Can a robot learn to be human in a world scorched by the sun?
In short: In a post-apocalyptic wasteland where temperatures hit 150 degrees, an ailing engineer builds a humanoid companion to protect his dog. This 2021 film, starring Tom Hanks, follows their desperate road trip across a dying planet, exploring whether a machine can truly inherit the lessons of a human life.
Directed by Miguel Sapochnik, Finch depicts a world fifteen years after a solar flare destroyed the ozone layer. The protagonist, robotics engineer Finch Weinberg, lives in a St. Louis laboratory, venturing out only in a protective suit to escape lethal ultraviolet radiation. Facing an undisclosed terminal illness, he constructs a robot named Jeff to ensure his dog, Goodyear, is cared for after his death. Because their departure from St. Louis is forced by an approaching storm, Jeff begins his journey with only 72 percent of his intended encyclopedic data, requiring Finch to teach him life lessons on the fly.
The production journey of the film was as complex as its narrative. Originally titled BIOS, the project was announced in 2017 and appeared on that year's Black List of unproduced screenplays. Filming took place in 2019 across New Mexico and Toronto, but the release was repeatedly delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, the film was sold to Apple TV+ and retitled Finch, debuting in November 2021. Notably, the final cut omitted several actors, including Samira Wiley and Skeet Ulrich, as director Sapochnik chose to excise a significant final act to maintain the story's focus.
Critical reception was mixed, with the film holding a 74 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 57 out of 100 on Metacritic. Critics praised Tom Hanks' performance and the film's sentimental, big-hearted nature, yet many noted its lack of innovation within the post-apocalyptic genre. Some reviewers felt the movie relied on familiar tropes, describing it as a collection of parts from previous science-fiction films. Despite these criticisms, the film resonated with audiences, reaching 1.4 million households in its first 30 days on Apple TV+.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Finch (film)
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