Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone make movie magic together, most of the time. That is certainly the case with their latest, Superintelligence—airing on HBO Max starting on November 26.
The film is a charming look at how love can save the world.
Wait, what?
Superintelligence combines a slew of movie milieus in one film—from spy capers, straight comedy, romantic comedy, and eve of apocalypse drama. For the most part, they work well together, albeit with a few eyebrow-raising moments that don’t fit any type of reasonable explanation. Not even that age-old suspension of disbelief saves certain sections. But there is such a joy about the characters in the film and the premise of the narrative and above all else—the voice of James Corden as the Artificial Intelligence sentient, who is supposed to be the Tony Award winner/Late Night Host to calm McCarthy’s Carol Peters.
Our film commences with McCarthy doing her best to find good home for homeless dogs at a Seattle farmer’s market. She used to work in the tech business and is innately savvy in that arena but left that world when she sought to make a difference in the world. Carol is contacted by this AI entity and no matter what she does, it is inescapable. The Corden voiced AI is adamant that this situation has one of three conclusions—the human race is saved and he will help fix all that ails us, it will be obliterated by nuclear weapons and other assorted assault means of war, and three, global strife will force us to literally destroy ourselves.
Carol is asked if she knew the world was ending in three days, what would she do. Without hesitation, she states she would reunite with her ex of two years ago, George (Bobby Cannavale). Next thing you know, she has $10 million in her bank account, her student loans are paid, she has an auto-driving Tesla and finds herself in at a market where he’s shopping. Clearly, this AI is not only good at controlling people through our technological devices and mediums but is learning about the human condition. That is largely why he has given Carol three days to convince him that the planet should be saved and not reduced to single-cell organisms to start over.
Meanwhile, Carol has phoned her pal at Microsoft Dennis (Brian Tyree Henry), who of course contacts the authorities in the U.S. government. Next thing you know, the president is there—played by Jean Smart! That is exactly what the AI did not want to happen but is also something he expected. He is learning and that is dangerous.
This spy, high-tech espionage stuff is compelling cinema, but Superintelligence is at its heart mostly a rom-com with McCarthy doing what she does best—utilizing physical self-deprecating humor coupled with impeccable comedic timing that produces laughs throughout. She and Cannavale have an immediate spark and the actor is perfectly adept at portraying aloof, yet intelligent. After all, he is a literature professor who has just been given a sabbatical to teach in Ireland for a year that he could not be more thrilled about.
There’s a whole lot of mystery up in the air and many balls for director Falcone to balance. He does a solid job of playing these troupes when the time is right and knowing when to pull what punches and when to let his actors fly their freak flag to our amusement. That is also largely thanks to the script by Steve Mallory (who Falcone and McCarthy have worked with before on Life of the Party, Tammy, and The Boss. They have a good thing going with varied success, but nothing they produced is downright terrible.
Superintelligence is a solid addition to their cinematic resume and thanks to upping the ante with an international crisis that could lead to Armageddon and a romance that we are pulling for working, the film is unique and sets itself apart from a few of their previous entries. The film is not going to win any awards and certainly not going to cause a national realization about the perils of technology and giving ourselves over to AI and a world where there are cameras on every corner and each one of our pockets.
Now, there are moments that go beyond accepting suspension of disbelief. There’s a moment where the military and other world leaders cut of power to the planet in an effort to stop the AI. Yet, when McCarthy is running down the street in a panic, we notice lights on in the stores she passes. That’s some lazy filmmaking, but it’s also nit-picking.
Yet, the film on HBO Max (that premieres tomorrow) is a fun ride and some light, yet thoughtful fare, but an audience hungry for distraction from current events and the stress of the holidays.
Grade: B