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 (4)
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)
Undoubtedly an original theme and adaptation, but here and there Cahill commits punishable missteps (led by the final "pedophile" ten minutes "I need to close the past, so come with me to my room to collect strawberries, my ex love". Are they sure it could not be eighteen years later and instead of eight?), but they have nothing to do with whether it is on a (rational) scientific/spiritual level, because in both of them it is interesting, though not always well presented to the viewer.
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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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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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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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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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Gallery (28)
Photo © Fox Searchlight Pictures
![I Origins - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/158/680/158680450_782a1d.jpg)
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