S1m0ne (2002)

S1m0ne (2002)

7/10

Starring

Al Pacino

Catherine Keener

Evan Rachel Wood

Rachel Roberts

Directed by Andrew Niccol

S1m0ne is my guilty pleasure movie that just makes me smile every time I get to see it. Al Pacino in a comedic role where he plays a character who is at the edge of losing his career and seeing an end to his movie production dream.

The movie’s power is in the drama. The movie packs the punch in the area of drama and the comedy is subtle and delivers the needed the smile when you need it. Regardless of the lack in box-office return which could have made this movie produce a sequel, I still believe this is a movie that is not getting the recognition it needed.

Focusing on a fictional breakthrough in CGI. It is set in the present time where a software developer made a powerful breakthrough. He developed a computer program which creates a CGI lady whose features are so perfect that you will mistake her for the real thing.

He took the features and characteristics of the best actress and singers and merged them to make the best face, physical features and personality. He gave this masterpiece to his favorite movie producer Viktor Taransky (Al Pacino) and that is what this movie is about.

We get to see Viktor go through the challenge of losing his leading lady in a movie that he is working on and he used this CGI to make a lady he called Simone and used her for the film. His production and acting since the CGI needs motion capture made the movie spectacular and Simone an overnight star.

Here is where the movie takes a life of its own, and Al Pacino gave a performance that can only be appreciated when you see this movie.

Seeing the world getting pulled apart by the idolatry of a woman who lives a secret life and has an all so beautiful face. Then the ability to get so engrossed in your work and lose yourself into a world of your own are the tales the movie spins and it spins it very well.

The movie is written, directed and produced by Andrew Niccol who is the real life spouse of the lady causing the chaos in this movie, Simone played by Rachel Roberts. This is her first movie role and for me she gave a great performance.

Even though the movie was tagged as lacking the punch and a believable plot, for me the movie had everything needed to be fun to watch enough drama to be captivating to see it through to the end.