Movie Review: S1M0NE

S1M0NE

Sometimes Al Pacino will take a role that seems an odd choice. His part in Simone is one of those roles. In Simone, Pacino is a struggling movie director who has had his fill of tempermental and difficult actors. As both his job and his patience hang by a thread, he discovers a computer creation he calls Simone. As a digital actress, Simone has no bizarre demands. She is never late and she does what he drector tells her to do. It's hard for her director not to love her. In fact, it's impossible. What also proves impossible is for the director to tell a Simone-crazy public that she's not a real woman. And as Simone's presence grows larger and larger, her director becomes hopelessly entangled in a web of deceit and loss.

Pacino, as always, is extraordinary. I wonder if he could read a cereal box and give it drama, and have to imagine the answer is "yes." The story told in Simone is also fascinating. Though we've not yet reached a level of technology that would permit a Simone to exist, we've made great strides in that direction, so the notion of digital movie stars is well worth the discussion offered here. I did feel that the script was somehow lacking. I believe the story had more to offer than was put onscreen here. As a whole, however, Simone is worth a look.

FAMILY SUITABILITY: Simone is rated PG-13. There is no nudity and very little rough language.The story, however, is quite involved and complex, and and I can't imagine the plot would be understood - or appreciated - by anyone under about age 13.