Set in the present day, I?m Your Man tells the story of Alma (Maren Eggert), a scientist who is offered a job evaluating a new line of humanoid companions. After her boss manages to convince her with some mild bribery, Alma agrees to bring the cybernetic Tom (Dan Stevens) into her home for a period of three weeks in order to ascertain their value as romantic mates and potentially the rights they deserve sociologically. Although she?s skeptical (and even resistant), Tom never wavers from his desire to make her happy, forcing Alma to re-examine what she believes to be the nature of love.
Co-written and directed by Maria Schrader, I?m Your Man is a fun and philosophical film that asks some big questions in surprising ways. While the film could potentially unravel due to its high concepts, the film manages to sell its premise and draw the audience in with genuine affection. Admittedly, much of the film?s effectiveness is largely due to the utter charisma of Stevens, who sells Tom with such adorable charisma that you never really question the fact that this woman in this robot seem to be falling in love. (In fact, in the film?s greatest achievement, you?re even rooting for them as a couple.)
While the film acknowledges the social implications and dangers of becoming too obsessed with items which are in real, there is a charm that plays out in the relationship as well. Can a person love a thing as much as it does another human? In truth, this could be argued that this is already the case. If the act of love involves in our investment of time, than where we put our focus should be indicative of what we care most about. If love is based on an emotional attachment (even an unhealthy one), I?m Your Man wants to investigate the boundaries of that argument.
I?m Your Man premiered at TIFF ?21 on Monday, September 13th, 2021
