Marjorie Prime

Marjorie Prime is a gripping psychological drama/science fiction film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Michael Almereyda. The film was released in 2017 starring Geena Davis, Hannah Gross, and Jon Hamm. The movie is adapted from Jordan Harrison's Pulitzer Prize-nominated play of the same name, favoring the portrayal of plausible interpersonal relationships over speculative technological advances.

At its core, Marjorie Prime is a story about memory, loss, and yearning, with the unusual addition of technological element by creating holographic recreations of deceased loved ones, referred to as "primes". This intriguing near-future tech tool serves as a mechanism for characters to cope with their grief, loneliness, or inability to let go of the past.

The film primarily delves into the life of Marjorie, an 80-year-old widow portrayed by Lois Smith, who is struggling with the onset of Alzheimer's disease. She surrounds herself with memories of her late husband Walter, who is recreated as a younger version of himself, played by Jon Hamm. Walter Prime is a sophisticated hologram, designed to help Marjorie remember her past and soothe her loneliness.

The narrative unfolds subtly, as we encounter Marjorie's daughter Tess (Geena Davis) and her son-in-law Jon (Tim Robbins), both of whom deal with their own grief, and vulnerabilities while strolling down their memory lane. Despite the presence of futuristic holograms, the focus largely remains on humanity, raising the question of how memory shapes our perception of the past and our interactions with those we love.

Jon Hamm plays the holographic prime of Marjorie's late husband Walter, a role that requires him to strike a delicate balance between being eerily robotic and hinting at an undercurrent of human-like understanding. Hamm's portrayal of Walter Prime is gentle, soothing, yet slightly eerie, offering an affecting performance further deepening the exploration of human emotions through artificial entities.

Geena Davis plays Tess, Marjorie's skeptical and emotionally tortured daughter, has the challenging role with layered emotional nuances. Davis impeccably portrays a woman grappling with her fading mother and the digital remembrance of her father, extremely unsettled by the intimate revelations that the artificial Walter has been programmed to recall.

The film's metaphysical aspects and themes of mortality and memory give it a distinct intellectual edge. However, this is also coupled with immense emotional resonance that imbues almost every scene. The story doesn’t only question the future of technology in our intimate lives but also serves as an examination of what it means to be human.

Another essential aspect of Marjorie Prime is its stunning cinematography. The film is shot beautifully, with a subtle yet captivating color palette that perfectly complements the overall melancholy mood of the narrative. Even with its futuristic premise, the setting remains minimalistic, allowing viewers to focus on the characters and their shared history.

Marjorie Prime is not just a movie about technology and emulation; it expertly juggles themes of aging, the essence of human memories, the grieving process, and the complexity of family dynamics. It is a haunting portrait of how intricately human lives can become entwined with technology, and the repercussions that ensue. Moreover, it also sends the audience into introspection about the dilemmatic questions it poses regarding life, deep-seated memories and how we choose to remember them.

Marjorie Prime received generally positive reviews from critics for their unconventional take on a sci-fi premises, strong performances and interesting provocations about memory and identity. The movie’s slow burn is appreciated for mesmerizing audiences and leading to a thought-provoking climax.

As a thought-provoking and deeply emotional tale, Michael Almereyda's Marjorie Prime has intelligently explored the intersection of memory, grief, and technology. This quiet yet disconcertingly profound film successfully eschews conventional Hollywood drama in favor of a mesmerizing exploration of humanity and the personal past that defines us.