High Strung

Thane Furrows spends the day muttering about flies, popsicles, junk mail, his boss's wife, his upstairs neighbor, smoking, and salesmen. He also muses on whether humans should be eaten and whether it's sensible to keep pets. The day is framed by his rambling philosophies and a growing sense of irritation.

A fly lands on his cereal at breakfast, and he ends up swallowing it by accident. The small nuisance sets the tone for the day’s irritations. He treats the moment with a wry stoicism rather than dramatic reaction.

Thane declares he will not keep actual pets, fearing they might turn on him in a food shortage. Instead, he clings to a cardboard cutout of a dog named Pete as a stand-in companion. The scene highlights his bleak practicality and odd humor.

Ray visits to pitch policies; Thane feigns interest, then abruptly slams the door, muttering I would rather be dead. The encounter underscores Thane's mingled sarcasm and resentment toward others. The moment crystallizes his detachment from social interaction.

An automated survey about carpet cleaning keeps calling Thane, intruding on his routine. He grows increasingly irritated by the impersonal, persistent interruptions. The nagging calls contribute to the sense that ordinary life is pressing in from all sides.

Melanie, the boss's wife, arrives to pick up a manuscript Thane has written. He confronts her with a sharp rebuke, revealing his discomfort with social niceties and judgment from others. The moment intensifies the day’s social tensions.

After the earlier annoyances, Thane closes his eyes and sees a menacing face. He begins receiving a flood of messages by phone and mail about eight o'clock, heightening his sense of impending fate. The repeated warnings create a surreal undercurrent to the day.

Al, Thane's only friend, visits in the afternoon and shares cereal while trying to pull Thane away from cynicism. Thane rails against the optimism of people like Al, yet is comforted by Al's sympathy over Melanie's visit. The encounter softens Thane's tone, revealing a glimmer of openness.

That night, Thane loses an arm-wrestling match to his loud upstairs neighbor, who revels in his right to play metal music at any hour. In response, Thane sabotages the neighbor's power to enforce quiet and peace. The act marks a rare moment of decisive action amid a day of petty irritations.

A knock at the door at the dreaded eight o'clock introduces a limo driver who is Death. Thane steps into the limo, and the encounter immediately shifts the mundane day into the realm of the supernatural. Death informs him of his unusual quota and demands a reckoning.

Death tells Thane that he has exhausted his quota of saying I wish I were dead and must die. Thane protests the absurdity, but Death, unable to scare him, returns him to his body. The surreal confrontation ends with Thane waking up to life again.

Thane awakens with Al standing over him, trying to rouse him from sleep. They head out to a restaurant, though Thane insists on cereal being served, signaling a mix of curiosity and stubborn comfort. The sequence hints at a reluctant willingness to try new things.

In the epilogue, Death stops the limo in a dark space and admits he couldn't tolerate Thane and returned him to life, claiming he won't come back. This leaves Thane possibly immortal, leaving a haunting question about fate and humanity. The closing image broadens the film's philosophical scope.