Bicentennial Man Review

Come on, you guys, I've got a surprise for you.

What is it, Daddy? Wait, wait, wait. Wow. By

the year 2005... Are you one's family? I guess

so. Every home will have an MBR -114. Andrew,

this is very good. Thank you, sir. I think it

sucks. Sucks? Chickens do not have lips. He was

designed to serve humans. Would you please open

the window? One is glad to be of use. Now jump.

No! Out the window! But there was something different

about Andrew. Two cannibals were eating a clown.

One turns to the other and says, does this taste

funny to you? How do you make a hanky dance?

Put a little boogie in it. What exactly is it

doing? He shows a number of characteristics like

creativity, curiosity, friendship. Good night,

sweetheart. Good night, Andrew. It is a household

appliance. And yet you act like it is man. You're

unique. I feel responsibility to help you. become

whatever you're able to be this christmas witness

one robot's extraordinary 200 year journey he

learns and grows all the time to become this

is an external physical upgrade only an ordinary

man the secret to all this is imperfection that's

what makes us unique like the shape of your head

it's huge this looks wonderful take the next

step The director of Mrs. Doubtfire comes an

epic story. I saw the inner me. That would bridge

the gap between man and machine. I am the proud

owner of a central nervous system. Will you perform

an experiment just for the sake of science? Kiss

me. It's everything they say it is. Bicentennial

Man. Look what I'm doing here. I am trying to

make something of myself. I am trying to fulfill

my destiny. Does she notice? Could we talk about

this another time? Hello and welcome to the 44th

episode of the MWIRE Movie Weekend Review. Today

we're going to be discussing Bicentennial Man.

I am TFG1Mike and usual I'm joined with Steve

Megatron. Hello. Hello, hello. How are you? watching

Mike the Birdman Dad of This Week in Yeek on

live stream recording his review a day show episode

one. Yeah, it's funny, I went to bed early and

I still feel like shit after I've woken up. Well,

I've only had two hours of sleep. We're not even

that. An hour and a half. It's kind of sick.

Yeah, so anyway as people can tell we're recording

this at five o 'clock in the morning Yes, and

we realized that we haven't had no there. There's

Yeah, I don't know what the hell happened for

some strange reason even though we're current

with actual episodes be like the episode order

for some strange reason we are over two and a

half months behind in releasing episodes And

it's not that they're it's not that they're out

of order. It's that somehow some way For two

three weeks or whatever. We just didn't release

one. I think the last one released It was good

morning, Vietnam. Well, it was good morning,

Vietnam, but I don't know somewhere in there

We lost two weeks and this episode was originally

supposed to air a month ago, and I have no idea

what the hell happened Yeah, something like that

Uh, so other than being tired and whatever, how

are you? Um, doing pretty well, uh, no altercations

with anything, although we went over on our minutes

last month on the cell phone bill, so, yeah.

Oh. Yeah, yeah, I'm paying $25 more this month.

See, that's why I have an unlimited plan. Well,

it has more to do with that we're both on the

same phone line or like same amount of minutes

sharing a plan. And what happened was I actually

went over by talking to Comcast to complain.

If I hadn't have talked to them and just skipped

right to Twitter, I would have been fine. So

again, fuck you, Comcast. Yes. See episodes.

Oh god. I almost said episode 16 of headshot

episode 36 of headshot See that one show and

listen. Yeah Yeah, yeah Getting right into it

bicentennial man is a 1999 dramedy film starring

Robin Williams and Sam Neill Based on the well

-known novella of the same name by Isaac astronaut

as him off The summary for the film is the film

follows the evolution of the Android robot Andrew

Martin played by Robin Williams from his introduction

to the Martin family and the interaction with

them through four generations discovery of his

emotional and creative abilities development

into an artist and the inventor and Evolution

into Android into an Android his fight to win

legal recognition for his humanity and ultimate

destiny When was the first time you saw this?

Sad thing? About two weeks ago. Yeah I caught

a glimpse of it on cable and I said well that's

you know that looks interesting my wife's like

yeah I've seen that a couple years ago and I

says well we should get that when we go up to

Blockbuster next time so lo and behold that's

what I snagged. So yeah, that was the first time

I'd ever watched it. Yeah, I love this movie.

This is one of the, and I probably shouldn't

admit this, but this is one of the only movies

that makes me cry. This one came very close.

Yeah, I'm not afraid to say it did come close

There there was however one movie that that in

my my mind actually did trump this one and actually

Fucking make me actually start crying but grandma's

no For some reason the movie Hachi I don't think

I've ever heard of that That's a new DVD release.

Oh, that's why I never heard of it. But yeah.

Yeah, I'm not as as people will know on the as

we release MWIRE episodes I am so not like not

current with with DVD releases unless it's like

TV show stuff or cartoons as far as movies like

I think Iron Man 2 when that comes out on DVD

that'll be the most current I am. But yeah, anyway,

what were your initial thoughts after seeing

it? I really liked it. It was very interesting,

the whole role that Robin Williams played. I

mean, it was fitting of something that he would

play. And it had some of the... a little bit

of his quirks in there of how he tells a joke

or his speed talking. The more the movie progressed,

the more his real personality started to surface.

I like the overall evolution of this, what started

out as a service droid and ended up becoming,

for lack of... A better word, a full -fledged

human by the end of the episode. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, I guess we can break the plot down a little

bit. The summary was just the overall thing.

But the NDR series robot, Andrew, played by Robin

Williams, is introduced to the Martin family

home in April 2005 to perform housekeeping and

maintenance duties. The family's reactions to

the new convenience range from acceptance and

curiosity to outright rejection and deliberate

vandalism by their surly older daughter, Grace,

played by Lindsay Leatherman. Oh. Wow. There's

a general hospital reference for you people.

which leads to the discovery that this robot

can both identify emotions and reciprocate in

kind. When Andrew accidentally breaks a glass

figurine belonging to, quote, Little Miss Amanda

Martin, played by Hayley Kate Eisenberg, to whom

he is devoted, he carves a similar figure out

of wood. The family is astonished by this sign

of original creativity in the robot, and Sir

Richard Martin, played by Sam Neill, takes Andrew

to his manufacturer. Northam Robotics to inquire

if all the robots are like him. The CEO of the

company sees this development as a problem and

wishes to scrap Andrew, or as he puts it, quote

unquote, fix him. Angered Martin takes Andrew

home and allows him to pursue his own development,

creating masterpiece clocks and other wood items.

He also encourages Andrew to educate himself

in the humanities and helps him to understand

the concepts. What did you think of this whole

first part of the film? I liked the part where

they actually did go meet the guy that was responsible

for the creation of these service droids. Especially

when he says, you know, that, oh, we're going

to dismantle them, do this and this and this

to them. And he says, if you ever so much as

touch my robot. I will sue you, blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah. And then he's like, OK. Yeah, and

then the CEO counters, well, it's our property.

Well, I bought him from you. So it's kind of

like the customer is always right. Yeah, so I

mean, he had his own product. He was like, no,

I'm perfectly happy with how it's functioning.

I just want to know what the hell. Yeah. Why

does it have a mind of its own? You know, which

I think I like to attribute that to when he got

pushed out the window, it altered him. No, I

think he was like that already, though. I mean,

that's more likely. I just think that it caused

more damage to. Yeah, I think it's kind of like

How the hell can I make a comparison without

just fully throwing myself into the bus Andrew

Martin is pretty much like a rare Pokey card.

I hate to say it like that, but I mean, you know

It's one of those things where say you make a

batch of a thousand items One out of a thousand

is completely different than all the other ones.

It's not just that carbon copy. It's something

special Yeah Or I can make a transformers illusion.

He's like a lucky draw which no one will ever

get Yeah, pretty much Gold star scream my ass

anyway No, the gold ones are lucky draws. Oh,

I know. Yeah, anyway. Many, many years have passed

and Amanda is grown up. While working on the

Martins basement, Amanda talks with Andrew and

yells his name from behind. Andrew gets surprised

and his right thumb is accidentally cut off.

Martin again takes him to North End Robotics

for repairs, ensuring first that Andrew's personality

will remain unharmed. Andrew requests that while

he is being repaired, that his face be altered

to convey the emotions he feels, but cannot fully

express. After repairs, Andrew is able to show

a wider degree of facial expressions, including

smiling. Through the years, Andrew has amassed

enough money to need a legal advisor and a bank

account. Andrew eventually asks for his freedom.

Much to Richard's dismay, deeply hurt, Mr. Martin

grants his request, but banishes Andrew from

the house so that he can be, quote, completely

free. Once Andrew is free, he starts to refer

to himself as I rather than one, as Andrew has

done during the years. With his money, Andrew

builds himself a home and lives alone. In 2048,

Andrew sees Richard Martin one last time. On

his deathbed, Mr. Martin apologizes to Andrew

for banishing him, telling him it was Andrew's

right to have his freedom. Well, what do you

think of this part? That was pretty touching.

I mean, considering that to begin with, he's

like, no, you're my damn property. You're going

to do what I want. And then as time goes on,

he realizes that he's much more than property.

He's actually evolved into you know, an individual

instead of just a simple cookie cutter machine.

Did you already take the DVD back to Blockbuster?

Yes. Damn. Why? Because I was, as you were talking,

I was reading the, I was kind of skimming over

the next paragraph when I'm going to read for

the plot and there was a scene in there. when

he goes after the female robot with the miter

saw or whatever it was oh yeah because he gets

so sick and tired of it he's like oh no this

won't do this yeah i need to find that clip some

anyways um andrew sets out to find other ndr

series robots and discover if they have also

develop personalities of their own. He spends

years searching but finds none functioning. Finally,

he stumbles upon Galatea, an NDR robot that has

been given female attributes and personality,

but these are simply part of her programming

and not developed like Andrews is. Galatea is

owned by Rupert Burns, played by Oliver Platt.

Oh, hey, look, it's Porthos. He played ports

Oliver Platt paid played portholes in the Disney

three musketeers film anyway Son of the original

NDR robot robot designer as it turns out Burns

has been working to create a more human -looking

robot on his own But has been unable to attract

funding for the project Andrew agrees to finance

burns his research and the two joined forces

to Revolutionize robotics as part of this research

Andrew designs new artificial prosthetic organs

for the robots that could also be used for humans.

Over the years, he maintains contact with Amanda,

who grows up, marries, divorces, and dies. Eventually,

Andrew becomes human enough to fall in love with

Amanda's granddaughter, Portia, both played by

M. Beth Davitz, and she with him. Now, like I

was saying a second ago, she, Galatea, she starts

singing something. And she I don't know she starts

doing something and he turns to to burns and

he goes do you have? whatever tool it was Next

thing you hear is like a bunch of like like drill

bit sounds or some sort of like car parts sound

sound effect deals No, no, don't don't do that.

What did you do? I? My fixture. Yeah, I fixed

her. I put an emotions chip in her. Oh No, I

just every time I see that scene. Oh god, I laugh

my ass off so hard. Oh Wow, I actually when I

had it on VHS and I know this is dating myself

and dating us and dating the show as far as what

the hell is a VHS but When I had a VHS, I would

constantly I think I broke the tape Now possessing

artificial skin and hair, Andrew petitions to

the World Congress to recognize him as a human.

Which would allow him and Portia to be legally

married but is rejected he still is immortal

thus cannot be considered human Over the course

of the next century he proceeds to turn himself

into a prosthetic human complete with nervous

system and Blood and begins to age alongside

Portia Andrew again attends the World Congress

now appearing An old and frail and then again

petitions to be declared human being the new

speaker of the Congress played by Lynn Digpen

who we'll get into here in a little bit, agrees

to debate the issue and asks him why he wants

this. Andrew replies, to be acknowledged for

who and what I am, no more, no less. Not for

a claim, not for approval, but for the simple

truth of that recognition that has been an elemental

drive of my existence, and it must be achieved

if I am to live or die with dignity. Andrew is

on his deathbed. Portia beside him, and then

the speaker of the World Congress finally announces

on television at the court's decision that Andrew

Martin is now officially recognized as human

and assigned from Methuselah and other biblical

characters the oldest human being in history

at the age of 200 years old. The speaker also

finally validates the marriage between Portia

and Andrew. Andrew dies while listening to the

broadcast and Portia orders their nurse, a now

recognizably human Galatea, to unplug her life

support machine. The movie ends with Portia about

to die hand in hand with Andrew. As she whispers

to him, see you soon. But it was still weird

that he eventually because he You know got tired

of seeing everyone around him die Decided to

give up immortality in exchange for the ability

to Love and grow old Yeah, and Tom it did I don't

know this This is like some of Robin Williams

movies lately like I would say over the last

six years I really haven't enjoyed I know I should

but just some of the and I'm talking about more

of the comedy ones the the serious ones are are

fairly okay but like there's just some of them

that I just don't don't get I don't find funny

and it's not really him it's just the movie itself

that I don't find funny But this was both funny

and emotional all at the same time I Found it.

I I just when I first saw this I kept going back

and going back I'm late and of course I already

mentioned that that the the original Amanda Martin

and the the granddaughter or great -granddaughter

Whatever the hell Porsche is they're played by

the same actress, and I'm like what? What the

hell? Yeah So that kind of threw me for for a

loop You know the same yeah, just because the

original one Yeah, like them so much and he had

such an attachment to her that it only made sense

that he would want her Yeah The movie has been

nominated and won several awards. I was nominated

for the best makeup for the Academy Awards uh...

blockbuster entertainment award for favorite

actor comedy robin williams uh... favorite actress

comedy ambit david's uh... hollywood makeup and

artist hairstylist guild award wow that's a long

name uh... blimp award razzie award why would

this film get a razzie for worst actor robin

williams them or when as far as nomination what

the hell is wrong with fucking hollywood fucking

hollywood jesus i know that was one of in my

opinion that's one of his better movies yeah

that's like what the hell it's like me watching

jumanji i can't sit there and watch that movie

again i mean that you can't no well i mean too

bad you're gonna have to it's on the schedule

somewhere i know that that's the last time i'll

ever have to sit through that movie again see

i like jumanji but i mean we're kind of getting

off on a on a little tangent but um I don't know,

I thought it was alright. It won the Hollywood

Makeup Artist and Hairstylist Guild Award for

Best Special Effects Makeup in a Feature. Let's

talk about the cast here. Of course you've got

Robin Williams, M. Beth Davids, Sam Neal, Oliver

Platt. Overall great acting I thought I don't

think that any any other people that acted in

any of the roles I don't think I like didn't

dislike any of them Yeah, I didn't I didn't dislike

anybody. I mean they I think everybody fit The

roles that they were portraying mm -hmm Yeah,

they did As far as some reception stuff by Centennial

Man received mixed to negative reviews the film

holds 38 % approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes

with 35 out of 92 critics giving it a positive

review with average rating of 4 .8 out of 10

while the review agitator Metacritic gives it

a score of 42 see I I disagree with that I don't

know if people got it. I don't know when these

figures were actually tallied or taken. Our old

asshole buddy Roger Ebert gave it two out of

four stars, saying, Fuck you, Ebert. Yeah, this

is also the same guy that sits there and spouts

off shit about everything he watches. Yeah, well,

he is a critic, so, eh, whatever. I would prefer

the term douches maximus. Yeah. Yeah. You know,

it's one of those things where you have to be...

It's a film that needs suspense suspension of

disbelief, but it's not like it's It doesn't

need so much suspension of disbelief like Hate

to compare it to this but I mean revenge of the

fallen needs a lot of suspension of disbelief

This doesn't It needs some but it doesn't need

like tons of it I Don't know I I always liked

it and I and I will always like it It was just

a really great film. Yes. I definitely love this

film. This is, like I said, one of Robin Williams'

best works. Yep. Definitely on the must -see

list, as a lot of the shows we review are. Yeah.

And see, that's the thing. I mentioned to you

off -air at some point, a lot of the episodes

that we've Like unless it's like epic episodes

like we have the Superman stuff coming up in

the in the 50s of MWire But you know most of

like the single films like this one that are

really good It's gonna be kind of hard for us.

I mean we can gush about it, but the longer episodes

get to be where it's something we hate and something

that we can just pander to or something we can

just Just do whatever You know, where is the

good ones? It's like yeah, we loved it. See you

next week Yeah, I mean that's what it comes off

as but it's not yeah, you know The for the most

part there's not much we can say bad about the

film if we liked it, I mean it's Yeah, that's

that's true Um, so I guess that'll uh, that'll

do it for us. Uh, ooh, that was a nice flash

of lightning. Ooh, bright, shiny color. I'm waiting

for the impending thunder so it'll come through

on the microphone. And nothing. Yeah, and nothing.

Oh, there it is. I heard it. Very faint, but

I heard it. Yeah. Okay, so thank you for joining

us here on MWIRE Movie Week in Review. To have

ways to get in contact with us, or leave feedback

for the show, visit the website geekcastradio

.com. Also check out our blogs over there, we

added blogs to the website, so check out, what

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Radio Network. We hope you enjoyed this episode

of MWire. I wish you'll join us next time when

we'll be reviewing the Men in Black films. For

now, I am TFJU and Mike with Steve Megatron Phillips.

Thank you for listening. Until next time. Everybody's

feeling strange Never gonna be the same Makes

you wonder how the -