LOS ANGELES — Following a grueling morning commute, local film critic Dev Ruttenberg called out the mayor on Wednesday, complaining that city traffic is an “unnecessary subplot” with "absolutely no character arc".
“I sat on the freeway for over an hour just watching brake lights, and there was zero thematic payoff,” said the 42-year-old Ruttenberg, noting that local infrastructure is entirely bogged down by bloated exposition. “The twenty-minute sequence where I inched past an abandoned mattress added absolutely nothing to the central narrative.”
Ruttenberg added that city planners are clearly struggling with pacing and structural cohesion. “They’ve completely abandoned the classic three-act structure in favor of an endless, grueling second act where a Prius simply cuts you off.”
At press time, the Department of Transportation announced an upcoming sequel to a major highway widening project, which will introduce four unlikable new toll lanes and extend the daily runtime by an additional 45 minutes.
Back to the front page
