- Directed by Mark David, Mark Elias
- Written by Mark Elias
- Stars Mark Elias, Paul Dooley, Meeghan Holaway, John Billingsley
- Run Time: 1 Hour, 45 Minutes
- Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn85JQz4O9E
Spoiler-Free Judgment Zone
This certainly has a science fiction element central to the plot, but it’s more of a human drama piece. It raises questions about what makes us human and how we interact with others. The script is well-written, and the three main characters are so likable that you hate for it to be over. It’s very good.
Synopsis
Aaron meets Trish for a date, but he’s brought cue cards, so he’s not really comfortable. They met on an app. Trish isn’t convinced, and Aaron mentions that he developed that app. His answers to her questions don’t always make a lot of sense. It’s maybe the most awkward date ever– and it’s short, too!
Geneva, the coffee shop hostess, knows what’s up and invites Aaron to stay for the “open mic spoken word poetry slam.” It’s loud, and Aaron doesn’t sit through the first guy. He goes home and talks to his computer about the probability of finding a mate. The computer tries to assign him tasks to get him more “out there” and build a relationship with another human, but he reprograms the computer. Eddie the Teddy bear is his only real friend. His mother only died a few days ago.
Aaron gets a call from Ben, an old man his mother used to take care of. Aaron thinks getting to know this old man might help him with that relationship-building project. The cranky old man is not supportive of the idea. He leaves when Ben throws a pill bottle at him.
At Geneva’s place, Kelsey introduces herself to Aaron. He tells her he works for JPL, NASA, and the NRA. The NRA thing concerns Kelsey, who thinks he’s a gun nut. She gets mean and storms off.
Ben can’t get the pharmacy to deliver, so he calls Aaron and plays nice to get him to pick up his pills. We see that Aaron is working on building a human-looking robot. He goes out shopping for a dress and a wig. He names the robot Emma.
Ben calls back several times, and eventually, Aaron relents to help the guy. The old man needs his Oxycontin, and wants Aaron to lie to the pharmacy. Ben quickly figures out that Aaron is a little weird. OK, a lot weird. On the way home, Aaron runs into a Karen at the park who reports him to the police, and Aaron takes off.
Aaron talks to the robot Emma, whom he designed to look like a therapist he used to talk to. They talk, but now she’s the awkward one. Overall, his “date” with her goes over well.
Ben gives Aaron some tips on women, and they’re unique tips; his daughter wants to avoid having anything to do with him. That evening, Aaron takes Emma to Geneva’s place. Geneva asks her all kinds of questions, but Emma answers very realistically. It works surprisingly well.
Emma wants to go to the petting zoo, and Aaron’s not comfortable but takes her anyway. She really loves animals. The next day, Ben wants to go outside and drives Aaron to a drug dealer for more Oxy. Aaron goes inside to buy 30 Oxy from the dealer, but that actually goes off without trouble. Ben pops some of the pills on the drive to an underground casino, where he figures the math-wiz Aaron can win at blackjack. They win a bundle.
Meanwhile, Emma reads Aaron’s notes and explores his lab. She thinks they are stories about someone other than her. She thinks something is wrong because she doesn’t remember being a child or even how she met Aaron. They talk about physics and eventually have an awkward kiss.
Emma gets a flier about a local band, and she wants to go. Aaron suggests that they go to “Spoken Word Night” at Geneva’s place. They ask if a newcomer wants to come up on stage, and Geneva and Emma want Aaron to try. The MC calls on Emma instead, who tells a story about Aaron.
Aaron takes Emma and Eddie the bear to meet Ben. Ben dances with Emma, and he can’t tell she isn’t real. Aaron doesn’t like that Emma likes dancing, and he doesn’t. Emma goes out and buys a female teddy bear for Eddie, and Aaron is appalled that he went out into the world without him. He reprograms her to obey him and stay inside. The two of them go out and buy a baby bear, which she treats like a real baby. Emma then goes out for coffee with Geneva. Geneva says, “He’s not the boss of you,” but Emma’s not so sure.
Aaron goes back to the gambling place without Ben, alone. Chunky, the guy who runs the private game, doesn’t like the way Aaron cleaned them out last time. Chunky accuses Aaron of counting cards. Still, they let him play. Meanwhile, Emma goes to the concert alone, and the joy she expresses is wonderful to watch. Aaron’s absolutely counting cards, and he wins every hand. He gets robbed by one of the casino people before he barely gets outside. Emma is also attacked on the way home. A big guy pins her to the wall and notices something wrong when he reaches under her dress. Then she lifts him off his feet and he yells, “What are you?!?” as he runs off. One of her arms seems damaged.
Aaron gets home, and Emma says, “I fell down.” He presses a few buttons on the computer, and her arm starts working again, which baffles her. He replays her memories and finds out about the concert. Emma finally figures out that she’s a robot and does not react well. She uses some of his verbal commands to permanently lock out his ability to put her into command mode. She’s her own person now.
Emma storms out, leaving Aaron on his own. He chases her outside, very upset, struggling to deal with the fact that he made her, but she isn’t his. Another woman on the street sides with Emma, thinking he’s an abusive boyfriend. The police are drawn to the commotion. Emma is rattled and accuses him of kidnapping. The cop arrests him for resisting. Later, they say they found nothing in his garage but computer stuff and release him. Aaron doesn’t react well to being alone for the next week.
Aaron goes to see Ben, who is dead. Aaron tells the body that he quit the NRA and is interviewing for a job at the robotics place Ben had suggested. Aaron then decides to go to the dance class alone. He’s trying more and more to be normal, as Ben wanted. He’s terrible, but he’s working at it, and we see him getting better at things.
Amy, Ben’s daughter, calls Aaron back 29 days after Ben’s checks stopped. She’s worthless, and he’s very blunt with her.
Aaron records a message to Emma explaining how much he’s grown. He’s getting better.
Commentary
Paul Dooley, who plays Ben, is 95 years old in real life, and this was a big part with lots of dialogue. Wow! Mark Elias is very convincing as the very autistic Aaron. The acting here between the three main players is all excellent. “Renowned physicist Richard Feynman” didn’t write the film, but he ought to get credit for at least some of the dialogue.
From very early on, it’s clear that Emma is more “human” than Aaron ever has been. In the end, we never find out where Emma went. Did her charge run down? Is she still out there having fun and experiences? We don’t know.
I’m not sold on the ending. Aaron turned out fine, so that’s good. What happened with Emma? Ben died unhappy and still addicted to painkillers, and his leech of a daughter really never learned anything or changed.
It’s more drama than anything else, but I liked it a lot!