The trailer for this film caught my eye, so I decided to take a chance on it as a Cineworld Unlimited subscriber. It’s a mix of sci-fi and drama with a touch of light-hearted dark comedy, about CEO who’s suspected of being an alien by a couple of her workers.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, this film stars Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons. It has a distinctly artsy feel and strong acting from both Stone and Plemons. Despite it actually being released by a more major studio, it still has an artsy independent feel to it.
The story centres around two men, Teddy and Don, who believe Stone, a CEO, is an alien. They kidnap her and hold a conspiracy theory about her, despite Stone’s attempts to convince them that she is not an alien. Teddy and Don remain adamant in their beliefs throughout the film.
All the main characters are convincing in their roles, with Stone and Plemons particularly standing out. The interesting concept and story develop at a decent pace, with gradual story reveals. While the film starts strong and intriguing for its first 90 minutes, the pace is slow until the final ending sequences which were a bit silly and bizarre. Thankfully, you do get answers with some reveals at the end.
I might have been disappointed if I had paid for this film showing instead of using my Cineworld unlimited card, but I likely viewed it because I could, rather than because I wanted to pay to see it.
I suspect this film will divide opinion. Some science fiction fans will enjoy it, while others may struggle, particularly with the ending, which is hard to take seriously in parts. I’m glad I saw it to experience the film, but I can’t rave about the conclusion, which leaves some unanswered questions. Other online reviews also vary hugely as I suspected with some loving it and others more critical.
Film Rating
Music
2 out of 5
Strength of story/plot
2 out of 5
Acting/Performances
4.5 out of 5
Overall
2.5 out of 5
Certification: 15
Running time: 116 minutes
Screening type: 2D
