I Origins Review: Intelligent Message Gets Lost in Its Own Vanity

The bold but flawed Science Fiction drama I Origins strains under its own weight.

I Origins suggests that while people possess an original and unreproducible set of eyes, those very same eyes and the memories it seizes can transfer to a yet-unborn person, once their original owner dies. For scientist Ian (Michael Pitt), proving otherwise has become a lifelong dream. Soon, he and research assistant Karen (Brit Marling) seek to prove that the eye is a product of slow, evolutionary change as opposed to its instant creation by some unknown force. The results make Ian famous, but not before a chance meeting with the mysterious Sofi (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey), whose eyes are among the most unique Ian has ever seen. After hooking up with Sofi, the two experience unimaginable tragedy, leaving Ian and Karen to continue their work. Now married and having produced a child, they realize the boy's eyes match those of another man whose recent death have gifted some of his memories to the newborn. Determined to prove his theory, Ian must journey to the far points of the populated world to find out whether the newest owner of Sofi's eyes have also transferred some of her memories.

The problem with I Origins is the same which destroys many an independent film: it suffers from a desire to see itself in the mirror for too long. Like a prom date who can't get over how beautiful she looks, the film gets stuck in showing just how lush and impressive it thinks it is. There's lots of disconnected casual conversations about life set among the depravity of India's poorest, mixed in with some genuinely remarkable messages about science. But there's also too many scenes that are in need of a serious edit. Regardless if some of that bends towards the pseudo-scientific end of things, its message about blending science and belief is a powerful one. There's no professional paper to be published about what Director Mike Cahill is suggesting, but his script does a good job of altering reality enough to suggest these divisive arenas might one day come together.

And yet, I Origins meanders too much, straining the limits of believability as Ian realizes that Salomina may have some of Sofi's memories, proving in some way what the film tries for too long to dispel. This otherworldly realization comes too late for everyone to react, adding to a list of infractions that include a clumsy and weird transition between relationships and a clunky tragedy that sets some of this in motion. The first 30 minutes are intense and thought-provoking, having little to do with science as Ian searches for Sofi after seeing her eyes on a billboard. Granted this scavenger hunt is only part of what I Orgins wants to show us, but once it gets to the pseudo-scientific connections, we move into another kind of film that gets a little uneven, as do the performances. Once Ian journeys to India, he and Karen lose any small chemistry they once had as Karen is forced to emote over Skype. It's not the most elegant storytelling, and Marling really isn't suited for the job.

Marling's performance feels like it always does: she's a casual passer-by, happy with window shopping her emotions rather than coming inside to portray them. In many ways, she feels as cold and distant as she did in The East, now armed with an excuse to be a scientist to hide her emotions. Pitt however gets plenty of chances to shine, and he makes the most of them - his interaction with Bergès-Frisbey feels more organic than with Marling, even if Ian and Sofi seem miles apart on the issues. Once Sofi's short stay is concluded, we enter a significantly duller world, filled with heaping piles of questions about life, rebirth, and the way science clashes with long-established beliefs. That too is an interesting path for awhile, but like Ian and Sofi's relationship, its long-term chances become slimmer as the film progresses.

I Origins is a daring film that loses its way before returning to a somewhat satisfying ending. Along that path, I found myself haunted by the notion that the film's original script might have got it right, but that as so many independent works go, it succumbed to its own vanity and the need for uninspiring relationships. That's too bad, because its intelligence and message are pretty powerful, even if some of its contrivances are worthy of slapping it around. However, if you're tired of the usual din of Summer blockbuster explosions, scantily-clad female flesh, and raunchy jokes, I Origins will at least make you think. If that's your idea of a good time - and I wouldn't blame you for trying - I recommend giving it a chance.

I Origins is rated R for some sexuality/nudity, and language and has a runtime of 113 minutes.

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