O Horizonis bound to be one of the season’s sweetest charmers. The heartwarming indie film stars Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Creature Commandos) as a neuroscientist grieving the loss of her father (David Strathairn ofNomadlandandGood Night and Good Luck). There’s a nice sci-fi element, too, placing the film in the realm of magical realism and making it an overall celebration of indie cinema. Written and directed by Emmy winner Madeleine Rotzler (Dangerous Acts Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus),O Horizonis the kind of movie we need more of.
Bakalova evokes great compassion for her character, Abby, who grabs hold of an opportunity to speak and engage with her deceased father, Warren, again — throughthe use of new AI technology. Trippy. But perhaps not so much, considering the technological advancement these days. The challenge for Abby, however, is that the ripple effects of her actions spread much farther than she ever realized, forcing her to rethink her motivations. Even her life.
O Horizonwins points for its smart writing, which doesn’t dumb down the subject matter. Coupled with a strong supporting cast featuring Adam Pally (Sonic the Hedgehog), Maggie Grace, Avi Nash, Paulina Porizkova, Kim Dante Jeanfelix, and the (surprise) appearance of acclaimed singer/songwriter Aimee Mann, the feel-good film is an indie delight, altogether touching and sweet.
Meet Your New AI Daddy
O Horizon stars Oscar nominees Maria Bakalova and David Strathairn and is written & directed by Emmy Award winner Madeleine Rotzler. A neuroscientist mourning the loss of her father is suddenly able to speak with him through a new technology, causing her to question everything from her relationships to her life’s work.
Director/writer Madeleine Rotzler effectively drops us into Abby’s world, allowing us to immediately feel at home with her. The ambitious young woman is running a neurological study which finds her spending a lot of time with a monkey, monitoring its brain activity throughout the day. The study is significant and can advance Abby’s career, but lately, her work has become a refuge from her grief. The ache from having recently lost her father has not subsided. In fact, it may be getting worse.
As Abby grapples with all the issues in her work and her personal life, an offbeat opportunity emerges. There’s a new app, you see. For the right price, you’re able to turn over emails, photos, and voice messages from a loved one andvoila!You can then begin communicating with “them” via AI. In real time.
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Sure enough, Abby submits, mostly because she carries a burden of not having been there when her father passed, and there, in the back offices of a mysterious parlor, she turns everything over to an encouraging and supportive fella named Adam (Pally playing an Adam Pally role). Soon enough, Abby is chatting away with her dad. Well, at least the AI version. But boy, it sure sounds and “feels” like the dad she knew.
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This plot thread moves along breezily, never feeling forced or played over the top. Instead, the filmmaker and, in turn, Bakalova take their time allowing the creative seeds of the film and the nuances of the main character to bloom and shine. Tossed into the mix is a potential love interest for Abby via Douglas (played by Avi Nash). When he’s finally let in on what Abby has been going through and the, well, “rebirth” of her father, he’s supportive.
Inevitably, there’s a kink in Abby’s plan for how long she can connect with her father, musing about their time together and all the life lessons along the way. The great joy of the film is that the writing never drowns in melodrama, there’s some levity along the way. It’s surreal, cute, and funny, for instance, when Douglas receives a call from Abby’s AI dad and later groans: “Your dead father has just called to check up on me!”
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As the film moves along, filmmaker Madeleine Rotzler manages to create an effective adult fairy tale, a kind of latter dayAlice in Wonderland,in which the main character is sent down her own emotional rabbit hole, experiencing new things along the way. The conversations between father and daughter become prompts in a way for Abby to dive deeper into the truth: that her father was her most treasured hero and that she needed his wisdom. And still does.
Maria Bakalova radiates throughout. She has emerged as one of the more effective actors today, capable of broad humor (Borat), gritty action (Dirty Angels), and even the alluring vocal delights of something likeCreature Commandos.Her Abby is vulnerable and Bakalova manages to capture these complexities effectively. We see David Strathairn mostly in the dreamscape to which Abby escapes. The two actors have great chemistry, making their bond (and Abby’s grief) believable.
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There comes a turning point, however, and the filmmaker offers some interesting choices with that. The same can be said for some of special effects employed here, which are slim yet sleek and effective. The sci-fi AI story thread will surely entice, but it’s the great, big heart ofO Horizonthat will make it an instant audience pleaser.O Horizonis playing at film festivals across the country. Mark Gill executive producedO Horizonwith Paul Nelson and Audrey Tommassini Cross producing. Watch this space for updates.
