Finch - What if Issac Asimov wrote Cast Away?

 

Streaming on Apple TV+ 

(Subscription Required) 

    Tom Hanks appears to have a decent working relationship with Apple. Co-developing a typewriter app (Hanx Writer) exclusively for IOS, re-releasing his animated masterpiece, Electric City, onto an exclusive IOS app (sadly no longer available on the latest firmware), and at least one excellent feature film, Greyhound (which I never reviewed but whole heartily recommend). Now, his latest outing comes in the form of a well-crafted piece of science fiction, Finch: a story of isolation, friendship, and the potential fate of humanity. It is the Issac Asimov story that never was. 

    Set in a post-apocalyptic future where the ozone layer has been all but destroyed, resulting in increased solar radiation and hostile atmospheric conditions, one survivor, Finch (Tom Hanks), has managed a decent form of living with his loyal dog, Goodyear. Among his many pastimes, his most important is building and teaching a unique intelligent robot, eventually named Jeff (Caleb Landry Jones), to serve as his dog's guardian, and caretaker should Finch pass away before his canine friend. However, a massive storm making its way too close to home forces Finch and his companions to leave their once safe haven and make their way towards San Francisco in the hopes of finding better atmospheric conditions for a better quality of living. Along the way, Jeff will learn about the world, people, and the value of trust, while unintentionally causing Finch to reflect upon his own perceptions. 

    To put it plainly, this kind of thing is my jam! Finch has just about everything I love in this particular genre of storytelling: animal companion, a handful of characters, road trip, larger-than-life obstacles (both external and internal), and social commentary abound. 

    The performances are what ultimately sell the film. Tom Hanks, as expected, delivers a heartfelt performance only he can provide. His chemistry with the learning robot feels believable and tangible, thanks mainly to Caleb Landry Jones' performance. I was often reminded of Johnny 5 from Short Circut. 

    Probably the most delightfully surprising factor was the film's director, Miguel Sapochnik. Most of his previous work consists of television shows, including Game of Thrones, and at least one other film, Repo Men. With Finch, he shows a great deal of talent and promise as a potential full-time filmmaker and could very easily transition away from television should he choose. This is not intended to imply that television is a "lesser" form of art, far from it. I merely mean that television directors typically have a more challenging time transitioning to movies. 

*cough* Alan Taylor *cough* 

    Finch is probably one of the best films to arise amidst the COVID pandemic. It encapsulates humanity's fears and hopes in troubling times with a story that reminds us all what a healthy relationship with technology can look like. If you've been considering subscribing to Apple TV+, this would be a perfect place to start. 

Check it out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.