John Atkins Saves Up is weirdly relatable

If you enjoy movies where nothing explodes and the biggest conflict is a mounting pile of bills, John Atkins Saves Up is worth your time. If you need a fast-paced thriller, stay far away. You’ll be bored to tears within ten minutes.

It’s not often you see a film that really gets how soul-crushing it is to watch a bank balance barely budge. Leslie Higgins plays John with this slumped-shoulder energy that feels dangerously real. You can tell he hasn't had a decent night's sleep in weeks.

There is this one scene in a grocery store that goes on way too long. He’s just standing there, staring at two different brands of coffee, trying to decide if he can justify the extra dollar. It’s awkward, quiet, and honestly? It made me want to go check my own budget.

Eileen Lee shows up halfway through, and the whole energy shifts. She’s the only one who doesn't seem to be waiting for the sky to fall. When she laughs, it feels like she’s the only human in a room full of statues.

The little things

• The way John counts his loose change into a jar—the sound is maddening.
• The wallpaper in his kitchen is peeling in a way that perfectly matches his mood.
• There's a fly buzzing around in the kitchen for three whole minutes. Nobody swats at it. It just stays there.

It’s a bit like watching Borrowed Trouble, but if that movie had decided to trade its plot for a meditation on anxiety. I found myself wanting to reach into the screen and shake him, just to see if he'd wake up.

Sometimes the camera lingers on a shot of a blank wall for so long I thought my internet had glitched. It hasn't. It’s just the movie demanding you sit in the silence with these people. I’m not sure if it’s brilliant or just lazy, but it definitely stuck with me.

The pacing is a mess. It stops and starts like a car with a bad transmission. But maybe that’s the point? Saving money isn't a smooth ride, I guess. It’s just a series of small, grinding stops.

I don't think this will be for everyone. My partner walked in during the coffee aisle scene and asked if the film was broken. 🙄 I didn't even know how to answer. It’s just… life, I suppose.

It isn't a masterpiece, but it’s a weirdly honest bit of filmmaking. I’ll probably be thinking about that coffee jar for a few more days.