‘Sunny,’ led by a powerful Rashida Jones, is best when focused on personal relationships

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As a movie critic with a background in artificial intelligence and robotics research, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of “Sunny” on Apple TV+. Rashida Jones’ portrayal of Suzie Sakamoto, an American widow living in Kyoto who forms an unlikely bond with her late husband’s custom-made robot, Sunny, struck a chord with me.

In the Apple TV+ series “Sunny,” which debuts on Wednesday, Rashida Jones portrays Suzie Sakamoto, an American woman residing in a future Kyoto. Her Japanese husband and 8-year-old son are believed to have perished in a commercial airline crash. However, there are hints throughout the show that not everything is as it appears.

Suzie is mourning in private and unexpectedly receives Sunny, an Apple-white robot resembling Sanrio characters, as a companion. Sunny’s cute expressions are displayed on a screen to alleviate Suzie’s loneliness, although she recoils at Sunny’s attempt to “hug” her. Suzie lacks genuine friends.

At this point in their marriage that spanned over a decade, Suzie discovers a surprising truth about Masa (Hidetoshi Nishijima from “Drive My Car”): he wasn’t actually a refrigeration engineer as she had believed. Instead, he was an influential figure in advanced robotics and had personally created Sunny, a robot designed for Suzie, perhaps anticipating his own absence at some point. This explanation seems to be the only one making sense in this situation.

In Colin O’Sullivan’s novel “The Dark Manual,” now titled to fit the series, I refer to Sunny as “she” due to the author’s portrayal of her as female and because the story is primarily populated by women. These strong females dominate the narrative, making it their world rather than an accidental choice on my part.

At first, Suzie tried to get rid of Sunny and uncover the truth about her husband. This process was intertwined with her curiosity. There would be hidden and incomplete revelations, making things uncomfortable. In the bar where they were frequent customers, Suzie encountered a vibrant, red-haired woman named Mixxy (Annie the Clumsy), who worked as a bartender. She shared with Suzie the existence of the Dark Manual, an illicit guide for homebot hacking. It could potentially give Suzie complete control over her malfunctioning husband instead of just intermittently shutting him down.

As someone who has spent years delving into intricately plotted thrillers and crime dramas, I must admit that this narrative hooked me from the start. The complexity of the plot, with its twists and turns, kept me on the edge of my seat. However, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment when the Yakuza were introduced. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good organized crime story as much as the next person. But after reading countless books and watching countless movies on the subject, it’s hard not to feel a sense of been-there-done-that.

At the beginning, resisting Sunny feels natural since Suzie does the same, and there’s a possibility that she could harm her owner. The opening of the series hints at homebots developing dangerous malfunctions, making Suzie wary of Sunny despite growing accustomed to her. My primary concern throughout the season was ensuring Sunny’s kindness towards Suzie.

In the same way that animals evoke our feelings in dramas and social media videos, sentient machines can elicit strong emotions from us. Once given human-like features such as faces, voices, or even distinct sounds, these machines blend emotionally with human characters, defying the argument “It’s just a machine.” Characters like Astro Boy, Data, C-3P0, and Replicants become more relatable for not being human. The demise of HAL 9000 in “2001: A Space Odyssey” is a poignant moment that tugs at our heartstrings. Sunny, with her large eyes, gentle voice, hopeful and worried expressions, dreaming ability, and visual feedback loop intoxication, is as much the story’s protagonist as Suzie – the series being named after her is proof enough.

Among various secrets, there’s a hint that Suzie is concealing something as well – she refuses to reveal “the real reason” to Masa during their recollection of their initial encounter, which took place in Japan. Suzie’s inclination towards seclusion brings up the reality of hikikomori, an extreme form of social detachment where individuals isolate themselves in their rooms for extended periods – a condition that Masa has experienced himself. (“It’s not a quiet retreat,” he clarifies when Suzie shows curiosity. “Being observed by others was painful for me.”)

In some parts of the plot, events unfold in an overly complicated way, resembling a Rube Goldberg machine where various actions like a tea kettle boiling, a balloon popping, a frightened cat, and a bowling ball falling are all choreographed to achieve something as simple as ringing a bell. It would be more logical and efficient to just use a stick and hit the bell directly. While not a complete waste, these convoluted sequences demand an acceptance of seemingly unnecessary complexity in order to progress from point A to point B.

In my opinion, the show, brought to life by Katie Robbins, shines brightest when it delves deeper into the complexities of personal relationships, like the one between Suzie and her mother-in-law Noriko, brilliantly portrayed by Judy Ongg. While the mystery and conspiracy aspects are intriguing, they don’t hold a candle to the human connections that make this journey worthwhile. The intricacies of these relationships often leave us feeling frustrated yet captivated.

In the final stages, there are unexpected turns or suspenseful moments, leaving us wondering if another season will be announced. (Clearly, there’s plenty more to explore.) Following a popular trend among streaming series, an episode close to the end delves into Nishijima’s Masa’s background, giving him ample screentime. The subsequent episode takes us inside Sunny’s mind for additional context and backstory, with Jones barely appearing.

Despite some inconsistencies in the storyline, this production is a delight to watch. It boasts impressive craftsmanship, with stunning visuals, captivating character designs, and vibrant supporting actors. Jones, who is recognized for her work on “The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “Angie Tribeca,” delivers a compelling performance despite her frequent bouts of depression. Her portrayal lacks self-centeredness and contains fewer comedic elements than expected. The series maintains a subtle, humorous tone, evident from the whimsical opening credits, but humor is not its primary focus.

In the end, I’ll transform into a deliberate action hero with a touch of charm reminiscent of Doris Day during the thrilling finale of “The Man Who Knew Too Much.” The creators might have intended it that way.

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2024-07-18 19:28