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Movie review: RENNER (2025)
A boy's best friend is his motherboard
Frankie Muniz and Violett Beane make something violent outta falling in love.
RENNER (2025) Robert Rippberger. Writers: Luke Medina, Martin Medina, David Largman Murray, and Robert Rippberger / Cinematographer: Sean Emer (1.85:1) / Design: Sonia Foltarz / Editor: Gabriel Cullen / Music: Rony Barrak / Cast: Frankie Muniz, Violett Beane, Craig Lamar Traylor, Taylor Gray, Estes Tarver, and Marcia Gay Harden as the voice of Salenus / Dental Prosthetics Designer: Gary Archer / Distributor: Seismic Releasing / Not Rated / Length: 90 mins.
Reclusive to the point of invisibility, Renner (Frankie Muniz) has no confidence and only one confidante: Salenus (Marcia Gay Harden), an AI life coach of his own design who communicates through an alarm clock-shaped eye. Renner takes Salenus’ pronouncement “Clean your space, clean your mind” very seriously: nary a dust mite is in sight, and to gain access, would-be guests must first pass through an ultraviolet purifier. (For the consummate germaphobe, there’s a hand sanitizer dispenser strategically located inside the entrance hall). In light of Renner’s advanced state of mysophobia, you might think he would spring for a cleaning woman to come in every hour or so. But then, women can inspire their own sorts of anxiety.
Video:
Trailer: Renner
More than just a neural house mom, Salenus acts as a procuress of sorts, alerting Renner to the minute when the comely neighbor across the hall returns from her morning run. But even his manufactured bestie cannot quell the paralysis that consumes our man whenever he tries to make human contact. That is, until the day Jamie (Violett Beane) makes the first move, inviting herself to dinner. Rah-rah for Renner, until she shows up for their date with a fella in tow, a definite deal-killer. Jamie takes her sweet time before clarifying that the third wheel is her half-brother Chad (Taylor Gray). It's Lie #2, and the evening’s just getting started. A hybrid chip in Salenus’ hard drive later expresses regret over having to inform Renner of Jamie’s disingenuousness. For a CPU designed to show no emotion — and I'm trying hard not to give anything away — let’s just say a boy’s best friend is his motherboard.
As the world’s first mama’s boy to a manufactured mama, Renner is part computer genius, part geek, and part avenging incel. Muniz thrives as all three, but even he has difficulty buoying a final third plagued by torture porn. And if Renner is so damn smart, why did it take him two reels to figure out Chad wasn’t Jamie’s brother? Or four reels to discover Jamie and Chad were robbing him blind? **
Available now On Demand.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Movie review: RENNER (2025)
A boy's best friend is his motherboard
Movie review: RENNER (2025)
A boy's best friend is his motherboard
Frankie Muniz and Violett Beane make something violent outta falling in love.
RENNER (2025) Robert Rippberger. Writers: Luke Medina, Martin Medina, David Largman Murray, and Robert Rippberger / Cinematographer: Sean Emer (1.85:1) / Design: Sonia Foltarz / Editor: Gabriel Cullen / Music: Rony Barrak / Cast: Frankie Muniz, Violett Beane, Craig Lamar Traylor, Taylor Gray, Estes Tarver, and Marcia Gay Harden as the voice of Salenus / Dental Prosthetics Designer: Gary Archer / Distributor: Seismic Releasing / Not Rated / Length: 90 mins.
Reclusive to the point of invisibility, Renner (Frankie Muniz) has no confidence and only one confidante: Salenus (Marcia Gay Harden), an AI life coach of his own design who communicates through an alarm clock-shaped eye. Renner takes Salenus’ pronouncement “Clean your space, clean your mind” very seriously: nary a dust mite is in sight, and to gain access, would-be guests must first pass through an ultraviolet purifier. (For the consummate germaphobe, there’s a hand sanitizer dispenser strategically located inside the entrance hall). In light of Renner’s advanced state of mysophobia, you might think he would spring for a cleaning woman to come in every hour or so. But then, women can inspire their own sorts of anxiety.
Video:
Trailer: Renner
More than just a neural house mom, Salenus acts as a procuress of sorts, alerting Renner to the minute when the comely neighbor across the hall returns from her morning run. But even his manufactured bestie cannot quell the paralysis that consumes our man whenever he tries to make human contact. That is, until the day Jamie (Violett Beane) makes the first move, inviting herself to dinner. Rah-rah for Renner, until she shows up for their date with a fella in tow, a definite deal-killer. Jamie takes her sweet time before clarifying that the third wheel is her half-brother Chad (Taylor Gray). It's Lie #2, and the evening’s just getting started. A hybrid chip in Salenus’ hard drive later expresses regret over having to inform Renner of Jamie’s disingenuousness. For a CPU designed to show no emotion — and I'm trying hard not to give anything away — let’s just say a boy’s best friend is his motherboard.
As the world’s first mama’s boy to a manufactured mama, Renner is part computer genius, part geek, and part avenging incel. Muniz thrives as all three, but even he has difficulty buoying a final third plagued by torture porn. And if Renner is so damn smart, why did it take him two reels to figure out Chad wasn’t Jamie’s brother? Or four reels to discover Jamie and Chad were robbing him blind? **
Available now On Demand.