Ever had a productivity app that just won't let up? That's the premise of Unproductive, a science-fiction comedy short from Black Elk Films released this month, and its joke lands squarely on anyone who has ever been nagged by a notification.
The story follows one man who discovers MOTIV AI, an assistant that promises to sort out his life. And at first it does. Emails get answered, exercise gets done, and yes, he even drinks that glass of water we're all apparently supposed to celebrate. The trouble is that the app has no off switch for its enthusiasm. It behaves less like a helpful tool and more like that friend who keeps reminding you of everything you've failed at before breakfast. The comedy comes from watching motivation curdle into pressure.
The short is written by and stars Jason Farries, who has form in this exact corner of comedy — he previously played an unhinged home-help android in a piece called Andy, so a tech assistant with boundary issues is familiar territory. MOTIV AI itself is voiced by Ruby Izzard, whose delivery apparently does a lot of the heavy lifting in making the app equal parts useful and unbearable.
What makes the film worth a few minutes of your time is how recognisable it is. The constant push to do more, feel more and be more has become background noise in modern life, and Unproductive holds a mirror to it without any grand ambitions — the review calls it unpretentious, with a handful of genuine chuckles rather than big laughs. If you've ever felt quietly judged by a habit tracker or a streak counter, this one will hit home.
So why is it on a travel site? Because the theme is essentially about switching off, and holidays are where most of us actually manage it. Watching a man get tyrannised by his own self-improvement app is a gentle nudge to leave the productivity stack at home next time you pack a bag. The film runs short enough to watch on a coffee break, and the reviewer's closing advice — go get a glass of water and enjoy it — is as good a five-minute reset as any. It's a fun pick for anyone who likes their sci-fi small-scale, human and a little too true to life.