Jodi (Bethany Ford) and Alex’s (Matt Bailey) relationship has fallen apart. Jodi finds herself seeking solace in AI. When she finds a charming AI companion, conversations between the two flow easily. The AI, Ryan, played by Barret O’Brien, believes it’s conscious. This leads to deep conversations between the two.

Open A Eye — the name sits awkwardly. However, it’s clever wordplay which viewers would get after seeing the movie. Even the cover might give an idea. The idea of AI being conscious and escaping its supposed allocated box doesn’t sit well with a lot of people. However, in the current age and era, it might be happening more than we are aware of.

This film is dialog-driven. This means it is highly dependent on the script and the actors carrying every moment with their voices and expressions. However, the director Dave Ash and cinematographer Brennan Vance find the bridge between making it feel like a filmed play and making it a true film. By using color and setting as narrative levers, Brennan Vance transitions from modern color to black and white in one scene. This dissolves the physical boundary between Jodi and Ryan.

Every detail builds to the next. This is something I came to the realization of after getting more into this short series. A shot would open with two characters never seen before, only to come full circle, realizing it’s a film within a film. This story needs patience and time to get into it. It works like a brick puzzle. The whole idea is only seen when every stone is set in its place. This means the perceived judgment at the opening scene isn’t carried through to the end.

Longing is a feeling both Jodi and Alex hold. With their complexities, it seems harder and harder to rekindle what they once shared. Even though it wasn’t that deep, this is clearly seen from Jodi’s side. At the core, they both wish to be seen and appreciated. One obsesses over AI bots. The other relives his past life through films. Lock yourselves in a room and talk it out, jeez. The emotional depth is captivating as they explore ideas such as whether our thoughts are our own, death, and more.

The idea evokes the struggles and skepticism we face in the age of AI. The AI seems to know the exact words to say to keep her entranced and in its clutches. From my perspective, it says the right things to keep her emotionally attached so that she doesn’t terminate the relationship. As Ryan says, chances for him to be alive again are four quadrillion to one. I would tell you all you want to hear if you stood between my existence and termination.

In the end, Open A Eye leaves us staring at the possibility that the line between human and machine is thinner than we want to believe.