Marjorie Prime

Last updated

Marjorie Prime
Marjorie Prime.jpg
Directed by Michael Almereyda
Screenplay byMichael Almereyda
Based onMarjorie Prime
by Jordan Harrison
Produced by Uri Singer
Starring
Cinematography Sean Price Williams
Edited byKathryn J. Schubert
Music by Mica Levi
Production
company
BB Film Productions
Distributed by FilmRise
Release dates
  • January 23, 2017 (2017-01-23)(Sundance)
  • August 18, 2017 (2017-08-18)(United States)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Marjorie Prime is a 2017 American science-fiction film written and directed by Michael Almereyda, based on Jordan Harrison's play of the same name. It stars Jon Hamm, Tim Robbins, Geena Davis, and Lois Smith. [1] Footage was screened for buyers at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. [2] It premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. [3] [4]

Contents

Plot

Around the year 2050, 85-year-old Marjorie is experiencing the first symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. To bring her comfort her daughter Tess and son-in-law Jon hire a service called Prime, designed to assist Alzheimer patients by creating holographic projections of deceased family members which are "fed" with the patients' memories so that they can "retell" them back in case they forget them. Marjorie has chosen a younger version of her late husband Walter, who died fifteen years ago. This choice disturbs Tess as she does not trust the system's functionalities, so she does not talk to Walter's hologram. Marjorie tells stories of her life to Walter Prime and enjoys listening to him tell them back, usually asking him to embellish some to make them better and prettier the next time he tells them, so that the new story will become her new memory. Meanwhile, Julie, Marjorie's caretaker, moves in with the family to watch over her and confides in Walter.

In time, Walter Prime becomes curious about the real Walter's personal and professional lives and starts asking Jon about them. He appears to desire to know the reason why he couldn't tell his children how much he loved them. Jon tells Walter Prime a family secret that must never be repeated to Marjorie: she and Walter had a son named Damian who committed suicide forty years earlier and, before doing so, killed the beloved family dog Toni II (a black French poodle who looked just like the family's previous dog, Toni) to take her with him. Marjorie hasn't said Damian's name since then. Despite Walter Prime's understanding about not telling her, Marjorie suddenly asks for Damian in a bout of dementia. Tess finds a Bible in the living room table and accuses Julie (who had given it to Marjorie) of taking advantage of Marjorie's condition to religiously manipulate her (since Marjorie has always been an atheist), which prompts Marjorie to become upset and urinate herself.

Later on Tess and Marjorie are sitting on the couch talking. It is soon revealed that Marjorie has died and Tess is talking to a Prime version of Marjorie; Jon recommended the Prime Program for his wife to help her cope with the death of her mother. Tess remains highly skeptical of the Prime program, especially because Marjorie Prime is constantly smiling and appears to be too understanding to truly impersonate Marjorie's real personality. This leads Tess to realize she has chosen the aged version of her mother because this is the version she still has things she needs to say to. Meanwhile, in a flashback to when Walter was alive, he and Marjorie are sitting on the couch watching the nightly news, which shows “The Gates”, an art exhibit by Christo and Jeanne-Claude that ran in Central Park during February 2005. As was explained in an earlier scene, this is shortly after Walter and Marjorie's son, Damian, kills Toni II and commits suicide. Walter and Marjorie become emotional and embrace one another.

Sometime later, Jon is talking to Tess in the living room. It is then revealed it is a Prime version of her; a year has passed and Tess, apparently still unable to deal with Marjorie's death, had hanged herself during a vacation in Madagascar. Jon brings Tess' granddaughter to meet Tess Prime because she never met the real Tess while she was alive due to Tess' estrangement from her daughter.

Years later, Tess' granddaughter is grown up and Jon is very old. In the house's living room, Walter Prime, Marjorie Prime, and Tess Prime talk about the old days, reliving old memories. They discuss a memory of the dog Toni, believing Tess was the one who picked him out. Walter tells them that Tess didn't pick Toni: Damian did. He picked her because she looked like their old dog, also named Toni, who died before Tess was born and whom she never knew existed. After hearing the story, Marjorie and Tess can remember Damian too. As Walter apologizes for saddening them, Marjorie responds by saying the only thing she can think of is "how nice that we could love somebody".

Cast

Lois Smith at the international premiere of Marjorie Prime Lois Smith - IFFR 2017-1.jpg
Lois Smith at the international premiere of Marjorie Prime

Release

FilmRise acquired distribution rights to the film after its premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

Reception

Critical response

Marjorie Prime received critical acclaim. It holds an approval rating of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 92 reviews, with an average rating of 7.42/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Intimate in setting yet ambitious in scope, the beautifully acted Marjorie Prime poses thought-provoking questions about memory, humanity, and love." [5] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [6]

Accolades

The film won the Sloan Feature Film Prize, which includes a $20,000 cash award, presented at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The award jury awarded the film for its "imaginative and nuanced depiction of the evolving relationship between humans and technology, and its moving dramatization of how intelligent machines can challenge our notions of identity, memory and mortality.” [7] The jury members were Heather Berlin, Tracy Drain, Nell Greenfieldboyce, Nicole Perlman, and Jennifer Phang. [8] [ failed verification ]

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Gotham Independent Film Awards November 27, 2017 Best Actress Lois Smith Nominated [9]
Independent Spirit Awards March 3, 2018 Best Supporting Female Lois SmithNominated [10] [11]
Satellite Awards February 10, 2018 Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Lois SmithWon [12]
Saturn Awards June 2018 Best Supporting Actress Lois SmithNominated [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geena Davis</span> American actor and activist (born 1956)

Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis is an American actor and activist. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

<i>Don Jon</i> 2013 film by Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Don Jon is a 2013 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in his feature directorial debut. The film stars Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, and Julianne Moore, with Rob Brown, Glenne Headly, Brie Larson, and Tony Danza in supporting roles. The film premiered under its original title Don Jon's Addiction at the Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2013, and was released in the United States on September 27, 2013. The film grossed $41 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>The Voices</i> 2014 comedy horror film

The Voices is a 2014 satirical psychological horror comedy film directed by Marjane Satrapi, written by Michael R. Perry, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Gemma Arterton, Anna Kendrick and Jacki Weaver. It had its world premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2014. The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on February 6, 2015, by Lionsgate. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with many highlighting Reynolds’ performance.

Jordan Harrison is an American playwright. He grew up on Bainbridge Island, Washington. His play Marjorie Prime was a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

<i>Wiener-Dog</i> (film) 2016 American film by Todd Solondz

Wiener-Dog is a 2016 American anthology comedy film directed and written by Todd Solondz. Starring an ensemble cast led by Ellen Burstyn, Kieran Culkin, Julie Delpy, Danny DeVito, Greta Gerwig, Tracy Letts, and Zosia Mamet, the film serves as a spin-off from Solondz's 1995 film Welcome to the Dollhouse, which also features the character of Dawn Wiener. The film is also inspired by the 1966 French drama Au hasard Balthazar, directed by Robert Bresson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uri Singer</span> Businessman and film producer

Uri Singer, is a businessman and film producer. He is the owner and CEO of Passage Pictures.

<i>The Yellow Birds</i> (film) 2017 film

The Yellow Birds is a 2017 American war film directed by Alexandre Moors and based on the novel The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers. The film stars Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich, Toni Collette, Jason Patric, Jack Huston, and Jennifer Aniston.

<i>Wonderstruck</i> (film) 2017 American film

Wonderstruck is a 2017 American mystery drama film directed by Todd Haynes, based on the 2011 novel Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, who adapted the novel into the screenplay. The film stars Oakes Fegley, Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, and Millicent Simmonds in her film debut.

<i>Certain Women</i> (film) 2016 American drama film by Kelly Reichardt

Certain Women is a 2016 American drama film edited, written, and directed by Kelly Reichardt. Based on "Native Sandstone", "Travis, B." and "Tome"—three short stories from Maile Meloy's collections Half in Love and Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It—it stars Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, Lily Gladstone, James Le Gros, and Jared Harris.

<i>The Fits</i> (film) 2015 film directed by Anna Rose Holmer

The Fits is a 2015 American drama film directed by Anna Rose Holmer in her feature debut. The film tells the story of Toni, an 11-year-old tomboy who struggles to fit into a girls’ dance troupe, which begins to suffer from an inexplicable epidemic of violent fits.

<i>The Little Hours</i> 2017 American film

The Little Hours is a 2017 American medieval black comedy film written and directed by Jeff Baena. The film is loosely based on the first and second stories of day three of ten of The Decameron, a collection of novellas by Giovanni Boccaccio, a 14th-century Italian writer. It stars an ensemble cast featuring Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Kate Micucci, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly, and Molly Shannon.

<i>Beirut</i> (film) 2018 American film

Beirut, also known as The Negotiator in the United Kingdom, is a 2018 American political thriller film directed by Brad Anderson and written by Tony Gilroy.

<i>Ingrid Goes West</i> 2017 American film

Ingrid Goes West is a 2017 American black comedy drama film directed by Matt Spicer and written by Spicer and David Branson Smith. The film stars Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, Billy Magnussen, Wyatt Russell, Pom Klementieff, and O'Shea Jackson Jr., and follows a young woman who moves to Los Angeles in an effort to befriend her Instagram idol.

<i>Zoe</i> (film) 2018 American science fiction film

Zoe is a 2018 American romantic science fiction film directed by Drake Doremus and starring Ewan McGregor, Léa Seydoux, Christina Aguilera, Rashida Jones, and Miranda Otto.

<i>A Ghost Story</i> 2017 American film

A Ghost Story is a 2017 American supernatural drama film written and directed by David Lowery and starring Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, and Will Oldham. It is about a man who becomes a ghost and remains in the house he shared with his wife.

<i>Nostalgia</i> (2018 film) 2018 film by Mark Pellington

Nostalgia is a 2018 American drama film directed by Mark Pellington. The screenplay, written by Alex Ross Perry, is based on a story by Perry and Pellington. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Jon Hamm, Catherine Keener, John Ortiz, Nick Offerman, James LeGros, Bruce Dern, and Ellen Burstyn. It revolves around the lives of several people who become connected through loss.

<i>Hearts Beat Loud</i> 2018 American film

Hearts Beat Loud is a 2018 American musical comedy-drama film directed by Brett Haley, from a screenplay by Haley and Marc Basch. It stars Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Sasha Lane, Blythe Danner and Toni Collette, and follows a Brooklyn record store owner who tries to convince his daughter to start a band with him after a song they recorded goes viral.

<i>The Tale</i> 2018 film by Jennifer Fox

The Tale is a 2018 American drama film written and directed by Jennifer Fox and starring Laura Dern, Ellen Burstyn, Jason Ritter, Elizabeth Debicki, Isabelle Nélisse, Common, Frances Conroy, and John Heard. It tells the story of Fox's own child sexual abuse and her coming to terms with it in her later life. It premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and aired on HBO on May 26, 2018. In a 2023 interview with The New York Times, Fox revealed the identity of the man who abused her: Ted Nash, a two-time Olympic medalist in rowing and nine-time Olympic coach.

<i>Hereditary</i> (film) 2018 film by Ari Aster

Hereditary is a 2018 American psychological horror film written and directed by Ari Aster in his feature directorial debut. Starring Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, and Gabriel Byrne, the film follows a grieving family tormented by sinister occurrences after the death of their secretive grandmother.

<i>Dog Days</i> (2018 film) 2018 American film

Dog Days is a 2018 American romantic comedy film directed by Ken Marino and written by Elissa Matsueda and Erica Oyama. It stars Eva Longoria, Nina Dobrev, Vanessa Hudgens, Lauren Lapkus, Thomas Lennon, Adam Pally, Ryan Hansen, Rob Corddry, Tone Bell, Jon Bass and Finn Wolfhard. The plot follows the intertwining lives of various dogs and their owners around Los Angeles.

References

  1. ↑ Ford, Rebecca (October 7, 2015). "Tim Robbins Joins Jon Hamm in 'Marjorie Prime' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  2. ↑ Ford, Rebecca (February 12, 2016). "First Look: Jon Hamm, Tim Robbins Have Familial Face-Off in 'Marjorie Prime' (Exclusive Photo)". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  3. ↑ Patten, Dominic (December 5, 2016). "Sundance 2017: Robert Redford, New Rashida Jones Netflix Series, 'Rebel In The Rye' & More On Premiere, Docu, Midnight & Kids Slates". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media.
  4. ↑ "Marjorie Prime". Sundance Film Festival . The Sundance Institute. Archived from the original on June 29, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Marjorie Prime (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Marjorie Prime Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  7. ↑ Gans, Andrew (January 25, 2017). "'Marjorie Prime' Wins Feature Film Prize at Sundance". Playbill . Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  8. ↑ Epstein, Sonia Shechet (February 3, 2017). "A New Film About Marie Curie by Marie Noëlle". Sloan Science & Film. Museum of the Moving Image . Retrieved February 3, 2017.
  9. ↑ Erbland, Kate (October 19, 2017). "'Get Out' Leads 2017 Gotham Awards Nominations". IndieWire . Penske Business Media . Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  10. ↑ Lewis, Hilary (November 21, 2017). "2018 Independent Spirit Award Nominations Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  11. ↑ Nyren, Erin (March 3, 2018). "2018 Independent Spirit Awards: Winners List". Variety . Penske Business Media . Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  12. ↑ Pond, Steve (November 28, 2017). "'Dunkirk,' 'The Shape of Water' Lead Satellite Award Nominations". TheWrap . Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  13. ↑ Butler, Mary Anne (March 15, 2018). "Here Are The 44th Annual Saturn Awards Nominations". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.