Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal star as Midwestern couple Hen and Junior in this meandering sci-fi drama about a couple living in a pseudo-dystopian 2065. Because of the deteriorating state of the Earth, Junior is chosen to try out life on a space station for a year, while an AI replica will be left behind with Hen. Director Garth Davis, who co-wrote the script with the novel’s author Iain Reid, keeps the weirdness and tension simmering throughout, but the end result feels empty, even with what’s supposed to be an a-ha twist ending. Ronan, of course, kills it, but her talents feel wasted in this half-baked slog.
2/5 stars