Themes: Robots and Androids, Future Dystopias, Mothers and Sons
Main Cast: Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, Frances O'Connor, Brendan Gleeson, William Hurt
Release Year: 2001
Country: US
Run Time: 145 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Based on the 1969 short story Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, by Brian Aldiss, this science fiction fantasy bears similarities to Pinocchio (1940) and originated as a long-gestating project of director Stanley Kubrick that passed to his friend Steven Spielberg after Kubrick's death. Haley Joel Osment stars as David, a "mecha" or robot of the future, when the polar ice caps have melted and submerged many coastal cities, causing worldwide starvation and human dependence upon robotic assistance. The first mecha designed to experience love, David is the "son" of Henry (Sam Robards), an employee of the company that built the boy, and the grief-stricken Monica (Frances O'Connor). David is meant to replace the couple's hopelessly comatose son, but when their natural child recovers, David is abandoned and sets out to become "a real boy" worthy of his mother's affection. Along the way, David is mentored by a pleasure-providing mecha named Gigolo Joe (Jude Law) and a talking "super toy" bear named Teddy. His adventures take him to the Roman Circus-style "Flesh Fair," where mechas are destroyed for the amusement of humans; Rouge City, where Gigolo Joe narrowly avoids capture by police; and finally a submerged New York City, where David's creator, Professor Hobby (William Hurt) reveals the secrets of the boy's creation. Brendan Gleeson and narrator Ben Kingsley co-star in A.I., which was adapted from Kubrick's treatment by Spielberg, in his first crack at screenwriting since Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Review
A.I. is a heady but surprisingly mournful blend of styles from two filmmakers whose disparate artistic points-of-view mix uncomfortably yet produce fascinating results. This highly anticipated science fiction fable is a somber meeting of Pinocchio (1940) and the dystopian visions of humankind's downfall that fueled such futuristic films as Soylent Green (1973), Logan's Run (1976), and Blade Runner (1982). Despite the obvious parallels with the Disney feature, this emotionally wrenching picaresque is a lot closer in cynical spirit to the latter films, the story's dim view of humanity's woes astonishing coming from director Steven Spielberg, whose tastes until recently ran to the sickly sentimental. Blame it on Stanley Kubrick, whose sardonic take on humankind might have made this long-simmering but aborted project even darker still, had he lived to complete it. His and Spielberg's world views are ill-suited bedfellows and the final result shows it: depressing but poignant, by turns silly and heartbreaking, with an ending that will either leave viewers giddy with awe or giggling with glee (or both). Still, while the film unfolds schizophrenically, it also benefits from this multiple-personality aesthetic by creating a welcome, though never quite satisfied, ache for the hero's woes to be assuaged. Spielberg sets viewers up for rousing psychological completion à la E.T. (1982), but channeling Kubrick, he heads for a slightly different destination. So it is that in an age when all films must, according to corporate dictates, end happily or in buckets of tears, the quiet dignity of the film's final curtain call is a stunner. Notice must be paid to young actor Haley Joel Osment, probably the best child actor since Jodie Foster and one of a miniscule handful ever to succeed on acting talent and not apple-cheeked, adorable precocity. A.I. is not the classic it should have been, but it's one of the most unusual, eccentrically enchanting films of either director's resumé, and probably the biggest-budgeted experimental film ever made. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Sam Robards - Henry Swinton; Jake Thomas - Martin Swinton; Ken Leung - Syatyoo-Sama; Michael Mantell - Dr. Frazier; Michael Berresse - Stage Manager; Kathryn Morris - Teenage Honey; Adrian Grenier - Teen in Van; Jack Angel - Teddy; Keith Campbell - Roadworker; Vito Carenzo - Big Man; Clark Gregg - Supernerd; Jim Jansen - Chef; Ben Kingsley - Specialist/Narrator; Lily Knight - Voice in the Crowd; Matt Malloy - Robot Repairman; John Prosky - Mr. Williamson the Bellman; Chris Rock - Comedian; R. David Smith - Welder; Meryl Streep - Blue Mecha; Michael Shamus Wiles - Cop; Robin Williams - Dr. Know; Diane Fletcher - Sentient Machine Security; Miguel Perez - Robot Repairman; April Grace - Female Colleague; Matt Winston - Executive; Sabrina Grdevich - Secretary; Clara Bellar - FemMecha Nanny; Jeremy James Kissner - Kid; Rena Owen - Ticket Taker; Enrico Colantoni - The Murderer; Kevin Sussman - Supernerd; Adam Alexi-Malle - Crowd Member; Paula Malcomson - Patricia in Mirrored Room; Duane Buford - The Flesh Fair Band; Ashley Scott - Gigolo Jane; Bobby Harwell - TV Face; Brent Sexton - Russell; Daveigh Chase - Child Singer; Tim Rigby - Yeoman; Erik Bauersfeld - Gardener; Michael Fishman - Teen in Van; Tom Gallop - Supernerd; Claude Gilbert - Cybertronics-Room 93056; Theo Greenly - Todd; Haley King - Amanda; Red King - Covert Information Retrieval; Justina Machado - Assistant; Laurence Mason - Tech Director/Luis Sarria; Kelly McCool - Kate the Holographic Girl; Dillon McEwin - Kid; Andy Morrow - Kid; Kate Nei - Toe Bell Ringing; Eugene Osment - Supernerd; Ken Palmer - Percussionist; Tim Edward Rhoze - Laboratory Technician; Jeanine Salla - Sentient Machine Therapist; Laia Salla - Mr. Chan's Assistant; J. Alan Scott - Worker; Billy Scudder - Mechanic; Mark Staubach - Teen in Van; Jason Sutter - Percussionist; Brian Turk - Backstage Bull; Wayne Wilderson - Comedian; Curt Youngberg - Kid; Al Jourgenson - The Flesh Fair Band; Paul Barker - The Flesh Fair Band; Max Brody - The Flesh Fair Band; Ty Coon - The Flesh Fair Band; Adam Grossman - The Flesh Fair Band; Eliza Coleman - General Circuita
Credit
Jim Teegarden - Art Director, Tom Valentine - Art Director, Richard Johnson - Art Director, Industrial Light & Magic - Animator, Pacific Data Images - Animator, Marc Chu - Animator, Sean Curran - Animator, Lesley Headrick - Animator, Shawn Kelly - Animator, Kim Thompson - Animator, Robert C. Jackson - Boom Operator, Avy Kaufman - Casting, Francesca Jaynes - Choreography, Christian Alzmann - Conception, Aaron McBride - Conception, Bob Ringwood - Costume Designer, Richard Alvarez - Costume Designer, Brigitte Ferry - Costume Designer, Pie Lombardi - Costume Designer, Anandess Marie - Costume Designer, Bryan H. Moss - Costume Designer, David Perrone - Costume Designer, Sara Markowitz Samuels - Costume Designer, Roland Sanchez - Costume Designer, Don Vargas - Costume Designer, Kanani Wolf - Costume Designer, Sergio Mimica-Gezzan - First Assistant Director, Steven Spielberg - Director, Michael Kahn - Editor, Walter Parkes - Executive Producer, Jan Harlan - Executive Producer, Gregory H. Alpert - Location Manager, John Williams - Composer (Music Score), Richard Alonzo - Makeup, Bill Corso - Makeup, Kevin Haney - Makeup, Greg Nelson - Makeup, Richard Snell - Makeup, June Westmore - Makeup, Kenny Meyers - Makeup, Jene Fielder - Makeup, Flesh Fair - Makeup, Mark Garbarino - Makeup, Joel Harlow - Makeup, William Huff - Makeup, Douglas Noe - Makeup, Joni Powell - Makeup, Margaret Prentice - Makeup, Rouge City - Makeup, Sandy Rowden - Makeup, Mitchell Dubin - Camera Operator, Chris Haarhoff - Camera Operator, Rick Carter - Production Designer, Janusz Kaminski - Cinematographer, David Drzewiecki - Cinematographer, Kathleen Kennedy - Producer, Steven Spielberg - Producer, Bonnie Curtis - Producer, Dawn Brown-Manser - Set Designer, Nancy Haigh - Set Designer, Richard Mays - Set Designer, Steven Schwartz - Set Designer, Masako Masuda - Set Designer, Pamela Klamer - Set Designer, Darrell L. Wight - Set Designer, Thomas Minton - Set Designer, Easton M. Smith - Set Designer, Patte Strong-Lord - Set Designer, Industrial Light & Magic - Special Effects, Craig A. Israel - Special Effects, Ronald Judkins - Sound Mixer, Gary Rydstrom - Sound/Sound Designer, Ronald Judkins - Sound/Sound Designer, Carl Ciarfalio - Stunts, Gene Hartline - Stunts, Jim Palmer - Stunts, Michele Sebek - Stunts, Joey Box - Stunts, Chris Palermo - Stunts, Monte Perlin - Stunts, Richard L. Blackwell - Stunts, Whitney Coleman - Stunts, Fredrick D. George III - Stunts, William S. Judkins - Stunts, Nathan Rillo - Stunts, Jamie Ryan - Stunts, Brett Smrz - Stunts, Doug Coleman - Stunts Coordinator, Michael Lantieri - Special Effects Supervisor, Patricia Churchill - Unit Production Manager, Steven Spielberg - Screenwriter, Chas Dupuis - Production Assistant, Lyndel Pedersen - Production Assistant, Andy Tardibuono - Production Assistant, Rob Rosa - Production Assistant, Scott Farrar - Visual Effects Supervisor, Dennis Muren - Visual Effects Supervisor, Henry LaBounta - Visual Effects Supervisor, David Linck - Publicist, Pacific Data Images - Animation Producer, Stan Winston - Animatronic Effects, Pacific Data Images - Digital Effects, Industrial Light & Magic - Animation Effects, Pacific Data Images - Animation Effects, Mike Bienstock - First Assistant Camera, Robert Hill - First Assistant Camera, Peter Schmidt - First Assistant Camera, Carlos de Palma - Grip, Albert Bagley III - Grip, Rick Boomhower - Grip, Malcolm Doran II - Grip, Michael Fahey - Grip, Clay Fowler - Grip, Jamie Franta - Grip, Billy Gilleran - Grip, John Gilmore - Grip, Matt Marden - Grip, Alvaro Martinez - Grip, Rick Rader - Grip, Victor Shelehov - Grip, T.J. Tollefson - Grip, James Walsh - Grip, James Hughes - Grip, Bob Anderson - Grip, James R. Kwiatkowski - Key Grip, Ken Wannberg - Music Editor, Erica Frauman - Post Production Supervisor, Lisbeth Wynn-Owen - Production Coordinator, Jerry Moss - Properties Master, Gary Rydstrom - Re-Recording Mixer, Andy Nelson - Re-Recording Mixer, Travis Crenshaw - Re-Recording Mixer, Brian Magerkurth - Re-Recording Mixer, Ana Maria Quintana - Script Supervisor, David H. Venghaus - Second Assistant Director, Kyrsten Mate Comoglio - Sound Effects Director, Teresa Eckton - Sound Effects Director, Christopher Scarabosio - Sound Effects Director, Chris Haarhoff - Steadicam Operator, Janusz Kaminski - Still Photographer, David James - Still Photographer, Gary Rydstrom - Supervising Sound Editor, Richard Hymns - Supervising Sound Editor, Pete Romano - Underwater Photography, Les Hunter - Visual Effects Producer, Dean Drabin - ADR Mixer, John Merton - ADR Recordist, Jann K. Engel - Assistant Art Director, Suzan Wexler - Assistant Art Director, Harry E. Otto - Assistant Art Director, Andrew Menzies - Assistant Art Director, Ramsey Avery - Assistant Art Director, Liz Lapp - Assistant Art Director, Patrick Sullivan - Assistant Art Director, Stan Gonsales - Assistant Chief Lighting Technician, Baqi Kopelman - Assistant Chief Lighting Technician, Larry Richardson - Assistant Chief Lighting Technician, Tim Spurry - Assistant Location Manager, John Burton West - Assistant Production Coordinator, Rick Chavez - Assistant Properties, Andrew Petrotta - Assistant Properties, Mark Brown - Assistant Properties, Dan Coscia - Best Boy Grip, David O'Brien - Camera Loader, Karen Meisels - Casting Assistant, Beth Bowling - Casting Assistant, Kendall Moody - Casting Assistant, Nelia Morago - Casting Assistant, Rico Sands - Chief Lighting Technician, David Devlin - Chief Lighting Technician, John Villarino - Construction Coordinator, David Rawley - Costumes Supervisor, Richard Quinn - Dialogue Editor, Ewa Stzompke-Oakfield - Dialogue Editor, Rick Kangrga - Dolly Grip, John Mang - Dolly Grip, Jennifer Alessi - Extra Casting, Sande Alessi - Extra Casting, Kristan Berona - Extra Casting, The Casting Couch - Extra Casting, Richard Byard - First Assistant Editor, Patrick Crane - First Assistant Editor, Dennie Thorpe - Foley Artist, Jana Vance - Foley Artist, Jonathan Null - Foley Editor, Linda Kay Brown - Foley Editor, Alex Sessing - Greensman, Johnny Torres - Greensman, Jason Vanover - Greensman, Vincent d'Aquino - Greensman, Robert Chase - Key Costumer, Karen Asano-Myers - Key Hairstylist, Terry Baliel - Key Hairstylist, Patty Miller - Key Hairstylist, Candace Neal - Key Hairstylist, Ve Neill - Key Make-up, Mark Gillard - Post Production Assistant, Kimberly Scott - Production Accountant, Laurie Charchut - Production Accountant, Elena Holden-Bress - Production Accountant, Bonnie Pritzker - Production Accountant, Steve Simon - Second Assistant Camera, Lisa Brookes - Second Second Assistant Director, Walter Blanchard Jr. - Set Dresser, Roland Estrada - Set Dresser, Sean Givevan - Set Dresser, Nashon Petrushkin - Set Dresser, Gregory Rocco - Set Dresser, Peter A. Ramsey - Storyboard Artist, Christian Alzmann - Storyboard Artist, Phil Keller - Storyboard Artist, Aaron McBride - Storyboard Artist, Industrial Light & Magic - Visual Effects, Nancy Haigh - Set Decorator, Brian Aldiss - Short Story Author
