by Matt St Clair
Despite having otherworldly leading man looks, Dan Stevens has a clear affinity for playing eccentric character roles. That being said, some of those roles that he’s played, like flamboyant, implicitly gay Russian singer Alexander Lemtov in Eurovision Song Contest and the enigmatic titular character from The Guest, have allowed him to play into his sex appeal. The German sci-fi romance I’m Your Man, which is opening today in US movie theaters, is a continuation of that trend.
Stevens plays Tom, an android designed to be the perfect companion, someone with perfect looks who is programmed to fulfill the every need of their human partner...
When scientist Alma (Maren Eggert) takes him home as part of a three-week experiment to obtain research funds at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin where she works, she finds herself questioning whether Tom is a suitable substitute for human companionship.
The “human emotion vs. techno-love” debate that I’m Your Man explores may result in it being hailed as “Her with androids” but the comparison would be a slight disservice. Both films do show how isolating techno-love can be only Alma is no Theodore Twombly copycat. Alma enters the techno-romance realm with dubiousness as opposed to Theodore who thrusts himself into the invisible arms of his OS with ease. The female vs. male gaze is another key distinction between the films. I’m Your Man is told primarily through Alma’s lens.
Her tightrope act of wanting to be sexually fulfilled and skeptically opening up her fragile romantic heart is on full display. Maren Eggert won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at Berlinale for this intricate performance. The very human Alma is also algorithmically written as a familiar workaholic rom-com heroine who's more fixated on her career than her love life. Yet, the screenplay by director/co-writer Maria Schrader and Jan Schomburg slightly satirizes the tropey nature of this character by having her boss Roger (Failou Seck) suggest that she take part in this experiment because she was the only single candidate.
With the distinction of a self-referential humorous touch and divergence from the male gaze, I’m Your Man asks similar questions about artificial intelligence as other films have. But it doesn’t take place in a future being taken over by artificial intelligence nor does it pose any questions regarding whether A.I. is evil. By having people like Alma take part in simulated dates while testing androids before they’re allowed to blend into society, I’m Your Man takes place in a more pre-dystopian world than you usually see in A.I. movies. This is a world where androids could become the new dating app since they’re allowing us to pursue our romantic needs without scrolling through our phones.
If these theoretical androids all looked as good as Dan Stevens, who wouldn't be tempted to get their own robot companion?
Still, are looks really everything? Also, can the chores Tom does and morning breakfast buffets he cooks provide the same satisfaction as blissful memories with another human? I’m Your Man doesn’t answer these questions for you, but it amusingly and poignantly invites you in to draw your own conclusions. A-
I'm Your Man is now playing in select cities. It is also Germany's Oscar submission for 2021.