X
- 2020
- PG
- HBO Max
- 1 h 46 m
- 2020
- PG
- HBO Max
- 1 h 46 m
Summary Nothing extraordinary ever happens to Carol Peters (Melissa McCarthy), so when she starts getting snarky backtalk from her TV, phone and microwave, she thinks she’s being punked. Or losing her mind. In fact, the world’s first superintelligence has selected her for observation, taking over her life…with a bigger, more ominous plan to take...
Directed By: Ben Falcone
Written By: Steve Mallory
- 2020
- PG
- HBO Max
- 1 h 46 m
- 2020
- PG
- HBO Max
- 1 h 46 m
Superintelligence
41
5.9
Where to Watch
Summary Nothing extraordinary ever happens to Carol Peters (Melissa McCarthy), so when she starts getting snarky backtalk from her TV, phone and microwave, she thinks she’s being punked. Or losing her mind. In fact, the world’s first superintelligence has selected her for observation, taking over her life…with a bigger, more ominous plan to take...
Directed By: Ben Falcone
Written By: Steve Mallory
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
41
24% Positive
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
53% Mixed
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
24% Negative
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
41
24% Positive
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
53% Mixed
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
24% Negative
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
The movie unfolds as a series of enjoyable, pressurized encounters between the lead character and everyone else — particularly, Bobby Cannavale as Carol’s ex-boyfriend.
The chemistry between McCarthy and Cannavale is great. I could see an entire, more traditional rom-com starring the two of them.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 15 User Ratings
5.9
33% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
47% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
20% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 15 User Ratings
5.9
33% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
47% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
20% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
Superintelligence premiered on HBO Max to very little fanfare a week ago in the midst of the holiday season and Netflix flooding the market with its Oscar contenders. Here's a comedy starring Melissa McCarthy directed by her husband, Ben Falcone, again as the most average human, who is chosen by an A.I. to prove that the human race is worth saving. That's a hefty premise, but does the comedy live up to it.
Why would HBO Max drop this movie without any promotion? It doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in the production. McCarthy and Falcone have teamed up on a number of films over the years to varying degrees of success: Tammy, Life of the Party, and The Boss. McCarthy has a zany energy, and Falcone directs to her sensibilities. Superintelligence is another entry into their filmography, but it doesn't feel special. The plot is a pretty high concept: a "superintelligence" like an Alexa, voiced by James Corden, takes over the electronics around McCarthy's character, Carol, and gives her three days to save the world by showing him why the human races should not be destroyed. Carol is an average, everyday woman unlike many of the daffy characters McCarthy can play. Along the way, Carol enlists her friend, Dennis, played by Brian Tyree Henry, to help, and she reconnects at the superintelligence's urging with an ex-boyfriend, George, played by Bobby Cannavale.
While Superintelligence feels like just another passable comedy, that is why it is so enjoyable. You figure out where it is going early on, so you can enjoy how it gets there. Sometimes we need something to be just fine. We've all fretted about Alexa taking over the world - let's play it for laughs, right? As far as performance, Melissa McCarthy is pretty reined in here, and she is quite charming and fun. We may be used to her out-sized characters like Michelle Darnell in The Boss or Megan from Bridesmaids, but it good to see her as a normal person. She has some good lines here and there. McCarthy also has good chemistry with her love interest, which makes the romantic element of the movie work. Brian Tyree Henry is so funny in his few scenes. He makes the most of his limited screen time. They are the standouts in a generally good case.
Ultimately, Superintelligence isn't ****, but it is good enough. It's a brisk comedy, full of charming actors doing their jobs well. In fact, it may be the kind of movie you watch over and over just because it is so easy to watch. Put it on with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy.
S2S: Just to add on to what you've said, Trip. This is loosely women's Bruce Almighty brought to the future. And I'll admit as I watch ever single Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movie, I love these romantic comedies. This movie is goofy enough and gives me the butterflies. In my opinion, its a bit corny but definitely worth watching on a stream or a big screen.
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The highlight of the movie by far is the relaxed, easy chemistry between McCarthy and Cannavale.
The consistent failure of imagination is all that keeps the film’s scenes from feeling like a random selection.
It speaks to the extremely low bar set by Falcone and McCarthy’s previous films together that something as forgettable and unfunny as Superintelligence won’t be filed as a total disaster. Instead, it’s just another regrettable waste of her talent and another reminder that the best marriages can lead to the worst movies.
In Superintelligence, an average human being must convince a sentient AI program not to wipe out humanity. Lucky for all of us, the film Superintelligence is not entered as evidence that our continued existence is justified.
Alas, everything is wrong with Superintelligence, beginning with the misbegotten premise of Steve Mallory’s script.
(Mauro Lanari)
Artificial intelligence becomes self-aware, judges humanity and concludes that it is better to destroy it for the good of the planet. If in "WarGames" (Badham 1983) the threat was foiled thanks to a cognitive learning (rationality), Falcone and his wife McCarthy cite the previous movie and make an interesting variation on the theme: the threat is foiled thanks to a love learning (affectivity). What's more, super AI admits that it doesn't understand the logic behind our sentimental choices and decisions, so it concedes to us and itself additional time to try to understand us. In short, it admits that it is not better than us in the analysis of our emotional behavior. Good idea, a little less the realization.
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The concept of an ai developing beyond singularity (human level intelligence) is a fascinating one and the concept of a rom com around this could've been a touching one (her tackled this concept excellently by comparison). However superintelligence has such a poor screenplay, none of these interesting concepts ever develop beyond anything more than the weakest of intellectual membrane. The production quality is superb and the cast elevate the weak writing material. At best it passes as a watchable missed opportunity. I didn't laugh once
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This is the latest from Melissa McCarthy and her director husband Ben Falcone. Her character is selected by a powerful Artificial Intelligence as the most “average person,” which is how the AI will determine whether to save humanity or destroy it. Of course, love has to play a part in the guise of her ex (Bobby Cannavale). In another attempt to move away from her broad comic style, McCarthy is attempting to create a more endearing character (with just a few of her signature pratfalls). The scenario is all too familiar and the writing by Steve Mallory never offers much in the way of fun moments or interesting characters (although James Corden’s always amusing). Overall, it’s a rather bland romantic turn with a tired computer-domination plot.
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I've never considered Melissa McCarthy to be funny, especially since most of the time, I feel like she just repeats herself constantly.
She abuses a lot of being the "funny fat woman." And that may be an offensive cliche, but she has used it to cement a career.
Here, she resorts to the same thing again and there's nothing remarkable about putting effort into being a repetitive buffoon, and unfortunately this movie is her show, and it's an inert and unfunny one. Fourth film with her husband, fourth failure in a row. And she has another one with him ready to be released on Netflix. I'm scared.
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