SYNOPSIS:
Derek takes a job at a tech firm, developing an AI sex doll named Susan. As he explores the boundaries of desire, pleasure, and pain with Susan, he confronts profound questions about humanity in an uncertain future.
REVIEW:
Written and directed by, Scooter McCrae (Shatter Dead, Saint Frankenstein. Damian Maffei, Kate Kiddo, Scott Fowler, Yvonne Emilie Thalker, Marc Romeo, and Vito Trigo star in this uncomfortable, yet fascinating film. Gilbert (Marc Romeo) wants to send Alan (Scott Fowler) to live with this AI doll.
Three months later, Derek (Damian Maffei) is attending a funeral. Oh, I won’t spoil it for you but you can imagine. Derek reunites with Gil, the “tech guy.” It’s great see Maffei’s face, and his acting without a mask. He has starred in Haunt, The Strangers: Prey at Night, Wrong Turn, and more. I’m not sure what the situation is for Derek but he winds up dumpster diving for food, and then of course meeting up with Gil.
Ohhhh boy, he is being offered Alan’s old job. It’s wild what human beings will go through. I would rather be with a person, a human. Gil is taking it to the next level, he is working on the bruising, and how the AI doll reacts to certain behavior. The cinematography, and shots are beautiful. Susan (Yvonne Emilie Thalker) does a good job portraying this character. It’s a strange job, one I’m not sure I would jump at.
Derek is intrigued, and struggling. He decides to take the job. Derek meets Amanda… the voice done by the amazing, Kate Kiddo. Derek learns some extra stuff, and he learns the details of this “job.” It’s not exactly easy to explain or easy to chat about. Amanda also stays inside Susan’s head to sort of keep an eye on things.
Over the past years, and during the pandemic, I have seen and learned about quite a lot including a huge conversation my friends and I had about feet photos. The different things that go in the human psyche are wild. What makes people get to this point? What makes people do the things that they do? Is it sadistic? Just S&M??? Just people getting their rocks off? It’s a tad disturbing how into this Derek gets. Why are women always “provoking” men, and men “provoking” women. Black Eyed Susan is thought provoking. It makes you question a lot.
Derek does something humane when he asks to call her Susan, and not “the device,” as Gil, and Amanda refer to Susan. This is making Derek question what has happened between him and his wife. They are separated. It truly is fascinating to see what levels people are willing to go to. It’s an uncomfortable movie in many ways but art should be uncomfortable. Gil is moving Derek to the same spot he moved Alan to. Poor Susan has the sad world abuse down. Derek shows a kindness to Susan.
I appreciate the music breakdown, and how important music, and sound is to humans. Derek cleans her up, seems to try and make her comfortable. Derek is looking for the genuineness of being with Susan as opposed to just using or hitting Susan. I’m still concerned though, who knows what will happen.
I have so many questions… Does she genuinely feel love? Does she want to go to the grocery store? Does she want food? Does she eat? I appreciate Maffei wiping the shaving cream off, although it wouldn’t be awful. Uh-oh, a game of trust…. Whew! A game of trust… Oh, geez.
Derek decides to help Susan learn to walk. Yup, they made an AI woman, and she cannot walk. It’s psychological. It messes with your head. Susan doesn’t seem to have any other concept of life except she is either to please a man or let him hit her. Derek learns a lot during all of this. WELP, you know when I decided to type out that I feel this is going to get worse, IT GETS WORSE. SO MUCH WORSE, I feel sick. Physically sick, and just sad. It’s disturbing, and sad but powerful.
I want to say I feel so much more than just a “horror fan.” The horror community is not always completely in love with everything. It would be a boring world if we all just loved the same things, and agreed on everything all the time… But, I digress this is a film I felt sad and disturbed. I think that is what Art is. Art can be comforting in ways but it can also be incredibly disturbing. That is what makes this film unique.
I’ve been bothered by films before. Scooter did a good with the writing, the impact the film had. The actors did a great job. Make sure to check out Black Eyed Susan.