Mountainhead

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong directs this timely feature about how unchecked AI and deep fakes could lead real people in real countries to start real turmoil. The world reaches its breaking point just as four tech bros embark on a "no deals (= no business), no meals (= no staff) and no high heels (= no women)" retreat to Mountainhead, one of their luxury abodes in Utah, where they gaslight themselves into insouciance for having society's blood on their hands.

All four narcissists arrive with personal demons. Ven (Cory Michael Smith) wants to go "post-human" to relieve the stress that plagues him as the richest man alive. Randall (Steve Carell) is terminally ill and wants to live forever. Soups (Jason Schwartzman) is an insecure centi-millionaire desperate to crack the billionaires' club. And Jeff (Ramy Youssef) is the young upstart whose conscience weighs him down, though it's unclear whether that's a pre-existing force in his life or just the result of the technology he sells (i.e., guardrails for AI). Regardless, Jeff is the voice of reason and the audience participates through his journey. Whatever happens to Jeff can be seen as happening to all of us.

The Succession vibe is felt on every frame, surely by design. Armstrong brings back Nicholas Britell to provide the score, along with many of Succession's producers and crew in their respective roles. Since there's no way for a 100-minute film to replicate the nuances that made the show so popular over four full seasons, Mountainhead's cast attempts to re-create the same magic from scratch.

On that front, the actors hold their own. Carell and Schwartzman are reliable as ever, but Smith and Youssef are the real standouts. They somehow land their lines without getting in each other's way. This is particularly important given the tech-speak that permeates the script: boss cock; surpasso; emotionally incontinent; AI dooming; hyper-scale data centers; deceleration alarmism; doom-looping; de minimis; 8K photo-real; the antidote to bad tech is good tech... I mean it's an endless stream of rapid-fire gobbledygook--- but you never feel trapped or disoriented as a viewer. I credit that to their preparation as individuals and chemistry as a unit.

In terms of the point of the movie, I feel it could have been tightened up somewhat. In one hilarious sequence, a character is pressured by the others to acquiesce to *their plan for *his future: "Smile... show your teeth!" It's a brilliant, meaningful line that gets reiterated a few times, albeit too subtly for my taste. I think it could have been uttered at least once more to emphasize the idea of smiling for the camera while being forced against one's will, and thereby summarizing life under an oligarchy: we're merely pawns in somebody else's game.

Another exchange I enjoyed which reflects the dialogue in the film:

"I just feel if I could get us off this rock it would solve so much!" - Ven

"Well you know, it's a solid starter planet but we've outgrown it, no doubt..." - Randall

"I just want to get us transhuman! Life up on grid, Tron biking around, digital milkshakes-" - V

"To actually be in Plato's Academy *with Plato!" - R

"I just feel like the universe is taking a grip and tearing me apart. Like my torso's getting pulled apart with tremendous force and the emptiness of the galaxy is just rushing in." - V

"Mmm, not good." - R

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Whether Elon-Zuck-Bezos actually talk like this is besides the point. The film is fair in marking their priorities, in the same way that insiders believe the satire of Dr Strangelove could have easily happened in real life. To me, we can pursue life "up on grid" when we're dead- I'm sure there's plenty to discover out there lol! But to push into new galaxies at the expense of the world we've been blessed with is self-defeating. Mountainhead is clear about this, as well as the absurdity of rich people having the power to impose their will on the rest of us, plunder the earth and promote chaos in order to bankroll their next project, especially when none of the fruits will even be seen in our lifetimes-

I think this is where they want me to show my teeth.

This movie is masterfully done. The problem is that very, very few people in general can relate to it.

It's billed as a comedy, and it is, but not in the form of jokes or slapstick, but in mocking. The characters are a caricature of tech founders, how they act, talk, etc. And they nailed it absolutely. The underlying theme stitched throughout is how Godlike and smart these people feel they are, while in actuality unable to do even simple tasks.

I've had the displeasure of having known two wealthy tech founders, and every single line and situation reminded me of them, only slightly more absurd of course.

I'm rating it high because I think they absolutely captured the mindset and what a joke they are at face value. But it dawned on me that it's more like an inside joke than something to release a movie about.

I thought the movie was great. I don't understand the frequency of negative reviews. Maybe it's the common man's denial of understanding that, in the minds of billionaires, the middle class is as relevant as cockroaches. Or maybe the negative reviews are the result of sabotage by the AI of some billionaire who doesn't want such true representations of his class in a movie.

Another aspect to consider is that the film is, above all, a warning to the common man and the paths that capitalism is taking our lives from now on. I'm still reflecting on the impacts of what I saw and it reminded me a bit of Black Mirror. If you didn't like the film, don't worry. We're already in it in real life.

Y dear middle class citizen, be very afraid.

I think people are being a bit harsh here. I laughed and winced a bit and enjoyed the performances somewhat. It doesn't reach the heights of Succession because it's not Succession. Yes it felt rushed and not of the standards set by his own crazy success, but it's an HBO movie satire that was shot in several weeks to hit on current hot topics. It's fine.

The story got a bit tedious towards the end and the jump in pace two thirds in didn't quite work. However, this was Jesse Armstrong's directorial debut and I'll be interested to see where he goes from here after an ok start - whether he doubles down on crafting himself as film director or sticking to TV.

If you can't think of something to watch and you want to laugh a bit at how awful the world is - and who runs it - give it a bash.

Mountainhead isn't your typical popcorn movie - and that's precisely its strength. Many viewers might walk in expecting a comedy (perhaps misled by the marketing), but what they'll find is a cerebral, slow-burning exploration of AI, power, and the people shaping our future.

This film is a must-watch for AI executives, tech enthusiasts, and anyone involved in the design or governance of digital systems. It offers a sobering reflection on the values of those leading technological development, and the real-world consequences of their choices. In a world inching toward techno-feudalism, where unelected tech moguls can steer the fate of entire nations, Mountainhead asks hard questions about who holds the power-and what they believe in.

It's not always easy to digest. Some scenes feel abstract or overly intellectual, and casual viewers looking for laughs might leave confused or disappointed. But maybe that's part of the point. The people who "don't get it" may soon find their jobs-and their agency-at risk in an AI-driven world they didn't help design or understand.

In the end, Mountainhead isn't a film for everyone. But for the right audience, it's a compelling and necessary piece of storytelling.