’s art in the picture. His work on individual paintings and on the mural give credibility to the character’s skill and vision in his medium. Woods does a remarkable job.
Kudos are due as well to the movie’s composer Michael Abels. His score is often eerie and unsettling as it mirrors the discomfort of our characters in this new world.

This is not the picture to see if you are looking for your traditional science-fiction story. Instead enjoy this very human film set in a future dystopia that will keep you thinking about how our own culture operates for days.

Five out of five stars

Years into a benevolent alien occupation of Earth, the human race is still adjusting to the new world order and its quirky coffee table-sized overlords called the Vuvv. Their flashy advanced technology initially held promise for global prosperity, but rendered most human jobs – and steady income – obsolete. When 17-year-old artist Adam Campbell (Asante Blackk) and new girlfriend Chloe Marsh (Kylie Rogers) discover the Vuvv are particularly fascinated with human love and will pay for access to it, they decide to livestream their budding romance to make extra cash for themselves and their families. Life is good, for a while, until the flame of their teenage love fizzles out and they’re forced to make very different, absurdly life-altering sacrifices for their families.

Cast: Asante Blackk, Kylie Rogers and Tiffany Haddish
Written for the Screen and Directed by: Cory Finley
Based on the Book by: M.T. Anderson