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A single, depressed man who works from home copes with the death of his dog while neglecting a deadline at his job and any communication with the outside world.
Evan works exclusively from a desk in his one bedroom apartment, making his own hours and deciding what his day to day workflow will be. In theory, he answers to no one. However, there is Brian: Evan’s superior. Brian only appears as an incessant message that keeps popping up tracking Evan’s progress toward a deadline. Brian delegated the menial task of completing a spreadsheet to Evan. It’s a task Evan can finish with ease, but at this moment doesn’t have the fortitude to do so. Evan never responds to Brian’s inquiries via message, however he does have a few words to say literally at his computer.
Evan has been coping with the death of his dog–an event that took place the last time he left his apartment. Not only has Evan not left his apartment, he’s pushed away any contact with the outside world as much as he can. The story begins with Evan’s mom texting him first thing in the morning asking for him to give her a call. This makes Evan toss his phone out of sight. This isn’t the first or the last time Evan’s mom will contact him, but he continually resists the proverbial extended olive branch.
Realizing the pain of his loss, Evan has slipped backwards into a depression of loneliness. E-commerce allows Evan to stay in his comfort zone. Everything Evan needs is brought to him. Whether household items via UPS, FedEx or Amazon, or his meals delivered via an app, Evan has cut off all physical communication. When a UPS delivery man can be heard approaching Evan’s front door, Evan holds his breath hoping they won’t realize he’s home and make him come to the door for a signature.
After a long day of ignoring Brian’s nagging messages, Evan shuts off his computer having completed nothing and slips into his nightly routine of eating leftover pizza and drinking far too much beer. Not even the sitcom he watches on the television can break his sad psyche. That’s when a friend arrives knocking at the door. The man on the other side of the door implores Evan to come open the door. Evan simply turns down the TV volume and slips further into the couch hoping this friend will just go away.
The next day Evan wakes up, staring down another long day of work from home. After a typical morning routine, he needs to use the restroom. It’s then he realizes he’s out of toilet paper. Evan remembers he made an order, and the toilet paper he needs is outside in a delivery box. Once outside, a chance wave from a friendly female neighbor ignites Evan’s happier spirit.
Evan returns to work and completes the spreadsheet before Brian’s ultimatum that’d he fire Evan if it wasn’t done by EOD (end of day). Evan wins a game of solitaire on his phone, which he takes as some sort of omen that things are turning around for him finally. That’s when Evan’s mom calls once again, and this time he answers with a jubilant cadence to his voice.
Evan enjoys a nice meal that evening, and really gets his laugh on while watching some television. The cloud has been lifted from Evan. Contact with the outside world is actually exactly what he needed.
The next morning Evan wakes up, before his alarm, ready to start the day. He hits the bathroom and shaves off his multiple weeks worth of beard growth down to a clean face. Evan heads outside in workout clothes ready to go for a run. But first, he takes a look across the way hoping to see the neighbor that waved at him the day before. She’s not there, so Evan takes off down the stairs, arriving at the gate. Last time he left this gate, it ended in his dog’s death. This is the moment when Evan decides whether or not he wants to finally break that threshold and move on with his life.
Directed by Trent Bruce (USA)