

_Bicentennial_Man_ (PG) *** (out of ****)

The trailer for Chris Columbus' adaptation of Isaac Asimov's short story
and novel _The_Positronic_Man_ makes this Robin Williams vehicle look
like a futuristic sequel to _Patch_Adams_--in short, a ghastly piece of
shameless audience manipulation.  The sentiment is laid on as thick as
molasses as the trailer shows how a robot named Andrew (Williams) is
adopted by a family and proves to be "special"--unlike any other android,
he appears to actually bear the qualities of emotion and creativity.  His
human characteristics eventually feed into a desire to become human, a
dream that gradually comes true over the course of 200 years (hence the
title).  The trailer comes to a climax as Williams, no longer made of
metal and bearing a flesh-and-blood appearance, asks comely co-star
Embeth Davidtz to kiss him.

Watching the film itself, I saw that the trailer was accurate in
conveying one thing: _Bicentennial_Man_ is, without a doubt, a
manipulative picture.  But director Chris Columbus, schmaltzmeister that
he is, makes no bones about it--he wants to move you.  The surprise then
came in how I was touched (though not quite moved) by this gentle,
likable centuries-spanning fable.  While Williams goes through his
earnest warm-fuzzy motions as the lead (the only really distinctive thing
about his work here is how he wears a head-to-toe metal suit for much of
the picture), the standout work--and that which goes a long way for one's
involvement in the picture--belongs to Embeth Davidtz, who has a dual
role as Amanda, a.k.a. "Little Miss," the youngest daughter in the family
that "adopts" Andrew; and Portia, her granddaughter.  When Davidtz is
recycled, so does screenwriter Nicholas Kazan recycle the contrived plot
wrinkle of her character being betrothed to another.  But with a proven
buttons-pusher such as Columbus at the helm, it's easy to forgive
uninspired plot mechanics, for the undeniable emotional pull compensates.

Michael Dequina
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