'Problemista' review: A story of dogged determination and the benefits of Karen-ism

An inventive, whimsical and delightfully oddball story of the immigrant experience, "Problemista" marks the promising writing and directing debut of Julio Torres.

Torres, a former writer at "SNL," also stars in this surrealist comedy as Alejandro, a boy-man who grew up coddled by his mother in El Salvador. Now in New York, he's struggling to make ends meet and is in danger of losing his work visa when he's fired from his job at a cryogenic sleep facility after briefly, accidentally, unplugging a client's pod. (Oops.)

On his way out, he meets Elizabeth, a raging art world Karen played with towering, never-ever-take-no-for-an-answer energy from a scene-stealing Tilda Swinton, who Godzillas her way through the movie with everything but radioactive breath. She becomes an anchor on which Torres' story is hung and slowly reveals itself, winning viewers over scene by scene.

Alejandro has just 30 days to find a new sponsor or risk deportation, and Elizabeth takes him under her wing, kind-of, but also enjoys the power trip of leaving him dangling and playing favorites with another assistant, Bingham (James Scully). Meanwhile Alejandro, who always has one errant clump of hairs on his head pointing in the wrong direction, is forced to sublet his bedroom in his tiny Bushwick apartment which he shares with several roommates, leaving him to sleep on the couch.

Torres' screenplay and direction is filled with quirky details that come on strong — he creates a creepy physical manifestation of Craigslist out of a mass of people, and depicts the hoop-jumping of the immigration system as a series of interconnected escape rooms — which are jarring at first but eventually settle into a steady groove. He plays Alejandro as a dreamer with a literal spring in his step, and a resolve in his eyes that comes into focus as he learns to channel his inner strength.

His dream is to work at Mattel, the toy company, and implement ideas — including a Slinky that doesn't move and thereby teaches disappointment — that sound like half-thought out "SNL" sketches. But that's his dream, and his dogged determination to see it through eventually wins you over.

Swinton almost threatens to overpower the movie — she has a truly great moment on board the Roosevelt Island Tramway when she forces it to change directions — but her character is ultimately an advocate for Alejandro, just as Swinton is for Torres.

"Problemista" is a movie made with warmth, heart and a unique perspective. It doesn't take the easy route but it does aim to please, and like Swinton's character, it refuses to take no for an answer.

agraham@detroitnews.com

'Problemista'

GRADE: B+

Rated R: for some language and sexual content

Running time: 98 minutes

In theaters