Movie Review: I Origins (2014)
Written by Anthony Sargon
Science vs. faith. It’s the age-old debate that continues to rage on. But what if science and faith had an intersection point; an anomaly that couldn’t be fully explained by either? I Origins, the latest film from director Mike Cahill, tries to answer that question, and largely succeeds thanks to an interesting premise, solid lead performances, and an emotional core that’s difficult to ignore.
Doctor Ian Grey (Michael Pitt) is a molecular biologist with a fascination for eyes. When he meets a beautiful but mysterious girl named Sofi (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey), the two immediately fall for one another. While Ian is a firm believer in science and evolution, Sofi is much more spiritual, which leads to some intense disagreements along the way. When Ian, along with his lab partner Karen (Brit Marling), discover a scientific breakthrough that could once-and-for-all disprove the existence of god, it changes everything. After Ian’s son is born a few years later, a false-positive iris scan matches him to a now-deceased man. Shocked by the results, Ian takes it upon himself to understand the anomaly, and tries to find if a connection exists between the human eye and the soul.
As someone who’s a firm believer in evolution and the scientific method, I wasn’t at all taken aback by the film’s occasional foray into sentimentality and spirituality. For one, Michael Pitt’s character is established as an atheist very early on, and for the most part, his logic seems sound. Sure, the film makes some pretty drastic scientific claims, but it’s not meant to be educational in any way. It’s clear that Mike Cahill is also not necessarily talking about religion, but the unknown. If anything, he seems bothered by the fact that what we don’t understand is automatically labeled as “religious” or “spiritual.”
There’s a great analogy that Sofi makes early on in the film. When Ian and Karen manage to give a blind worm the ability to see, she compares that worm to a human who now suddenly just gained a new sense. Much like the worm’s newfound ability to sense light, some humans can sense something beyond what we’re currently limited to. Again, this may come off as “we can sense god,” but what Cahill is really pointing at is the existence of other dimensions. The film’s ending, which could have easily come off as preachy, was extremely emotional and powerful. While it obviously won’t change anyone’s personal views, it’s ambiguous enough to let you reach your own conclusion. It was a safer ending than I had maybe hoped for, but it packs a big emotional punch.
Cahill’s direction is strong and inspired throughout, and the film can be visually breathtaking considering it was made for very little money. The performances are mostly reliable, with Michael Pitt delivering a solid turn as Ian Grey. The true standouts are the supporting players, though, with Brit Marling, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, and Steven Yeun all giving memorable performances.
The Verdict:
I Origins tackles some pretty big questions, and for the most part, succeeds in exploring them. It may not rely on logic as much as it should, but its heart is definitely in the right place.
Numerical Score: 7.5/10
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