The Strange Case of Señor Computer

This film feels pretty low budget, but I believe it makes it feel more personal. If this were a high budget movie, I'd be afraid it might feel a little pretentious (I hesitate to say that because it really wasn't a pretentious movie). Some of the acting isn't the best and a couple of the cuts are very awkward, but overall this is one of my favorite movies of all time, and it's almost all due to the writing.

Bashing this movie for having a weak plot is like bashing Slingblade for having a weak plot; it's really not the point. It's basically a character study of its 2 main characters: the relatively well-worn nerdy scientist, and the incredibly fresh infant (& growing) robot.

The "robot's birth" scene and first few thoughts the robot has are the best example of the brilliance of the writing; the expression of what a highly intelligent, yet absolutely ignorant and confused mind would experience. We follow the robot through his education, and the scientist through his frustration with his creation. Much hilarity ensues, but it's wit is absolutely dry, most of it "unintentional" on the robot's part, coming from his blatant honesty, lack of experience, and eventually the formation of his slightly odd personality due to that of his "father's" and the people he talks to on the phone.

The reason I say it's not pretentious is because just when it could be, the language often takes a turn, poking fun at (or at least contrasting) the concise/stilted way the immediately preceding idea was expressed, ya'll.

From the line about hunting down chickens with helicopter gunships, this movie had me. I am still laughing at it and it's been hours since I saw it. Its minimal production add to its charm in my opinion (and by putting its constructedness front and center, getting that out of the way, it draws you into the movie more quickly than a slick production would), but that isn't the real point.

The way the robot is used as a -- "device" is putting it too clinically, but -- device to explore the desires and absurdity of humans is done really elegantly. I found it very emotionally powerful, but it has a light touch. It's often expected that a movie will have such a powerful emotional, cathartic effect that it will be contained and resolved by the time the movie's over, but this movie never spells out its emotional core. It doesn't have to. There are undercurrents of desire for acceptance and contact that run behind its very, very funny center, and then step forward quite gently at the end. It's a remarkable movie.

I bought this title on DVD on a whim at a used video store and thought it sounded pretty weird and interesting. It definitely has a student film feel to it, but for a student film it's really, really good. It also has some pretty trippy digital graphics (best appreciated under the influence) that put it above your average student flick.

This was the first robot character I've encountered that really had a memorable personality, unlike his creator-father who was actually rather sad and forgettable. A great part (of many great parts)was when the robot was giving his master lessons on how to pick up chicks and be witty, things he learned from watching TV and having a lot of phone sex (at one point convincing a woman to masturbate to THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL and worship her dishwasher). But the robot really had genuine concern for his chronically depressed father, and even at one point tried to be his father's wife to make him happy (using tips the housekeeper gave him on how to keep a man).

Light though it is, this is actually a very complex little film, even philosophical, but not so mind-bending as to keep it from being totally enjoyable and very, very funny. I highly recommend this movie if you can find it. Kudos to the director, whoever you are.