In the near future, with the earth on the brink of ecological collapse, Junior (Paul Mescal) and his wife Henrietta (Saoirse Ronan) eke out a humble life on a remote farmstead, surrounded by a ravaged landscape. Their quiet lives are thrown into turmoil by the unexpected arrival of Terrence (Aaron Pierre), who introduces himself as a representative of the OuterMore organisation. Terrence reveals that Junior has been selected to participate in an experimental programme where he will live in a station orbiting the earth for several years. What’s more, Junior has no choice in the matter. As the devastated couple ponder the prospect of imminent separation, Terrence presents the most bizarre and unsettling aspect of the arrangement; Junior is to be replaced by a bio-mechanical duplicate every bit his equal that will offer comfort to Henrietta in his absence.

Based on Iain Reid’s novel, Garth Davis’s emotionally resonate film explores our increasingly complex relationship with AI technology.

Notes by David O’Mahony