“The future will be here soon enough. Might as well get friendly with it.” This thought, tossed off by the incomparable Lois Smith in “Marjorie Prime,” captures the exquisite drama’s theme, on many levels.
Can we ever get friendly with the future? Doesn’t its very un-knowability preclude that? The notion can also be interpreted through a science-fiction lens: the film takes place in the not-too-distant future, incorporating artificially intelligent characters that are digitally simulated holograms of dead people.
But the idea packs a more ruminative punch. Time passes; people cope with life in the ways they can. We can try to “get friendly” with the inevitable, but we can’t escape pain, suffering and grief. We struggle to find ways to make our peace with it.
“Marjorie Prime” is about the passage of time, about what we hold on to and remember along the way, how we deal with loss, and whether we can find solace in our memories. It explores complicated family relationships. It delves into the question of whether humans are predictable, or just the opposite. Most of all, and quite simply, the film is about love. Employing a futuristic conceit that could be dubbed soulful sci-fi, this exquisitely rendered story explores and examines human emotion.
Based on the play by Jordan Harrison, and adapted for the screen by writer-director Michael Almereyda (“Experimenter,” “Escapes”), the dialogue achieves the tricky balance of being both artfully profound and unostentatious. Often in theatrical adaptations, a film retains too much of its origins, coming across as stagy or too confined. That is not at all the case here.
“How nice that we could love somebody,” is another seemingly bland thought expressed by Smith’s octogenarian character Marjorie. But like so much in this layered, poignant and provocative film, those words have a deeper meaning.
We meet Marjorie at 85, in the final year of her life, struggling with her failing memory. The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is not explicitly stated, but her dementia is evident. Once a talented violinist, Marjorie is a widow, whose daughter Tess (Geena Davis) and son-in-law John (Tim Robbins) are living with her in the gorgeous seaside home Marjorie once shared with her husband Walter.
Marjorie is the first person we see on screen, followed shortly by Walter Prime (Jon Hamm), whom we soon learn is a holographic incarnation of her dead husband, as he looked in his prime. The word has a dual connotation here. When referring to the holograms, it is used to distinguish them from the original human version. The living, who seek out the companionship of primes, can choose at what age they want to resurrect their loved one. Marjorie opts for Walter at 40.
We desperately want to remember those we loved and to keep them alive in our thoughts, and the existence of primes offer an opportunity to manifest this human desire.
Walter Prime’s programming includes mundane reminders like urging Marjorie to eat something (in her state she’s bound to forget). Mostly, however, he’s there to jog her memories and to provide emotional comfort. Their conversations can be funny, sharp, rambling or sweet, and nearly always melancholy.
Given the promise of technology, the concept of a talking hologram that captures a loved one’s physical likeness and is programmed with essential facts seems entirely within the scope of possibility. The film’s fascinating premise, rendered in rather low-tech fashion without the aid of CG razzle-dazzle, is related to other masterful films like “Her” and “The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”
Most of the story takes place in Marjorie’s strikingly appointed oceanfront home, but there’s never a feeling of claustrophobia. The location makes perfect sense, given the story. Almereyda weaves in some background — flashbacks that provide just a jot of useful context and reveal themselves more like moving snapshots. These sequences are few and impeccably inserted.
Davis and Robbins give their best performances in years. Hamm lends his character just the right blend of earnestness, his rigid posture and slightly tentative expression conveying subtly that he’s not human. But his words — he’s programmed to “speak in fragments and misplaced modifiers” — sound profoundly human.
Davis’s Tess is complicated, whip-smart and vulnerable. She yearns for a more loving bond with her mother and is still processing a family tragedy that happened when she was six. She sits down to play the piano. We instantly recognize the few bars of “I Shall be Released.” The song comes up again later, in a version by The Band. Tess’s physical posture as she listens to it speaks volumes.
With a score beautifully rendered by Mica Levi (“Jackie”), perhaps including the song twice is more than necessary. Clearly, Tess is seeking release from emotional turmoil, but the film’s use of the song avoids feeling heavy-handed. So much is cryptic and alluded to as the story unravels that we hang on gratefully to this bit of musical exposition.
Along with Robbins, Davis and Hamm, Stephanie Andujar is also excellent in a small part as Marjorie’s caretaker. Good as the ensemble cast is, however, “Marjorie Prime” is Smith’s film. Hers is a brilliant performance. Watching her inspires the kind of awe one feels when looking at the brushstrokes of an artistic masterpiece. Smith’s every gesture and vocal intonation serves to impeccably render a vivid, multi-faceted person. It’s impossible to imagine anyone else in the role.
“Marjorie Prime” is a contemplative, intimate and poetic chamber piece, superbly told and nimbly acted, with equal parts nuance and empathy.
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50 Actresses Over 50 Who Still Rule Hollywood (Photos)
These strong women have aged gracefully — while still governing Hollywood.
The Australian Oscar winner has kept busy with blockbusters ("Aquaman"), award-winning indies ("Boy Erased") and TV hits like HBO's "Big Little Lies" and "The Undoing."
After starring in 2015's "Cinderella," this Oscar nominee reprised a different Disney role as the Red Queen in "Alice Through the Looking Glass." And then won acclaim on Netflix's "The Crown."
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Yuh-Jung Youn (birthdate: 06/19/47)
South Korean actress Yuh-Jung Youn has graced Korean screens for decades and recently brought her talents to the U.S. in "Minari," earning her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2021.
Aside from the fact that she's the only black woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress, she recently starred in "X-Men: Days of Future Past," "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" and two movies in the "Kingsman" series.
An accomplished SAG and Emmy winner, Davis starred in ABC’s hit series "How to Get Away With Murder" and the two "Suicide Squad" movies (including a 2021 sequel). She also starred in the 2020 drama "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom."
Following the enormous success of her breakout series "Sex and the City," Jessica Parker starred in a string of romantic comedies. She starred in HBO's comedy "Divorce."
The Oscar nominee has been busy, voicing the mother in Pixar's "Inside Out," playing Cleo Trumbo in "Trumbo," and Martha Kent in 2013's "Man of Steel" and 2016's "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice." She starred opposite Kevin Costner in 2020's "Let Him Go."
Since the '80s, Fox has made a name for herself in both film and TV, including appearances in Fox's "Empire," "Independence Day: Resurgence" and Lifetime's series of "Wrong" movies.
The Oscar-winning Tomei maintains a tireless work ethic, playing roles in "The Big Short," "Captain America: Civil War," and the Tom Holland "Spider-Man" movies.
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Queen Latifah (birthdate: 03/19/1970)
The rapper turned actress and producer stars in CBS' hit reboot of "The Equalizer."
Taraji broke out in "Baby Boy," and has garnered recognition for her roles in "Hustle and Flow" and 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." She most recently starred in "Hidden Figures" and rocked everybody's world as Cookie on "Empire."
After turning heads in "The Passion of the Christ" and two of the three "Matrix" films, the Italian actress returned to the silver screen as a Bond girl in 2015's "Spectre." And then starred as Italian photographer Tina Modotti in the miniseries "Radical Eye."
The actress broke out in the late-'90s series "Ally McBeal," then starred in films like "Charlie's Angels" and "Kill Bill." In 2019, she wrapped a long run playing Watson in CBS' Sherlock Holmes series "Elementary."
This three-time Oscar and Tony nominee is working hard, with big roles in shows like "Ozark," "Tales of the City" and Viggo Mortensen's film "Falling."
Octavia Spencer had her big break with her role in "The Help" in 2011 -- and she won an Oscar for it. Since, she's starred in "Fruitvale Station," "Hidden Figures," and "Ma."
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Ming-Na Wen (birthdate: 11/20/63)
In addition to being the enchanting voice of the heroine in Disney's "Mulan," Wen is known for her roles on "Stargate Universe," Disney+'s "The Mandalorian" and ABC's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."
Since her days as a "Friends" leading lady, Kudrow has been active in film and TV, playing characters in Netflix’s "BoJack Horseman," "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising," the 2019 indie hit "Booksmart" and the Netflix comedy "Space Force."
The "As Good As It Gets" actress drew acclaim in 2012 for her role in Sundance favorite "The Sessions" and recently starred in the sitcom reboot "Mad About You."
Even after the end of ABC's "Ugly Betty" and the short-lived "666 Park Avenue," Williams has kept working with projects like "Daytime Divas" and Justin Simien's 2020 film "Bad Hair."
Whiledoing charity work for her anti-sex-trafficking foundation Thorn, Moore has returned to the screen in TV projects like "Empire," "Animals." and "Brave New World."
After appearing in "Elysium" and "Carnage," the Oscar-winning actress took a break from acting and returned to directing with 2016's "Money Monster" starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts and an episode of "Black Mirror." She then appeared in front of the camera in 2020's "Prisoner 760."
With a career that spans four decades, Jason Leigh earned an Oscar nomination for 2015's "The Hateful Eight," then starred in shows like "Twin Peaks," "Patrick Melrose" and "Atypical" as well as movies like 2020's "The Woman in the Window."
Despite the 2016 cancellation of her short-lived sitcom "Angel from Hell," Lynch has made strides in the past few years, hosting NBC's "Hollywood Game Night" and earning Emmy attention for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."
Having appeared in both mainstream and art-house films, Moore received acclaim for her Oscar-winning performance in "Still Alice." She followed with showy roles in 2020's "The Woman in the Window" and Julie Taymor's "The Glorias."
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Lorraine Toussaint (birthdate: 04/04/60)
Starting her career in theater before transitioning into film and TV, Toussaint has appeared in Ava DuVernay's "Selma" and the short-lived Fox series "Forever." She's also received praise for her work as Vee in Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black" and series like "Into the Badlands" and "The Village."
One of Hollywood and Britain's most accomplished performers, Thompson appeared in 2017's "Beauty and the Beast," Mindy Kaling's "Late Night" in 2019 and 2021's "Cruella."
An actress known for her roles in horror films and the 2003 comedy "Freaky Friday," Lee Curtis has lately appeared on screen in 2018's "Halloween" reboot and 2019's "Knives Out."
Though she's known primarily for her film roles, including her turn in Spike Lee's 2016 drama "Chi-Raq" and 2018's "Black Panther," Bassett is a TV regular, particularly in FX's anthology series "American Horror Story" and "9-1-1."
In addition to being a TV personality, a two-time Oscar host and an LGBTQ advocate, DeGeneres found time to reprise her role as the forgetful blue tang in Pixar's 2016 hit "Finding Dory," the sequel to 2003's "Finding Nemo."
The Georgia-born Oscar winner returned to film in 2012 after a seven-year hiatus, and has since had roles in "The Big Sick," "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," and TV shows like "Here and Now" and "Succession."
Known for her early '90s roles in "Sex, Lies, & Videotape," "Groundhog Day," and "Four Weddings and a Funeral," MacDowell has appeared in recent films like "Only the Brave" and 2019's "Ready or Not."
The three-time Academy Award nominee appeared in 2015's acclaimed "Room" and ABC's mystery melodrama "The Family" as well as Apple TV+'s "Lisey's Story."
Russo, a Vogue model-turned-BAFTA nominated actress, juggled lots of roles in recent movies, including Marvel's "Thor," the neo-noir thriller "Nightcrawler" the Nancy Meyers comedy "The Intern" and 2019's "Velvet Buzzsaw."
The actress and producer has kept busy since ending her long-running daytime talk show, overseeing her OWN network and appearing in series like "Greenleaf" and movies such as "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" and "A Wrinkle in Time."
The Golden Globe and SAG-winning actress starred in the 2016 crime comedy caper "The Nice Guys" and had a big role in the last two "Fifty Shades" movies.
A well-known character actress, Steenburgen has appeared in several TV shows (Fox’s "The Last Man on Earth," Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black") and films ("Song One," "A Walk in the Woods"). She starred in the 2016 drama "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and 2018's "Book Club."
Since her breakthrough role in 1973’s “Live and Let Die,” Seymour has kept busy in projects like the 2016 spoof movie "Fifty Shades of Black" and the CW’s "Jane the Virgin."
One of the most recognized and active women working in Hollywood today, Streep is keeping her acclaimed acting streak alive. Recent projects include "The Post," "Little Women," Netflix's "The Prom" and HBO's "Big Little Lies."
The "Ghostbusters" alum has been in 12 movies since 2010, ranging from "Chappie" to "The Cabin in the Woods." She had a cameo in 2016's female-led remake of "Ghostbusters" and stars in James Cameron's upcoming "Avatar" sequels.
A multiple Oscar, Golden Globe, and SAG winner, Lange has been drawing acclaim since the '80s, especially for her performance in FX’s "American Horror Story."
Since her breakout debut in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather Part II," Coll has had recurring TV roles in shows like "Switched at Birth," "Glee" and "Teen Wolf." She starred as Alba Villanueva in the CW's "Jane the Virgin."
The "Fatal Attraction" star garnered praise and an Oscar nomination for 2017's "The Wife" and has clocked roles in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies as well as 2020's "Hillbilly Elegy."
The Oscar winner is another one of Hollywood's biggest and most active actresses, including memorable turns in recent movies like the "Red" and "Fast & Furious" series as well as shows like "Catherine the Great."
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Nicole Kidman joins Robin Wright, Viola Davis, and Laura Linney among the stars making waves on screen
These strong women have aged gracefully — while still governing Hollywood.