One robot’s 200 year journey to become an ordinary man.|Dec. 17, 1999|Germany|131 Min.|PG
Genre: Comedy;Drama;Science;Fiction
Description: Bicentennial Man (1999) is a thought-provoking film that explores the journey of a unique robot named Andrew. Set in 2005, Andrew is introduced into the Martin family as a household assistant. While the eldest daughter, Grace, initially dislikes him, the younger sister, Amanda, forms a bond with Andrew. Over time, Andrew begins to experience emotions, a trait uncommon for robots. When he accidentally breaks one of Amanda’s glass figurines, he surprises the family by crafting a wooden replacement, revealing his creative abilities.
Amazed by Andrew’s creativity, Richard, the family patriarch, takes him to NorthAm Robotics to investigate this anomaly. The company’s CEO, Dennis Mansky, views Andrew’s abilities as problematic and suggests scrapping him. However, Richard decides to take Andrew back home, encouraging him to explore his creativity and humanity further. Andrew becomes a skilled clockmaker, amassing a fortune. Despite his success, Andrew faces challenges as robots have no legal rights under existing laws.
As time passes, Richard convinces Dennis to enhance Andrew’s ability to express emotions through facial expressions. Decades later, Andrew offers Richard his accumulated wealth in exchange for his freedom. Hurt by this request, Richard grants Andrew his independence but insists he can no longer live with the Martin family. Andrew builds a home by the beach and continues his journey of self-discovery.
In 2048, Richard’s health deteriorates, and on his deathbed, he apologizes to Andrew for forcing him to leave. After Richard’s passing, Andrew embarks on a quest to find other robots like himself while staying in touch with Amanda, who has since married, divorced, and raised a family. In 2068, Andrew encounters Galatea, a modified NDR robot with female traits. Intrigued by her design, Andrew learns from Rupert Burns, the son of the original NDR creator, about possibilities for making robots appear more human-like.
The film delves into themes of humanity, identity, and the boundaries between man and machine.
Cast director: Chris Columbus
Cast actor: Robin Williams, Embeth Davidtz, Sam Neill, Oliver Platt, Kiersten Warren, Wendy Crewson, Hallie Eisenberg, Lindze Letherman, Angela Landis, John Michael Higgins
Original name: Bicentennial Man