I Origins is a 2014 American science fiction film written, directed, and produced by Mike Cahill. The independent production premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2014. It is distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, and opened in limited release on July 18, 2014.
A graduate student, Ian Gray (Michael Pitt), meets an interesting woman, Sofi (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), at a Halloween party, and he photographs her eyes. They start to have sex in a washroom, but she abruptly leaves without providing her contact information.
Gray is researching the evolution of human eyes with Karen (Brit Marling) and Kenny (Steven Yeun). Gray's goal is to prove that eyes have evolved in order to discredit creationists.
One day, Gray sees a number of elevens all at one time. He gets on bus number 11, but gets off when a seeing-eye dog starts barking at him. He sees a billboard a cosmetics ad featuring Sofi's unmistakable eyes, and uses it to track her down. Despite their different belief systems, Gray and Sofi's relationship develops and they eventually plan to marry. On their would-be wedding day, however, Karen calls Gray, informing him of a species of worm that is blind, but had the DNA required to develop an eye. This is the breakthrough they have been searching for.
Sofi is upset, and suggests that humans are like the blind worm. Just because they cannot see light, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Just because humans can't see God doesn't mean that God doesn't exist. Gray argues with her and grows impatient with her views, telling her that she is a "child." Later that day, though a freak accident in an elevator, Sofi dies in his arms. Gray is distraught, and Karen takes over much of his research. One evening, she brings him a meal at his home. He breaks down, and she comforts him - leading to a more intimate situation.
A graduate student, Ian Gray (Michael Pitt), meets an interesting woman, Sofi (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), at a Halloween party, and he photographs her eyes. They start to have sex in a washroom, but she abruptly leaves without providing her contact information.
Gray is researching the evolution of human eyes with Karen (Brit Marling) and Kenny (Steven Yeun). Gray's goal is to prove that eyes have evolved in order to discredit creationists.
One day, Gray sees a number of elevens all at one time. He gets on bus number 11, but gets off when a seeing-eye dog starts barking at him. He sees a billboard a cosmetics ad featuring Sofi's unmistakable eyes, and uses it to track her down. Despite their different belief systems, Gray and Sofi's relationship develops and they eventually plan to marry. On their would-be wedding day, however, Karen calls Gray, informing him of a species of worm that is blind, but had the DNA required to develop an eye. This is the breakthrough they have been searching for.
Sofi is upset, and suggests that humans are like the blind worm. Just because they cannot see light, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Just because humans can't see God doesn't mean that God doesn't exist. Gray argues with her and grows impatient with her views, telling her that she is a "child." Later that day, though a freak accident in an elevator, Sofi dies in his arms. Gray is distraught, and Karen takes over much of his research. One evening, she brings him a meal at his home. He breaks down, and she comforts him - leading to a more intimate situation.
The biggest flaw in I Origins is its predictability. Perhaps this is due to the trailer leaving very little of the plot development to the imagination. Yet, having said that, I still found myself moved even to tears by several scenes in this emotional roller-coaster of a film. I'm admittedly a junkie for supernatural themed films (Ghost is a favorite of mine) and this film's attack on a sort of mentality that holds that science must equal atheism in its strictest form won me over after some hesitation. I think the numerous bad reviews of this film by mainstream critics come from those who hold some version of this aforementioned mentality, and took offense at the premise of this film, but for anyone either truly open minded, or else already convinced that there is more to life than meets the eye (pun intended), this film is a true joy, albeit a joy born of great suffering.
A scientist who spends his life trying to disprove God and intelligent design (I'm all for science and learning, and am NOT religious at all, but what satisfaction anyone could achieve by trying to deny the existence of omnipresent Love and Knowledge is beyond me - but I digress) meets a woman who seems to exist within a deeper realm of direct being - i.e. she seems to live with a connection to Love and Knowledge that the scientist only strives for. They fall in love. Things happen and their relationship is no more. Life goes on and strange things happen. Many people took great umbrage with the remaining development of the film, considering the concept too wild or far fetched, when in actuality it is a natural concept that (at least in a symbolic sense) would be more surprising if it were not true than if it was. For feel good entertainment value I give this film ten stars. Is it actually a perfect film? No. No film is perfect. But those who will not love this film would not love it under any revisions because it is not a film for such people. If you love the idea of life eternal and ideas about the real, tangible existence of a soul, this is a film you should not miss.
