A Woman and a Robot Have a Trial for Affection

Maren Eggert and Dan Stevens in 
"I'm Your Man"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Given how much technology has evolved over the years, it’s always been interesting to see how it’s depicted in film.  Whether it be how modern films show technology as it stands now or where it’s going, or even looking back on movies from the past and seeing how much of those celluloid futures came true.  Some of the most intriguing incidents of stories about technology are the ones that revolve around a time that’s quite like our own, but may be just a few steps ahead of where we might be going.

Such a setting is presented in director Maria Schrader’s sci-fi romantic-drama, “I’m Your Man,” which gifts the audiences with a tender, thought-provoking, and sometimes witty look at 21st-century relationships.

Alma (Maren Eggert) is a scientist who decides to participate in a three-week study to see if humanoid robots could make adequate companions for those seeking a connection.  For her trial, Alma is paired with one such humanoid named Tom (Dan Stevens).  As their time together unfolds, Alma’s experience with Tom will have her confront personal issues that she’s been unwilling to face.

Eggert delivers a performance that beautifully captures her character’s sense of conflict concerning what she wants out of her relationship with Tom.  Eggert displays Alma’s unease when it comes to the notion of falling in love with Tom, presenting reasons that are both logical and personal, and the feeling that Eggert puts into her work allows us to understand Alma from both of those sides in equal measure.  Her handling of Alma’s situation presents a layered view to her interactions with Tom that become increasingly complicated, as we see her express hesitation for getting to close to him, joy whenever they share nice moments, and regret when she has second thoughts her happy memories with him.  

Stevens inhabits an AI character by having the right mix of humanlike and robotic characteristics in the way he talks and moves, and he accomplishes this with a dexterity that results in a performance that’s well-acted in terms of both dialogue delivery and physicality.  The way in which Stevens has his character try to understand the world and who he is adds plenty of emotion to his arc, particularly in a tranquil scene in which Tom and Alma take a late-night trip to a museum.  Aside from this, Stevens also imbues his character with a humor that adds to how engaging his character can be.

The screenplay by Schrader and Jan Schomburg takes a familiar premise and adds layers of subtly that make us see this type of story from a few new angles.  We’re given views into Alma’s personal life, both in terms of her romantic relationships and her family, and we see how her time with David has an impact on both in one way or another.  Within all of this are small details that quietly stand out in the midst of the film’s meditative tone, ones that provide you with how Alma envisions the concept of love.

The narrative also raises intriguing questions, such as, could robots that are as advanced as the ones in the film have their own desires?  Can relationships between them and humans be more damaging than beneficial?  What’s the point of the pursuit of happiness if there’s instant gratification?  This all adds to how you see Alma and Tom’s relationship during the movie, and also has you reframing it once the movie is over and you think about it more.

As a director, Schrader maintains a contemplativeness for the duration of the movie as we try to figure out our answers to the questions that the movie asks.  When thinking about what we would do, it helps that Schrader depicts a future that looks similar to our present, which allows us to connect with the characters and setting so that we can place ourselves in this thought-provoking scenario.  And, with the steady pace that Schrader brings to the movie, she lets us sink into the movie slowly and examine the central relationship and its possibilities.  All of this makes “I’m Your Man” a moving study about what it could mean to be in love in the near future.

Grade: A