IR Film Review: SUPERINTELLIGENCE [HBO Max]

Melissa McCarthy wants to have fun with her comedy...and with her husband Ben Falcone they seem to be aiming at the low budget almost rom-com angle that was effectives many years ago. The issue with their attempts (including their newest "Superintelligence") is that while one can appreciate their earnestness, the actual eventual output lacks inspiration and overall vision. The project tends to become an overwrought TV movie with higher production values and budget that want to play with high concept but seem to fall flat most of the time. McCarthy is not bad. Her timing is inevitably right on point. It is just the overall possibility of the plot seems beneath her. Many directors (specifically Paul Feig) know that it is about skirting the edge with McCarthy and how to focus her talent. Her beauty is being almost out of control but with a heart. Even "The Kitchen" understood this (though Elizabeth Moss stole the movie -- or what was left of it) with her character work. "Superintelligence" is a morality tale to be sure mixed into the idea of what humanity and the notion of love is. The idea of imbuing the intelligence with a sense of humor and James Corden's voice is actually inspired in many ways if it didn't fell like such a plot ploy. That is the issue is that none of what is happening or the flow feels very organic. It feels like plot points are determined by putting pegs in a Lite Brite box: sometimes fun to look at but doesn't always connect. The one part that works well is a cross-over from "Spy" a few years ago in the guise of Bobby Cannavale. He is a great foil for McCarthy and the texture is there with them (especially in the supermarket scene) but it is not written particularly well or directed with a preciseness that could have resulted differently. Again "Superintelligence" wants to be something but the sum of its parts just does not quite equal the comparative result. D

By Tim Wassberg