Editor’s note: Hollywood long has been known for—ahem—taking liberties with the truth (just ask any composite character). In HPAC Engineering’s ongoing series “HVAC in Popular Movies: Did Hollywood Get It Right?," Ron Wilkinson, a professional engineer who moonlights as a film critic, takes a look at movies and television series whose makers may or may not have let HVAC fundamentals get in the way of a good story.
The Congress (2013)
In this surreal drama, a combination of live action and animation, actress Robin Wright (“The Princess Bride,” “Forrest Gump,” “House of Cards”) plays a fictional version of herself, one who, in an effort to save her son’s sight and hearing, agrees to have herself replaced in future films by a digital version of herself. As is typical in these types of movies, the deal has unexpected consequences. On the run from the studio computer zombies controlling the fantasy world, Robin knows an escape route when she sees one. Even in a futuristic world of advanced filmmaking, in which actors have been replaced by computer models, ventilation ducts continue to provide the way out. Down the duct and into the machine room she goes, barely escaping the clutches of Jeff Green (Danny Huston), the evil film producer. "The Congress" had only a limited theatrical release, but is worth checking out. See the trailer below.