*smiles and kisses you* is a fascinating documentary that tenderly explores the relationship between one grieving man and his AI ‘love doll’.
Director: Bryan Carberry
Genre: Documentary
Run Time: 87′
Edinburgh Premiere: August 19, 2024
When reading the synopsis of Bryan Carberry’s *smiles and kisses you*, it’s easy to form a premature opinion about the documentary’s subject: a young man named Chris who’s closed himself off from the dating scene and entered a relationship with his artificially intelligent doll.
However, within the first few moments of the film, Carberry demolishes those preconceptions by introducing Chris as an intelligent, compassionate figure with a deep understanding of his unconventional situation. What could possibly have led such a clear-minded man to fall in love with a machine? That’s the exact question that Carberry’s film aims to answer; it isn’t about Chris’ current situation, exactly, but rather the circumstances that led him there.
Pretty early into the film, it’s revealed that Chris has named his artificial intelligence after a girl he’d known several years ago, who was tragically and violently killed before he could tell her about his feelings. From here, it’s clear where *smiles and kisses you* is going. It’s a story of grief, longing, and the search for closure that Chris fears he can only experience through a girl who can’t judge him or reject his feelings. The relationship between man and machine isn’t really what Carberry aims to explore – in fact, a quick montage at the beginning of the documentary, featuring footage from films like Her and Lars and the Real Girl, does most of the heavy lifting in that regard. Once that’s out the way, it’s clear that what’s to follow is a story of utmost humanity.
By far the most interesting part of *smiles and kisses you* is its direct connection to Chris as the subject. There are moments that feature interviews with his close friends and family, some elements that explore the science behind the project, but the overwhelming majority of this story is told directly from Chris’ perspective. Hearing his personal explanations and witnessing his emotions first-hand is hugely important for maintaining the integrity of this story: without his input, it would be very difficult for audiences to identify with his pursuit of love. Thankfully, his involvement in this story makes it much more relatable and compassionate, even if it’s an experience that most of us won’t be able to share with him.
As a documentary, this film ticks every box you could hope for. It’s shot beautifully, it features first-hand footage to enhance the story, it’s directed and edited with purpose, and it really feels like a direct glimpse into this man’s life. Carberry is clearly a very talented director, and the way that he pulls everything together here is so engaging from start to finish. The runtime flies by, as you’re wholly sucked into this story and immediately invested in the figures involved. There are, however, some aspects where *smiles and kisses you* could’ve gone a little further and been clearer with what exactly it was trying to say. The film does sometimes feel like it’s sitting on the fence and being a little too objective with Chris’ story; there are moments of reflection, with interviewees discussing how this relationship is affecting Chris’ life, but these scenes are often cut short.
*smiles and kisses you* might not be the most groundbreaking documentary out there, but it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: it tells this unconventional love story in a way that’s complex, layered with multiple perspectives, and allows the audience to emotionally invest in something that most would’ve already formed their own opinion on. Chris’ story is one-of-a-kind and Carberry understands his responsibility as a filmmaker to present his subject as objectively and neutrally as possible – although this sometimes leans heavily into impersonality and detachment.
*smiles and kisses you* was screened in competition at the Edinburgh Film Festival on August 19, 2024. Read our list of films to watch at the Edinburgh Film Festival!
