Watch Marjorie Prime

Marjorie Prime is a science fiction drama film released in 2017 directed by Michael Almereyda. The film stars Geena Davis, Hannah Gross, Tim Robbins, and Jon Hamm in lead roles. The movie is based on a play of the same name by Jordan Harrison. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2017 and was distributed by FilmRise in the U.S.

The movie is set in a not too distant future, where holographic recreations of deceased loved ones are available for companionship or reminiscence. The story centres around Marjorie (Geena Davis), a 86-year-old woman suffering from dementia, who lives with her daughter Tess (Hannah Gross) and son-in-law Jon (Tim Robbins). Tess arranges for a holographic version of Marjorie's late husband Walter (Jon Hamm) to keep her company and help her remember her past. The hologram of Walter convincingly looks and sounds exactly like her deceased husband, who passed away 15 years ago. Soon, the family becomes more and more intertwined with the holographic image, as it provokes uncomfortable memories and raises existential questions.

The hologram projects are known as "primes," AI recreations built from memories and conversation data to act as virtual companions. The primes are capable of learning and adapting to become more like their original human forms. As Marjorie spends more time conversing with Walter Prime, she begins to delve deeper into her past and tells him about her memories. However, Walter Prime cannot fully comprehend her recollections, and so he projects his own versions of her memories back to her.

The film explores themes of memory, identity, loss, and the blurred lines between reality and artificiality. The characters' interactions with the "primes" are not only interesting but also thought-provoking. As the holographic Walters continue to evolve, they challenge the characters' and audiences' understanding of human consciousness and the nature of grief.

The performances in the movie are understated and full of nuance. Geena Davis portrays Marjorie's dementia with grace, making the character a more sympathetic and relatable figure. Jon Hamm portrays Walter with a subtle touch, reminiscent of his work on the TV show Mad Men. Hannah Gross gives an impressive breakout performance in her role as Marjorie's daughter, as she balances her character's grief and frustration with both her mother's dementia and the volatile nature of the holographic guests.

The movie's pacing is slow, as it takes its time meditating on ideas and concepts, rather than resorting to cheap thrills or exposition. The dialogue is sharp and memorable, with plenty of quotable lines that highlight the characters' contemplation of their existence.

The movie does an excellent job of creating a vivid and believable futuristic world, expanding on the concept of AI and human relationships. The film's design and cinematography are straightforward, using muted colour palettes and simple framing. However, these understated visuals do not detract from the film's contemplative tone.

In conclusion, Marjorie Prime is a captivating, thoughtful, and sometimes melancholy exploration of human consciousness and memory. With strong performances and provocative ideas, the movie implores its audiences to reflect on the nature of grief and the role of technology in shaping humanity. It is a must-watch for any fan of thought-provoking sci-fi cinema.

Marjorie Prime is a 2017 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.3 and a MetaScore of 82.