As "BigBug" (2022 release from France; 111 min) opens, we are introduced to Alice, a recently divorced woman who is at home with her household. The TV news tells us it it "April 20, 2045" and AI robots rule society. Alice's ex-husband stops by with his new girlfriend, as does Alice's neighbor. Then out of the blue the house is sealed off by the household's main robot, resulting from unrest on the outside...
Couple of comments: this is the latest from French writer-director Jean-Pierre Jeunet ("Amelie"). Here he brings us a tale from the not-too-distant future, where AI rules the world and humans are reduced to fumbling stumbling second-rate beings. Much of the movie is set at Alice's house, and as a result this has a very theatrical feeling to it. Jeunet makes some astute observations along the way, but the movie is sunk by one glaring defect: as I was watching this, I felt zero emotional attachment to or investment in any of these characters. Yes, we watch and we observe. But that's about it. Even though it's billed as a comedy, I didn't really laugh or just chuckle as I was watching this. That said, one must admire Jeunet's ambition in coming up with the overall concept. If it weren't for the deep resources/funding by Netflix, I doubt that this movie could even be made.
"BigBug" premiered on Netflix last week. I happen to read up a positive review about it in the New York Times, and that was enough to make me want to check it out. In the end, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Ambition and ideas come about plenty, but the overall final product left me strangely unattached and not all that interested when all was said and done. Of course you don't have to take my word for it, so if you are in the mood for a sci-fi comedy unlike anything you've watched before, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
