An anxious programmer enlists the help of his empathetic wife when given the task to create the perfect call center program. However, their relationship spirals out of control when he begins replacing her with an ideal computerized replica. (Operator – Edited for YouTube ad standards)
Joe (Martin Starr) is a programmer with a crippling anxiety problem who is unable to deal with uncertainty. At work he is tasked with creating an interactive call center answering machine that can convey empathy. Joe recruits his wife Emily (Mae Whitman) who has the perfect voice for the system. Emily works at the front desk of a swanky hotel during the day and has an uncanny ability to soothe even the most irate guests (at night she performs with a comedy group). After years of being happily married, the pressures of work, family, and personal growth have strained their relationship. Emily sees this as an opportunity to reinvigorate their marriage and agrees to participate.
What begins as a collaboration to strengthen their relationship quickly spirals out of control. Terrified of the uncertainty in their relationship, Joe becomes obsessed with creating the “perfect” version of his wife, becoming detached from the real Emily as he spends sleepless nights programming his automated Emily to fulfill his needs for sex and companionship. While Joe is losing touch with reality, Emily is losing faith in their future together. Joe will have to relinquish control and face the uncertainties of life if he wants to save their marriage
Directed by Logan Kibens
Starring:
Martin Starr
Mae Whitman
Retta
Nat Faxon
Christine Lahti
Cameron Esposito
Film Festival Award Winner:
Phoenix Film Festival 2016 – Best Director – Logan Kibens
SXSW Film Festival 2016 – Nominee – Emergent Woman Director Award – Logan Kibens
Traverse City Film Festival 2016 – Roger Ebert Prize – Best US Film by a First-Time Filmmaker
#indiemovie #femaledirector #sxsw