This film feels strikingly similar to the 2014 Time Lapse, and is kind of a "what if the main characters weren't morons?" answer to that film. And the music has motifs that occasionally echo that film, and the leading lady in Parallel reminded me so much of the leading lady in Time Lapse, I thought it was the same person.
However, they are still very different films. I think though, in most respects, Time Lapse pulls the "kids find device that gives them a weird time related power" a lot better.
The first thing, IMHO, Parallel would benefit from significant trimming throughout, but especially in the middle. One example is the little Godfather spoof scene that goes on forever. Basically, because they found a way to make as much money as they want, they dynamite a huge pile of it. That's the real gag here, but there is also: the guys critiquing each other's Brando impersonation, Josh approaching the pile with a lit stick of dynamite, then the dynamite apparently not working before it goes off.
The second thing, replacing Josh is quite an interesting concept. I'm sure 99.9% of the time when this trope is used, we see it from the Josh character's point of view. There is so much to explore here that it's a disappointment the film barely explores it at all. It seems like an entire film could be built around that.
Related to that, Replacement Josh seems to figure out sort of what's going on (or at least who's doing it) way too easily and quickly. I think there's no chance at all he would figure anything like this out without a lot more than what we saw.
Replacement Josh SHOULD have have thought he was losing his mind. There's nothing in his reality to support that anything weird (like, say, involving a verse teleporting mirror) is happening at all. There are some indications Leena feels guilty about what they did, which was really rather horrific. I would have liked to see a lot more of her trying to "help" Josh get through this. That kid stepped into the Twilight Zone and has no idea. Also, there's that entire other world they stole Replacement Josh from.
Another biggie is the issue of time passing at different rates in the different realities. That seems like quite a cheat.
There was also a stinger at the end that seemed cheap and yawn inducing.
However, they are still very different films. I think though, in most respects, Time Lapse pulls the "kids find device that gives them a weird time related power" a lot better.
The first thing, IMHO, Parallel would benefit from significant trimming throughout, but especially in the middle. One example is the little Godfather spoof scene that goes on forever. Basically, because they found a way to make as much money as they want, they dynamite a huge pile of it. That's the real gag here, but there is also: the guys critiquing each other's Brando impersonation, Josh approaching the pile with a lit stick of dynamite, then the dynamite apparently not working before it goes off.
The second thing, replacing Josh is quite an interesting concept. I'm sure 99.9% of the time when this trope is used, we see it from the Josh character's point of view. There is so much to explore here that it's a disappointment the film barely explores it at all. It seems like an entire film could be built around that.
Related to that, Replacement Josh seems to figure out sort of what's going on (or at least who's doing it) way too easily and quickly. I think there's no chance at all he would figure anything like this out without a lot more than what we saw.
Replacement Josh SHOULD have have thought he was losing his mind. There's nothing in his reality to support that anything weird (like, say, involving a verse teleporting mirror) is happening at all. There are some indications Leena feels guilty about what they did, which was really rather horrific. I would have liked to see a lot more of her trying to "help" Josh get through this. That kid stepped into the Twilight Zone and has no idea. Also, there's that entire other world they stole Replacement Josh from.
Another biggie is the issue of time passing at different rates in the different realities. That seems like quite a cheat.
There was also a stinger at the end that seemed cheap and yawn inducing.