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In 'I'm Your Man,' Failing At Romance Is Part Of The Algorithm
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
In "Downton Abbey," he wooed Lady Mary. In the Marvel series "Legion," he had psychic superpowers. British actor Dan Stevens has got range. Now he's starring in a German romantic comedy. It's called "I'm Your Man." Critic Bob Mondello says that speaking German isn't the only thing that makes Stevens click with the object of his affection.
BOB MONDELLO, BYLINE: Alma is an archeologist, scientific in her approach and as played by Maren Eggert, skeptical by nature.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "I'M YOUR MAN")
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DAN STEVENS: (As Tom) Hello, Alma. Ich bin Tom.
MONDELLO: But even by her own standards, Alma's asking the handsome guy played by Dan Stevens some pretty odd questions for a first date. What are the sixth and seventh lines of his favorite poems?
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "I'M YOUR MAN")
MAREN EGGERT: (As Alma, speaking German).
MONDELLO: Without batting an eye, he recites them. What's the second to last letter of that poem?
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "I'M YOUR MAN")
EGGERT: (As Alma, speaking German).
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STEVENS: (As Tom) A.
MONDELLO: He also does a really complicated math problem when she poses that. And then, utterly unflappable, he smiles and suggests they head for the dance floor...
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "I'M YOUR MAN")
STEVENS: (As Tom) Alma.
MONDELLO: ...Where he's pretty dashing with the dips and the spins, until...
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "I'M YOUR MAN")
STEVENS: (As Tom, speaking German).
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MONDELLO: ...He has a glitch. This date is more of a test drive. Tom is an android. And Alma has agreed, somewhat reluctantly, to try him out for a few weeks as his precision-tooled algorithm gets better at meeting her every requirement of the perfect man. As Alma resists, Tom will adapt. When she rejects a romantic brunch he cooks in the morning, he'll try rose petals, candles, wine and a bubble bath in the evening. "Ninety-three percent of German women dream of this," he tells her.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "I'M YOUR MAN")
STEVENS: (As Tom, speaking German).
MONDELLO: "Guess what percent I'm in?" she responds.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "I'M YOUR MAN")
EGGERT: (As Alma, speaking German).
STEVENS: (As Tom, speaking German).
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MONDELLO: These are pretty typical rom-com implications, and the film works on that level. But filmmaker Maria Schrader is also interested in what the meeting of our every requirement for the perfect partner might mean for society. If perfection in a mate can be manufactured, why would anyone bother interacting with actual humans? Alma can accidentally leave Tom out in the pouring rain, for instance. And though she apologizes profusely when she comes back...
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "I'M YOUR MAN")
EGGERT: (As Alma, speaking German).
MONDELLO: ...He didn't mind.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "I'M YOUR MAN")
STEVENS: (As Tom, speaking German).
MONDELLO: Anyone who's ever inadvertently said thanks to Siri will understand the weirdness here. Alma, whose name in Spanish means soul, isn't just any test driver. Her job is to judge whether ethics apply to artificially intelligent but nonetheless intelligent beings like Tom. Should they be allowed to marry, work, get passports?
Filmmaker Schrader rather likes to pose philosophical, relational and artificial intelligenzical (ph) questions, which may set you to asking a few. Like, what Hollywood algorithm determines the number of nanoseconds before "I'm Your Man" gets remade in English? And more to the point, do androids dream of romantic dinners?
I'm Bob Mondello.
(SOUNDBITE OF BREMER/MCCOY'S "NY BEGYNDELSE") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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