Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'I Origins'

Written by Scott Edwards

Fate is something that numerous people may have a problem believing in. Thinking that everything happens for a reason, and that overall, we have no control over how it comes to light can leave several people wondering why we even try to live our own lives. The decisions that we make, no matter how small and insignificant we believe they are, can lead us to something that we could never imagine, but is it really our own doing?

Young Ian Grey has a fascination with the human eye. Knowing that no two sets of eyes are the same, he has come up with a hobby of sorts of taking pictures of the eyes of anyone that will allow him to.  Even though some people’s eyes may look the same, there are small variations in each set that makes them unique to their owners. Even as he grows into a molecular biologist, he still holds onto this hobby, but now for a different reason altogether. 

Trying to prove that the human eye has evolved over the many generations of our race is the goal, and the only reason behind such work is to disprove the beliefs of creationists. The only problem is that he has not been able to find a lab assistant that holds his same passion for the project. When Karen comes into his lab, Ian might not believe it was fate, but notices that she holds the same passion as he does and will do anything to get the job done. Knowing that his project is in the great hands of the intelligent undergrad, Ian is able to focus more on his personal life.

On November 11th, Ian stopped by his local convenience store to buy a pack of cigarettes along with a lotto ticket, and that is when his life changed. With the abundance of the number eleven being put in front of him, he finds a pattern that leads him to a woman from his past. A short while ago, he had the opportunity to have sex with an attractive women at a Halloween party before his talking got him into trouble, but the one thing he remembers about this woman is the uniqueness of her eyes. As he follows this pattern on November 11th, he is drawn to a billboard that has her eyes showcased once again.  Trying to find this woman once more, Ian stakes out her favorite coffee shop hoping to see her once again, but when she never shows up he decides to go back home. Getting on the train, Ian is surprised to find her sitting and possibly waiting for him. The chance of the two finding each other again is slim to nil, but Ian is not willing to believe it was anything but that.

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As Ian questions the woman that has stolen his heart, he finds out that she does not believe in chance, but fate. As the two bond over the next couple of months, Ian starts to discover that Sofi is his complete opposite in beliefs. While Ian focuses on the science of everything, Sofi believes that there is some higher power that is controlling their lives and has put the two together in this world. Ian will never share this view, but it is not enough to keep the two apart and they decide to get married on a whim. When the county clerk tells the couple that they have to wait twenty four hours before the marriage can become official, Ian receives a call from his lab that his experiment can be tested and he needs to come in for the report. Sofi questions Ian’s motives of wanting to play God, but still, the two are in love and when they start to consummate their new marriage, a vial of liquid spills in Ian’s eyes and blinds him for the night. The couple returns home, but the elevator in the building stalls and Ian is forced to find a way to get his himself and his love out before something bad happens...

I Origins follows the life of Dr. Ian Grey as he is trying to prove that human race was grown out of evolution, not creation. As his focus is on the human eye, he takes pictures of the eyes of those willing to be photographed, but finding something different in Sofi’s eyes, he is taken back just a bit.  As his views are challenged by his naive love, Ian is not deterred in his research and will continue at all costs, but when he loses Sofi in a freak accident he has to find a way to keep going. When he marries his lab tech and they have their first born's retina scans come up as someone else’s in a national data base, the two parents have to put their beliefs aside and follow the steps that are being put in front of them. Although Ian has put his feelings aside for Sofi, she is always in his thoughts and when he finds that there is another retina match for her eyes in the data base, he starts to believe that there is something more powerful going on than he could ever understand.

A very powerful film by Mike Cahill and I would highly recommend it to anyone out there.  After leaving the theater, I was still blown away by how the story took a turn and opened Ian’s eyes to chance that he may have been wrong after all of these years of study. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul and I have believed that for my entire life. You can tell so much about a person by looking into their eyes and that is something that everyone should take a good note of. Keep your eyes open for the signs that are in front of you, you never know what you will run into, no matter what your beliefs tell you. Happy Viewing. Also, watch to the end of the credits, there is a little something extra that will you find very enjoyable.

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