T.I.M.

A dull retread of every other movie or TV show that tells the exact same story of technology going awry by either becoming murderous or developing "feelings" for an owner. It has Georgina Campbell in it- she's great, but she's not got much to work with here in a low rent rudderless 100 minutes where an inevitabily antagonistic AI robot is inexplicably dressed like Brains from Thunderbirds on a Hittler youth march. It doesn't even try to be clever. Or interesting. In fact, it's almost as if an AI has discovered an alogorythym for boring science fiction thrillers and turned in this lifeless script, with nothing new to say, and nothing fun or inventive about the whole thing, other than the AI getting luridly confused each time his owner gets dressed, building to a stupid climax (the film, not the robot watching her get dressed).

Have you noticed how most of the artificial intelligence movies that are out are about what can go wrong? Maybe it is the fear of the unknown or the fear of what can happen, but this movie does a great job pushing the envelope. This movie is full of surprises which makes who wonder who was T. I. M.s programmer? They say garbage in, garbage out and that certainly applies to T. I. M. I won't say what he does for the sake of being a spoiler, but let's just say you may want to think twice about smart homes and driverless vehicles. Either way, this movie will take you on a ride as T. I. M. Does not disappoint.

Robotic acting - check, seemingly AI generated script - check, obvious robot gains feelings meme - check. Boring in the extreme - check++. Special FX - none. Humor - none. Compelling story - none. The robot main charactervhas the most charisma, and that's saying something. White walls everywhere don't make the future. Working on a robot hand in a lab doesn't illustrate AI. A charismatic boss keen to unleash his creations on the world is totally expected. If you love movies maybe avoid this. It's not really a movie, more of a statement. I dare you to watch this to the end - because you won't. You won't.

Abi Campbell is employed by at a cutting edge robotics company where she works on T. I. M. The 'Technologically Integrated Manservant'... basically a human looking robot that does household tasks and is fully integrated into its owner's computer systems. She has moved to a remote rural home, hoping that away from London her husband Paul is less likely to keep straying. Their new hi-tech home comes with a T. I. M. Both a perk and a condition of her job. It appears to be very helpful but Paul doesn't like having it in the house; is he worried that T. I. M. Will make it harder for him to carry on with the neighbour or is there something genuinely sinister about their robotic servant?

I thought this was a pretty solid science fiction film even if the concept of humaniform robots in the home is hardly original; I couldn't help being reminded of the film 'Ex_Machina' and the TV series 'Humans' and 'Better than Us'. It is somewhat predictable but that doesn't mean it isn't entertaining. Georgina Campbell impresses as Abi and Eamon Farren is delightfully creepy as T. I. M., firmly positioning the robot in uncanny valley even before its behaviour becomes obviously suspect. Most of the action takes place in the house and the surrounding countryside or occasionally the works; this provides an excuse to keep the cast fairly small. Most of the time things are merely creepy but there is occasional, effective action. The denouement is okay but not much of a surprise. Overall a decent if minor addition to this genre.

"T. I. M." offers an engaging cinematic experience, although it falls short of the psychological intensity of a "Black Mirror" episode. The film, with its well-acted ensemble of a small cast, manages to captivate despite its differences in scope.

Running for 1 hour and 41 minutes, "T. I. M." struggles to fully develop its characters, leaving the audience wanting more depth. The narrative occasionally feels pieced together, hindering the film from realizing its full potential. Yet, surprisingly, the film's emotional resonance isn't entirely lost.

In a world where AI integration is becoming less fiction and more fact, "T. I. M." explores a topic of increasing relevance. It prompts us to contemplate the ramifications of advanced technology on our lives and emotions.

Despite review scores that might suggest otherwise, "T. I. M." isn't as lacking as some critics assert. I rate it a solid 7.5 out of 10. While it may not scale the heights of other films and shows in this genre, it still offers thoughtful moments and a glimpse into a world where time and emotions intertwine, even if not explored to their fullest.