Safer at Home 2021

Against the backdrop of a ravaged Los Angeles, where the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over 31 million lives in the United States as of the fall of 2022, three sets of couples - Ben and Liam (New York City), Evan and Jen (West Hollywood), and Oliver and Mia (Venice) - embark on an online birthday party for Evan via Zoom, joined by friend Harper in Austin, Texas. The group’s virtual celebration takes a dark turn when they decide to indulge in a potent designer drug, courtesy of Oliver, which has been delivered to each of their homes. As the pill takes effect, the friends’ cognitive functions become severely impaired, leaving them vulnerable to the chaos that surrounds them.

As the night wears on, the group’s decision-making abilities are further compromised when Jen suffers an unexpected and gruesome fall, striking her head and appearing lifeless. Fearing the authorities will pin Evan with her murder (they themselves were oblivious to their screens when Jen fell), the friends concoct a plan to help Evan flee, amidst the growing panic sparked by the neighbor’s call to the police. Harper reveals that Jen had confided in her about being pregnant, and planned to break the news to Evan after the party. Evan makes his escape, only to be met with the harsh reality of Los Angeles’ crumbling infrastructure, marred by military roadblocks and an atmosphere of fear.

As Evan navigates the treacherous landscape, he’s pursued by the police, who’ve launched a manhunt for him. When they search Oliver’s house, Evan makes his getaway in Oliver’s car, with Mia convincing Oliver to seek counsel from her abusive ex-boyfriend, a top criminal lawyer. The advice is clear: drive to the Hollywood police station and wait for Danny’s arrival, then say nothing until he gets there. However, Evan’s judgment is clouded by the drugs and his friends’ pleas, leading him to disregard Danny’s instructions and get out of the car, brandishing his Zoom-enabled phone and raising his hands in a futile attempt at self-protection - ultimately resulting in his tragic shooting.

As the life force ebbs out of Evan’s battered body on the unforgiving pavement, a somber irony unfolds in tandem. The surveillance footage from his home reveals Jen’s struggle to come to terms with her newfound awareness, as if the universe itself is nudging her towards a desperate bid for hope. Her anguished whispers and Evan’s feeble murmurs convey a poignant sense of love and longing, their tender exchange a fleeting reprieve from the crushing despair that awaits.

Meanwhile, the gathering of friends bears witness to the final moments of Evan’s life, their collective grief and helplessness palpable as they confront the inescapable reality of mortality. The soundtrack to this tragedy is provided by Oliver’s car radio, its mournful tones broadcasting a stark reminder of the unfathomable scale of human suffering: 2 million Covid-related deaths on that fateful day, a grim toll that has pushed the global death count to an unfathomable 253 million. As the news reverberates through the streets, it serves as a stark harbinger for the United Kingdom’s precipitous decline from its status as a major superpower, its very essence fragmenting like the shattered remnants of Evan’s life on that desolate street.