DAVID BIANCULLI

Founder / Editor

ERIC GOULD

Associate Editor

LINDA DONOVAN

Assistant Editor

Contributors

ALEX STRACHAN

MIKE HUGHES

KIM AKASS

MONIQUE NAZARETH

ROGER CATLIN

GARY EDGERTON

TOM BRINKMOELLER

GERALD JORDAN

NOEL HOLSTON

 
 
 
 
 
ZOE
July 20, 2018  | By David Bianculli

Amazon Prime Video, 3:00 a.m. ET

 

MOVIE PREMIERE: This 2018 movie is a sedate, quiet sci-fi film with a powerful wave of emotion behind it. On its surface, it covers the same ground as AMC’s HUMANS or HBO’s Westworld: the evolution of artificial intelligence and human synthetics so convincing they can pass for the real thing. In Zoe, Ewan McGregor plays Cole, the head of a scientific division developing such creations, with the goal being to offer life partners – computer-designed and programmed soul mates of sorts – who will never leave you. In other words, ultimate compatibility… and fidelity. (How much does it cost, and where do I sign?) Theo James plays the most recent and evolved of the company-generated examples, and Lea Seydoux plays the title role, one of Cole’s fellow team leaders at the company. As with Westworld, especially, there are some twists built in, but Zoe is less about the surprises, which are easy to see coming, than about the emotions underneath. Watch for a cameo by Christina Aguilera as one of the synthetics… but mostly, watch for Zoe to ask some deep questions about some of our deepest drives and emotions. Rashida Jones co-stars.

 
 
 
 
 
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