Desejos Ocultos

The poignant portrayal of Henry by Steven Strait makes the movie surprisingly affecting.

Two of the most annoying people alive endure the First World Problem of making so much money that they need servants to take care of all the things they have. When the wife "frees" the maid, they decide to replace her with a robot.

The film asks us at what cost do we enjoy cheap clothing made by children, fast food made by single mothers, IPhones made by Chinese workers under such pressure that they kill themselves, and Guatemalan immigrants who face death trying to get here so that they can clean our houses. Do we think about how they feel? No. We pretend that they have no feelings, and deny our own complicity in their pain.

Is this movie perfect? No, but it will stay with you after the closing credits.

Forget the crap reviews and watch it.

This was quite an intriguing watch, all the way up to the last 10 minutes when the plot twist came. I don't want to say what it was, but I will say it is completely without logic and just made me think, 'are they having a laugh?' it was so ludicrous and makes the previous hour and 15 minutes seem like a waste of time.

Life Like asks the same question all people ask themselves but it does so, from a different perspective.

This is a thoughtful, intriguing little film, that reminds us rather subtly of how we take what and who we are, very much for granted.

Acting is decent and the main character Henry is portrayed with a calm, endearing charm that keeps you watching.

There's an interesting twist in the end too I did not see coming. 6/10 from me.

If anything, this movie really makes you think about humanity in an unconventional way. The plot, although not without its flaws, is intriguing and original. I for one enjoyed the ending, although it could have been made more believable with some minor plot devices and addition of some small scenes (read the spoiler reviews if you want to know more).

The main characters were all certainly eye candy, and although their dialogue was a bit stilted at times, all actors did a commendable job. Particularly enjoyed the performance of Steven Strait, which was integral in tipping this film into the territory of a quality watch. No one can play an android with the panache of Michael Fassbender's David, but I think Strait did an admirable job.

You will encounter one of the most annoyingly written characters in Sofie, but if you can get beyond that, this is actually a very solid philosophical sci-fi. Certainly ranks much higher than its current rating of 5.4.

With a little refinement this low-budget sexy sci-fi movie could have been seriously gripping and ultimately shocking. The central premise about interactions between humans and robots is intriguing and thought-provoking. It's offers some creepily sensual scenarios. The leads are good - especially Steven Strait as the robot, Henry. And it delivers some strong surprise twists toward the end. It's just a shame that the story is undermined by a sluggish start and a particularly annoying characterisation of the wife, Sofie, who is infuriatingly unlikeable. For the most part, however, it's quite well written - although the final plot twists needed more finessing. Still, worth a look.