Finch movie review 2021

MOVIE TITLE: Finch

Currently playing only on Apple TV+

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour 55 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

On a post-apocalyptic earth, a robot, built to protect the life of his creator’s beloved dog, learns about life, love, friendship, and what it means to be human.

THINGS I LIKED:

Tom Hanks is excellent, as expected. Who doesn’t love Tom Hanks? Tom is always compelling to watch and great at interacting with inanimate objects like in the movie Cast Away. You really fall in love with his crusty character and the unexpected family he creates in this touching story.
Robot lovers will get a kick out of the various machinery in the movie.
You’ll learn lots of random facts. For example, did you know that Albert Einstein was born with an abnormally large head?
I love it when the director pays close attention to details. For example, Finch activates the robot, Jeff, for the first time and asks it what its four prime directives are. The first is Isaac Asimov’s first law of robotics. The smaller robot is named Dewey in a respectful nod to Huey, Louie, and Dewey in the 1972 film Silent Running. I love how Jeff’s posture and language ability improve as he learns. The robot design is pretty cool. He cracked me up when he wore a coat.
The movie was originally titled “BIOS”. Which title do you like better? Comment down below!
The soundtrack is delightful. We even get to hear Tom Hanks sing “American Pie”.
There’s a scene where the traveling trio sees the Aurora Borealis! Experiencing the Northern Lights has been on my Bucket List for years. I FINALLY had the opportunity to check that off my list last week when I went to Iceland! Woohoo! It’s amazing and magical. Everyone should have a Bucket List. The trick is to not wait to cross items off the list. Don’t wait until “someday”.
Speaking of Bucket Lists, I thought it was sweet that Finch knew he was dying and wanted to visit a Bucket List destination before he died: San Francisco. I grew up in the Bay Area!
Some important truths are taught.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Some viewers have said that the story is tedious and goes nowhere. If you’re looking for a dystopian action movie, this is not it. Expect a slow-burn character study. I really enjoyed it.
Not much is explained about this new earth-life, other than it’s dangerous.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

You see some dead bodies
Someone drinks alcohol.
You see a nude Tom Hanks from the side, although no “private parts” are shown.
Gun violence in the background of a scene.
People and creatures in perilous situations
Several scenes with blood
Some profanity

THEMES:

Lesson #5: Live a little!
Trust
Hope
Friendship, companionship
Initiative!
Survival
Bucket Lists
Humanity and what it’s like to be human.

FUNNY LINES:

“Will you call me William Shakespeare?” – Jeff (voiced by Caleb Landry Jones) “That’s taken.” – Finch (Tom Hanks)

INTERESTING LINES:

“He doesn’t trust you yet. That takes time.” – Finch (Tom Hanks)
“Trust will get you killed. Trust no one.” – Finch (Tom Hanks)
“What you do will define who you are.” – Finch (Tom Hanks)
“We. humans, are full of contradictions.” – Finch (Tom Hanks)
“That’s human experience. It’s not just imagining. That’s living.” – Finch (Tom Hanks)
“I wish I’d done more with the time I had.” – Finch (Tom Hanks)