A.I. Artificial Intelligence

CinemaSerf

2023-11-28T11:36:42.764Z

With their son "Martin" supposedly out for the count, "Henry" (Sam Robards) procures a solution for his wife "Monica" (Frances O'Connor) in the form of "David" (Haley Joel Osment). He is a state of the art android. Not robotic in function like previous models, but an adaptive model that can learn to love, to feel, to be... Initially very apprehensive, she gradually bonds with the curious and friendly young man just as readily as dad "Henry" starts not to. Then, re-enter "Martin" (Jake Thomas) who turns out to be a rather malevolent and jealous lad who, with his fellow human friends, contrives a scenario that results in "David" becoming abandoned with only his talking "Teddy" for company. Now "David" had learned of the famous "Blue Fairy" who could turn him into a real boy, so convinced that his mother would love him again, sets out to track it down at the end of the Earth. His adventures along the way are perilous, he meets some salvage hunters with an almost circus-like approach to recycling before alighting on "Gigolo Joe" (Jude Law). His name says it all, his job being to "pleasure" women who want something that bit special. The two share his quest as the latter is pursued by the authorities - but can "David" reach his holy grail? This is heavily based on the "Pinocchio" story and that gives it a solid, potent and dark bedrock for a story of wishing for the moon. Osment is super here as the vulnerable but determined and lost lad looking for a mother's love and affection. Law also reminds us why he was ever an A-lister with an almost Astaire-esque performance as the ostensible wastrel who has more substance to his character than we might expect. The last half hour takes it's time, that could do with being tightened up - but the whole gist of this story of being careful what you wish for is otherwise well balanced between the drama, the emotion, a bit of technology and some fun too. It takes a swipe at the temporary culture that has prevailed for generations and maybe just reminds us that if it seems to good to be true, then it almost certainly is. Looks great on a big screen and is Spielberg at his most sensitively imaginative.