Ich Bin Dein Mensch (2021)
Ich Bin Dein Mensch by the German director Maria Schrader is one of the most original romantic comedies of recent years, partly due to a science fiction angle, which may one day become reality.
The film was adapted by Schrader and Jan Schomburg from a short story by Emma Braslavsky.
Maren Eggert plays scientist Alma, who, in order to get money for her research, agrees to an experiment. She has to live with a special human robot for three weeks and write a report on her findings.
Alma, who prefers to focus on her work for personal reasons, initially tries to keep robot Tom (Dan Stevens) at a distance. In time, however, she succumbs to his personality, composed of 17 million data files, whose charm, good manners and eloquence are designed to make her happy.
Eggert is excellent, but Stevens' casting is a masterstroke. The British actor - Lady Mary's first husband in Downton Abbey - plays a starring role in which he comes across as a completely believable humanoid - The film is full of sly humor, in passing Tom also mocks an older generation of robots.
Another strong point is the camera work by Benedict Neuenfels, who adds enough futuristic touches within a realistic world to make the fusion of genres credible.
Ich Bin Dein Mensch is not only convincing as a high concept sci-fi romcom, but also gains added value through the philosophical underlayment on themes such as identity, love and loneliness, and our ceaseless search for happiness.
One of the year’s better movies.