Some
of the most interesting films are the ones that fail. Auteurs that reach
for the heavens and only find the clouds are the foundation of unique cinematic
ventures; as sometimes the promise an artist holds within them is greater than
the sum of an unrealized concept. This is the charm of Princeton Holt's latest
feature film, 2050. While on the surface level, his sex robot
melodrama seems concerned with well-endowed androids and awkward monologues
about love, underneath lies something far more intriguing, despite the fact that
the film never gets there. Featuring a creepy cameo performance by Dean
Cain, organic dialogue, and unexpectedly astute camerawork, this one of the
first beautiful disasters of the year.
Unhappily
married couple Michael and Brooke struggle to find intimacy. When Michael
learns that his brother in law Drew has purchased a customizable sex robot, he
begins to explore new avenues of pleasure, partnership, and happiness, unaware
of the consequences that await. This is the kind of film that begins
exactly the way the audience would expect: A socially awkward loner has bought
a lifelike sex robot to be his companion. However, as the slow-paced
story progresses, the narrative shifts focus to the challenges of marriage,
which are further complicated by perceptions and things left unsaid.
Brian Ackley's dialogue laden script focuses on interactions, both between
humans and humans and robots over any sort of action. Words are the real
weapons in Holt's neon drenched sexual arena.
One of the most striking aspects of the film is in how the characters are realized. Drew, Michael's brother in law (played by a pitch perfect Devin Fuller) seeks companionship in the electronic in the wake of a breakup. His motivations are to forget, but ultimately all he can do is remember. This is in direct contrast to Michael, who gets exactly what he seeks...and more. The middle ground is Irina Abraham's Brooke. Easily the most complex character, she tries to make her marriage to Michael work, yet remains firm in who she is at all times. Dean Cain has a handful of scenes as the shady inventor of the sex bots, and his monologue during the final act is par for the course. While it doesn't provide any insight into the moral dilemmas faced by the characters, it feels perfectly at home in the grimy, morally compromised baseline of 2050's world. These are self-absorbed people who seek the perfect partner...only to then truly understand the nature of their existences. This realization has positive and intriguing consequences for every character.
Rounding
out the cast is Stephanie Bloom and Stormi Maya as the electronic
companions. Their deadpan delivery is perfectly timed and their
dedication to the material takes what could have been cheesy and transforms it
into something borderline sinister. Jared Roybal's shadowy cinematography
has a noirish quality that brings depths to every seen outside of the couple's
home, a chilling reminder of Michael's wanderlust. Konstantinos Lyrikos' eclectic
score is the final ingredient, bringing together a world not unlike the
present, but yet dangerously prescient of things to come.
Now
available for digital rental, 2050 is a low budget, anti-rom com.
While its refusal to go "dark" is admirable, the ambiguous ending is
almost a disappointment, purely because of the steady build up from the
previous two acts. However, the understanding that life goes on, that
people continue to participate in unhappy unions, and that eventually, even the
human soul will be fabricated is perhaps the most sobering conclusion
imaginable.
--Kyle
Jonathan