I Origins, 2014
Written and directed by Mike Cahill
Starring Michael Pitt, Steven Yeun, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey and Brit Marling
SYNOPSIS:
A molecular biologist and his laboratory partner uncover evidence that may fundamentally change society as we know it.
From director Mike Cahill (Another Earth), comes the high concept but low level sci-fi drama I Origins, a movie that raises questions about whether the evidence of science can disprove the existence of a higher being, or if definitive proof of a “God” can make the evidence of science obsolete. To call it a great movie would be a misstep, but I Origins is very interesting and will leave lingering thoughts in your mind that will last you long after the credits have ended.
We are introduced to the main protagonist Ian (Mike Pitt) who is on the verge of proving that God (or any higher being) doesn’t exist through the magic of science. He is accompanied by the two women in his life, brilliant scientist Karen (Brit Marling) and beautiful model Sofi (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey), the latter of which is certainly more of the belief of an afterlife than the former is. But when Sofi dies and some evidence comes to the forefront that Karen and Ian’s scientific beliefs are false, they set out to find out the truth. While this sounds like the plot of the movie, this is all just set up for the powerful conclusion. The set up, however, is 85% of the runtime.
Cahill’s previous effort Another Earth showed that the director is willing to take risks in telling high concept stories and that visual flair is on show again in I Origins. The movie accomplishes a lot on its low budget and it never steps too far out of the boundaries it sets up. I Origins is the sort of science fiction movie we don’t get any more, one that focuses on giving you enough rope to hang yourself with but never provides a definitive answer on whether you should put it round you neck. But unlike something like Ridley Scott’s Prometheus where they had no answers to the questions they asked, Mike Cahill’s script is clear enough that you can look at it from both angles and make valid cases for both sides of the argument presented. In that sense, I Origins is a brilliant success.
And it’s not like you can knock the film on the acting front either with Michael Pitt giving a phenomenally understated performance and Brit Marling (who worked with Cahill on Another Earth) is fantastic as the lab partner turned lover who is in desperate need of answers. Astrid Bergès-Frisbey does well with that what she has, but her character is fairly weak and is only there to serve the plot rather than move it forward. Chaill’s script however is tight and you warm to all of the characters, despite their flaws.
Perhaps the movie’s failings comes from its contrivances with I Origins even resorting to the tried and tested, “sit down and work out the plot” scene. After a certain point in the movie, I Origins is just one coincidence after another and each one feels more and more lazy. The first two thirds of the movie are paced very methodically which flies out of the window after Sofi’s death as I Origins zips from one scene to the next. Thankfully it slows itself down for the conclusion which is where the interesting points of the movie are once again raised. An argument can be made that Sofi’s death is unnecessarily graphic and over-the-top, but it does serve a purpose when all is said and done, even if you could again argue that its as contrived as the previous circumstances.
I Origins is a good movie and is far from being bad, but it’s not exactly great. It’s interesting if nothing else and that counts for a lot. The performances are great, the script raises a lot of questions and it gives you just the right amount to work with for you to make an informed decision. Mike Cahill is a very intriguing filmmaker and one to watch out for in the future.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Luke Owen is the Deputy Editor of Flickering Myth and the host of the Flickering Myth Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @LukeWritesStuff.
Originally published September 25, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
