Rotterdam Review: The Misconceived Offers Incisive Look at Creative Class Anxieties

The experimental film from writers James N. Kienitz and Robin Schavoir uses video game graphics to explore the struggles of a never-quite-made-it handyman-turned-writer.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Seven years after collaborating on The Plagiarists, writers James N. Kienitz and Robin Schavoir return with The Misconceived, another incisive and inventive movie about the anxieties faced by the never-quite-made-it creative class. Directed by Peter Parlow, the film focuses on the renovation of a house in upstate New York and uses the Unreal graphics engine to create a visually experimental experience. The story centers on Tyler, a handyman-turned-writer who finds his feelings of inadequacy exacerbated when he realizes his new employer, sculptor Tobin, is a former college roommate with an upcoming Whitney Biennial show.

Why it matters

The Misconceived taps into the universal anxieties of the creative class, exploring themes of artistic authenticity, writer's block, and the struggle to balance survival and creative ambition. By using video game graphics, the film offers a unique visual style that enhances its exploration of contemporary life and the ways in which technology shapes our experiences.

The details

The Misconceived is a reconstruction of sorts, created using the Unreal graphics engine typically used for popular open-world video games. This choice allows the filmmakers to play with the tropes of found-footage horror and make the characters feel like NPCs in their own lives. The film is dialogue-dense, with the characters bouncing off each other in a series of sequences that are either caustically funny or just downright caustic. While the video-game-cut-scene vibes can feel repetitive at times, the film makes enough interesting choices to keep things moving, including the decision to render some characters as cartoons.

  • The Misconceived premiered at the 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam.

The players

James N. Kienitz

One of the writers of The Misconceived, who previously collaborated with Robin Schavoir on The Plagiarists.

Robin Schavoir

One of the writers of The Misconceived, who previously collaborated with James N. Kienitz on The Plagiarists.

Peter Parlow

The director of The Misconceived, who previously directed The Plagiarists.

Tyler

The protagonist of The Misconceived, a handyman-turned-writer who struggles with feelings of inadequacy.

Tobin

Tyler's new employer, a sculptor with an upcoming show at the Whitney Biennial, who was a former college roommate of Tyler's.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm at the time in my life where I've gotta put survival first.”

— Tyler (thefilmstage.com)

The takeaway

The Misconceived offers a visually experimental and thematically rich exploration of the anxieties faced by the creative class, using video game graphics to enhance its incisive commentary on contemporary life and the ways in which technology shapes our experiences and sense of self-worth.