Directed by:
Mike CahillScreenplay:
Mike CahillCinematography:
Markus FördererCast:
Michael Pitt, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey, Brit Marling, Steven Yeun, Archie Panjabi, Cara Seymour, William Mapother, Charles W. Gray, Rhonda Ayers (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
I ORIGINS, the second feature film from writer and director Mike Cahill, tells the story of Dr. Ian Gray (Michael Pitt), a molecular biologist studying the evolution of the eye. He finds his work permeating his life after a brief encounter with an exotic young woman (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey) who slips away from him. As his research continues years later with his lab partner Karen (Brit Marling), they make a stunning scientific discovery that has far reaching implications and complicates both his scientific and spiritual beliefs. Traveling half way around the world, he risks everything he has ever known to validate his theory. (Fox Searchlight Pictures US)
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Reviews (11)
If the first 20 minutes hadn’t seemed to drag for so long, it would have been be an excellent sci-fi from the near future. This way, it took a while for the interesting eye theory to develop, which I not only thought about for a long time after the movie was over, but which I also found pretty original. I didn’t learn anything new but the movie cemented my idea that I really enjoy movies like this that are similar to Perfect Sense. They take the world as it is today and slightly change it to include something undiscovered so far and they let that sink in. It’s interesting and original and that’s what counts when it comes to movies.
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Lately, there have been quite a few interesting sci-fi films that don't rely so much on how flashy and effects-driven sci-fi can be but rather focus on ideas. In this case, the idea does exist, but I felt like the creators took too long to get to it; too much water had passed under the bridge before they addressed it. Unfortunately, the ending is more emotional than anything else and isn't quite gripping for me.
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I Origins deftly blends the popular "I fucking love science" idea of good-looking scientists in brightly lit labs writing in marker on windows facing the majesty of the autumnal Brooklyn Bridge with Instagram muckety-mucks, earbuds, NYC apartments, public transportation, and the constant feeling that it's six in the morning. It's probably already clear from this compilation that the science here comes in thirty-ninth place, and we're not really looking at anything higher/lower than a spiritual and rather fatalistic romance made by a man I probably wouldn't have much to talk about with, but would love to watch at work. That whole trendy Eastern philosophical plane is of course inexcusable... but wait... It's a sci-fi after all!
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(49th KVIFF) This sci-fi movie is so non-conflicting that it’s almost unsuited for the festival. It’s the story of a molecular biologists whose research proofs the ungodly origin of the human eye, so that further research can then challenge this finding. The film doesn’t demand much from the viewer, never falls into a scientific rant or into deep philosophical speeches, even though it does have room for that. It’s well made, the story is interesting overall, even though it feels a bit too implausible and naive at times (for instance, the Indian woman who identifies a girl by a photo of an eye, even though she says she hasn’t seen her for several months). That said, in the middle of the bustle of the festival, I Origins felt like a pleasant rest and I was excited immediately after the screening, though the feeling fizzled out after some time. And yet, a nice four-star rating, the ending is very strong emotionally.
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An excellent indie film with great actors, a great idea, and a powerful and touching story that could have easily happened. From the start, the film takes a look into the life of a molecular biologist and his work, and I found it both refreshing and engaging. The interesting scientific facts and intelligent dialogue kept me on my toes. Once the protagonist falls in love, the romantic level works, which then turns into an instant shock and a maddeningly uncompromising twist, which was properly shocking considering the genre. I still found the following events very unexpected, with one unpleasant situation after another, and luckily the finale comes with a strong emotional dose that swayed me decently. I never thought about my eyes like I did after watching this film. Clever and with a drive. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it in the end. 8/10.
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