The Artifice Girl

Agent Deena and Amos are investigating internet child sex rings. They bring in nervous computer geek Gareth. They suspect that he knows the location of imprisoned child sex worker Cherry. Gareth reveals that Cherry is actually a computer generated character which he uses to trap sex perverts on the prowl.

This is a big idea indie. It starts with four characters. At first, I'm not impressed especially with Gareth who is too willing to stay in a basement interrogation room. I kept thinking that anyone would simply walk out. He does eventually explain his situation and it makes sense. It's a compelling Ex Machina premise, but not quite as well made. The ideas are here. The production is not anything other than the smallest of indies. Still, I love a small movie trying to punch above its weight and this one has the ideas to do it.

That was a breath of fresh air. If only all movies were as intelligent, sentient, and moving as this one.

The Artifice Girl watches like a performance of good theatre. It doesn't need expensive sets or locations, just the intimate interactions of the characters and the sensitive expressions of their inner lives to tell it's story.

And yes it's a story about Artificial Intelligence and asks that fundamental question: Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep? While it doesn't exactly answer that question, because that's an almost impossible question to answer, this film does a very good job of getting to the heart of that query.

The plot is intriguing and compelling. The dialogue is terse, informed and intelligent. No words are wasted in the conversations of the characters, or their value in conveying essential points of the story. The acting is excellent and authentic, especially from the young actress playing Cherry ( Tatum Matthews ) who won an award for her acting in this film. The other actors, including the writer and director ( Franklin Ritch ), who co-stars, also do a fantastic job of portraying their deep characters.

So yeah, it's a story abou A. I. But it's also a story about humanity, morality and the purpose of life. Definitely a cool film and one you should certainly watch.

( The only reason I didn't give it 10/10 was cos it could have used a higher budget for sets and props, haha! Hopefully the team will get that higher budget for their next film. )

The concept of Artificial Intelligence has been a topic of fear and fascination for ages, ingrained in human consciousness through storytelling. However, in recent years, A. I. has evolved from being just a figment of science fiction to a tangible reality, with its impact on various industries being nothing short of transformative. "The Artifice Girl," a thought-provoking movie, paints a picture that is not far from the current situation. It delves into the endless possibilities of utilizing A. I. and raises ethical questions about its usage. Moreover, any inquiry into A. I. is an inquiry into the very essence of humanity. Franklin Ritch, the writer, director, and actor who plays Gareth, masterfully steers the storyline towards mental and emotional dilemmas that we face today. While this film may not be action-packed, it is highly engaging and leaves viewers with a haunting feeling, especially if they realize the terrifying implications of A. I.'s existence. It may not be a flawless depiction of A. I. and machine learning, as experts would say, but it is undoubtedly an enjoyable watch that is worth your time.

I haven't always enjoyed Artificial Intelligence films in the past. I guess a part of me always thought it was more of a problem future generations would have to concern themselves with. It has kind of snuck up on us (me at least) in the past few years just how close this sort of thing really is. And for partly that reason I think I enjoyed this film a whole lot more. It also helped that it was a very well made film.

Having a child actor as the centrepiece (or at least a significant piece) in your film is a risky proposition. It does help on this occasion that the child in question is being asked to act very un-child-like. Either way though I thought Tatum Matthews was excellent in her role. She wasn't just passable, she was captivating every time she was on screen.

This film does so much with so little. An entire 40 minute introduction scene to set up the film, simply with people sitting around a table talking - and it was riveting. I was hanging on every word. The dialogue in this movie is terrific from start to finish.

This is a very thought-provoking film. I'd be shocked if people watched this and didn't come away with some heavy things to think about. I thoroughly enjoyed this one from start to finish and would highly recommend it. 9/10.

This was a pleasant surprise. Highly recommended for people who like ideas.

It's a small scale movie. 4 characters, mostly in one room, and ideas. This is a movie about ideas more then anything. Very solid script and dialogues.

"The man from earth" is a good reference. "The Artifice Girl" is also centered around a very common argument, with a twist that makes it unique and intriguing to watch. I wasn't bored at any point of it. The acting is solid, specially the girl gives a stellar performance.

If you like sci fi' ideas and not afraid of listening to people talk, I think you may like this.