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Code 46
2003
Set in Shanghai in the near future, CODE 46 takes place in a world where in-vitro fertilization, embryo splitting, and cloning have become so widespread that the government monitors all pregnancies to avoid incestuous births, whether on purpose or accidental. In Michael Winterbottom's science-fiction love story, Tim Robbins .. Read more
| Starring | Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, Om Puri, Jeanne Balibar |
|---|---|
| Director | Michael Winterbottom |
| Genres | Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
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Code 46
Set in Shanghai in the near future, CODE 46 takes place in a world where in-vitro fertilization, embryo splitting, and cloning have become so widespread that the government monitors all pregnancies to avoid incestuous births, whether on purpose or accidental. In Michael Winterbottom's science-fiction love story, Tim Robbins stars as Will, a fraud investigator who shows up at the huge Sphinx corporation to find out which employee has been making fake papelles--identity papers that allow people to travel. With an empathy virus inside of him so he can read people's minds, Will discovers that Maria Gonzalez (Samantha Morton) is the culprit, but he instantly falls in love with her and turns in someone else in her place, leading to a dangerous affair that jeopardizes his family, his career, and his life. The blossoming romance between Will and Maria is reminiscent of the classic BRIEF ENCOUNTER, in which two people are willing to risk so much for true love. Winterbottom, who previously scored such indie hits as 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE and WONDERLAND, combines with screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce, Academy Award winner Robbins, and Oscar nominee Morton in creating a unique vision of a technologically advanced but emotionally vapid future--except for those citizens who have been banished to the outside, where they struggle every day but have a greater understanding of what's real. CODE 46 is filled with twists, with the unexpected waiting around every corner, but at the heart of the film is the heartbreaking relationship between two compelling cinematic characters.
| Starring | Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, Om Puri, Jeanne Balibar |
|---|---|
| Director | Michael Winterbottom |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 30 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 14 Feb 2005 Production year: 2003 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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Director Michael Winterbottom's film is set in a gloomy future in which human cloning and genetic manipulation are commonplace and reproduction is heavily regulated. Tim Robbins plays a fraud investigator who's sent to Shanghai to find the source of some counterfeit travel documents (travel is also restricted). There, he is mysteriously drawn to Samantha Morton, who is also his chief suspect. The movie is a blend of romance, science fiction, film noir and even the Oedipus myth but, despite the intriguing premise, it remains rather tedious. The storyline is plodding and obscure, and matters are not helped by the limited budget — sepia-tinted smog and existing buildings stand in for a future world. The film is partly salvaged by a terrific performance from Samantha Morton, but Robbins lacks spark. While this has its moments, it is too often as nondescript as its title.
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The usual stuff of film noir is set in a bleakly limited future, where, instead of the expected heat of an illicit encounter, there is only a passionless void.
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Most helpful member's review
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41 out of 48 people found this review helpful
Intelligent and original sci-fi
Michael Winterbottom's smart and intriguing foray into the sci-fi genre stars Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton as the investigator and criminal having a forbidden love affair. Mostly shot in Shanghai and India, the film offers a weirdly convincing portrait of a future world where everyone is controlled by technology and forbidden to travel without the required clearance. People live in multi-cultural societies and speak in sentences that are a mixture of different languages with odd hybrid accents.
'Code 46' is beautifully shot and scored and the performances from Robbins and Morton are compelling. Frank Cottrell Boyce's screenplay is full of ideas, some of these ideas work while others don't, but it's gratifying to watch a film so determined and singular in it's vision.
There are many things wrong with 'Code 46', and a number of elements in the screenplay don't really add up, but it's still a beautiful, haunting and thought-provoking drama which undoubtedly confirms Winterbottom as the most exciting British filmmaker around. -
Most recent members' review
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Thought-provoking futuristic movie
A challenging futuristic movie which raises interesting ideas. The main plot focus on the passport documents which contain genetic details and ruthlessly control people's travel options. They are used to limit sexual liaisons, preventing the kind of 'incest' possible in a world increasingly full of multiple cloned & sperm and egg donated births, planned or accidental. And the clinics which destroy the pregnancies destroy the memory associated with them as well...so where do you go from there?
Meanwhile outside the wealthy state in which the main events take place is a land of the dispossessed, migrants living in poverty & hoping desperately for admission to the developed world.
Director Muchael Winterbottom doesn't develop these modern issues as far as one might like. But this is a thoughtful and compassionate film with fine performances from Samantha Morton as the lab worker who forges passports & Tim Robbins as the detective who is quickly unbalanced by her. Their romantic rebellion takes them into the wilds outside controlled civilization & leads to an intriguing climax.
It's close enough to our world for some uncomfortable moments of recognition. I liked its unusual international language - you have to hang on in there at times - and the score & graphics are both impressive. -
News and features
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New Angelina Jolie film reviewed
- 06 Aug 2007
The latest offering from Angelina Jolie has been reviewed and the actress has received praise for her role as real-life character Mariane Pearl, whose husband was beheaded by terrorists in 2002. A Mighty Heart, the Guardian explained, includes a "potent performance" from Jolie, who is described as a "brilliant actress" by the newspaper. The film is directed by Michael Winterbottom and is a return to more serious fare for Jolie, after her gun-toting appearance in Mr and Mrs... Read more
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