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Advantageous, released in 2015, is a thought-provoking and emotional drama that delves into the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter in a dystopian future. The movie is directed by Jennifer Phang and stars Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, and Freya Adams. The film takes place in a future society where drastic income inequality is the norm, and most people are struggling to make ends meet. Gwen (Jacqueline Kim) is a middle-aged single mother who works for a company that offers a revolutionary new service to its clients: body-swapping. By transferring a person's consciousness into a new, younger body, they can extend their lives and start fresh. However, the cost of this procedure is exorbitant, making it an option only available to the wealthy elite.

Gwen's company is facing financial difficulties, and she is informed that her position has been eliminated. She is offered an extremely low-level job instead, which would mean she wouldn't be able to support her daughter, Jules (Samantha Kim), who dreams of attending a prestigious private school. After much contemplation and desperation, Gwen decides to undergo the body-swapping procedure, hoping to secure her future while keeping her job through an improved, younger appearance.

However, things don't go as planned, and Gwen's choice comes with significant consequences. Through Gwen's experience, the movie takes an intimate look at themes of identity, social status, and motherhood. It even touches on issues such as ageism, gender inequality, and neoliberalism in a society that values youth and appearance over character and achievement.

As Gwen navigates her new body and life, she experiences the reality of being a woman in the world of the affluent, which humbles her and makes her appreciate what she took for granted in her previous life. Simultaneously, Jules encounters bullying at school and starts to experience the devastating effects of her mother's absence, making her disenchanted with the new life her mother has chosen.

The relationship between Gwen and Jules is at the heart of the film, highlighting the fragility of family and the lengths to which a mother is willing to go for her daughter. The director's ability to maintain sensitivity and focus on the humanity within the storyline brought a sense of vulnerability and raised issues that are still extremely relevant in today's world.

The production design captures the futuristic world building of the story, utilizing simple high rises and modernistic design to suggest advancement in technology and progression, while also highlighting a sense of coldness and unease.

Jacqueline Kim gives a subtle and nuanced performance, making the audience empathize with her character. Her facial expressions and gestures communicate a lot about her struggle, and the richness of the film largely comes from her vulnerable and honest acting. James Urbaniak's performance as Gwen’s boss is also notable, bringing a shadowy, inhuman quality to his performance, giving the audience the sense that all he is motivated by is the bottom line.

Overall, Advantageous stands as an impactful and powerful science fiction story that delivers a powerful message about our society's preoccupation with youth and appearance. It's a poignant and thought-provoking look into the barriers women face in a world that believes physical beauty is the path to success at any cost. This film, with its powerful themes and strong performances, remains an under-appreciated work of art that deserves a place in the science fiction movie canon.

Advantageous is a 2015 science fiction movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1 and a MetaScore of 59.