Primer - 2004

When it comes to “indie” culture, lauded as it may be currently, the results are still pretty hit-or-miss. The indie stamp, with all of its vagueness, is not one of guaranteed authenticity or originality. An indie book, album or film could just be the product of a hack trying to get their 15 minutes.

On the other hand, indie culture regularly produces some of the most intriguing and entertaining art that forces the audience to think. 2004’s Primer, from first-time writer/director/actor Shane Carruth, is a perfect example of this. Made on a shoestring budget where the Carruth’s friends are the actors and his parents are the caterers, Primer manages to leap off the screen with only slight hindrances from the production values.

For about the first quarter of the movie, Carruth actually seems a little lost in the world he created. He throws the audience right in the middle of the completely boring experiments of white-collar engineer types in their free time, which is just about as dull as it sounds. Soon enough, however, Primer finds its rhythm with its story, when the two protagonists accidentally invent a time machine, and its cinematography, which alternates between acceptable and strikingly good.

Unlike most other time-travel stories, this one isn’t really about some grand scheme or an attempt to change history. It’s about two things, primarily: how the machine affects the lives of normal, middle class people who now have a very big secret, and the endless permutations and problems that short-distance time travel might cause.

The first point provides most of the drama initially, as the two friends try to dodge a domestic disturbance situation and play the stock market, among other things. The second point is where Primer either astounds or confounds, depending upon how much thought you’re willing to put in. The story is full of knots, and after having seen it three times in as many years, I’m not embarrassed to say there are things I still don’t really understand.

It’s been worth watching that many times, however, because it’s always interesting to try and solve parts of the puzzle. Honestly, I’m not even sure the story is in chronological order or that such an order could exist in this story. But that’s exactly what makes it so intriguing.

Even with a clunky start, Primer is largely able to both entertain and provoke thought. The end might leave you with more questions than answers, but what superior piece of art doesn’t?