I ORIGINS review by Ronnie Malik – a look at Mike Cahill’s ambitious follow-up to ANOTHER EARTH

I ORIGINS review by Ronnie Malik – a look at Mike Cahill’s ambitious follow-up to ANOTHER EARTH

iorigins-poster

Director: Mike Cahill

Cast: Michael Pitt, Steven Yeun, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Brit Marling, Archie Panjabi, Cara Seymour

Rating: B+

I Origins is a film that gives food for thought at the age old debate between science and faith on whether creation is a result of evolution or a divine higher power. Combining various subplots that include scientific discovery, romance, random occurrences, and spirituality, writer-director Mike Cahill sends us on a journey of love, heartbreak, hope, and spiritual awakening.

PhD student Ian Gray (Michael Pitt) is researching the complex development of the human eye to cure colorblindness, and prove once and for all that evolution is not connected to a superpower but is simply nature taking its course over millions of years. A chance encounter with an intriguing woman at a Halloween party sets in motion a chain of unexpected events in Ian’s life. The molecular biologist never actually sees the mystery lady’s face. He only gets to see her eyes and he insists he must have a photo of the unique pair of baby blues staring out from beneath the mask covering her face. The young scientist uses the fact that each person has an exclusive eye pattern as the basis of his research. Since he never learns the identity of the young woman, Ian is now consumed with thoughts of finding her again. Days go by and fate intervenes. A billboard glaring back at Ian with the eyes he can’t get of his mind and repeated occurrences of the number 11 all lead Ian to a train ride. No big surprise – there on the train sits the girl of Ian’s dreams.

Sofi (Astrid Berges-Frisbey) is the owner of the amazing exotic eyes Ian captured in a photo. The two start a heated affair that leads to love and then to marriage. But their relationship is never on the same plane because Sofi always challenges Ian’s scientific theories against her celestial metaphysical beliefs. Sofi lives in a world of her own that Ian does not understand and yet she is able to show wisdom beyond her years when she intelligently challenges Ian’s convictions. She is able to tap into that part of Ian that may just entertain the idea that something powerful and beyond human comprehension may actually exist.

Sofi is not the only woman in Ian’s life. He spends much of his time with Karen (Brit Marling), his lab assistant who is just as methodical and analytical as her mentor. In many ways Karen outshines her PhD senior in her ability to see patterns and connections that could prove their theories of evolution. Together Karen and Ian set out on a quest to find the origins of the human eye.

A freak accident, the birth of a child, a medical mystery, and a journey to India all set in motion the unveiling of a truth that many refuse to acknowledge as the storyline of I Origins unfolds. At times the film seems very over-the-top with some rather cheesy lines. There are moments when the film feels mushy and a little silly as the tale moves back and forth between scientific discovery and an airy new age romance. Fortunately it is rescued by the beautiful imagery, heartfelt emotions, along with mysterious events that pull everything together and keep the audiences engaged and challenged by what is unraveling on the screen.

The cast does a reasonably good job playing out their characters and carrying the film. Pitt is strong as the logical yet sensitive young scientist with a conscience. Marling is very grounded and sincere in her portrayal as the loyal lab assistant that will do just about anything for science. Berges-Frisbey is well cast as the ethereal nymph-like woman with a mind and imagination that always seems to be floating out in the universe and yet manages to present some valid arguments for a spiritual explanation to life’s puzzles.

It is clear that Cahill not only wanted to make an entertaining film but a thought-provoking one with heart that will linger with those watching. A moving story that is worth a good look and not just a glance, I Origins will leave many questioning the impossible or the possible depending on one’s view of the world.

I ORIGINS opens July 25, 2014

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