Robots (2023 film)

Robots is a 2023 American science fiction romantic comedy film written and directed by Ant Hines and Casper Christensen. It is based on the 1973 short story "The Robot Who Looked Like Me" by Robert Sheckley. The film stars Shailene Woodley and Jack Whitehall.

Robots was released in the United States by Neon on May 19, 2023.

Plot
In 2032, after advanced robotics enabled humanity to use lifelike androids as servants and manual laborers, affluent suburbanites Elaine and Charles illegally use android doubles of themselves to avoid the time constraints of dating and the strain of work. Charles' C2 not only does his job, but also 'primes' women so the womanizer can have sex with them. Elaine's E2 dates 12 men at once, having sex with them so the gold digger can get money and expensive gifts.

Through a mix up with the addresses, Charles walks into an informal board meeting in a private house talking dirty, as he believes he's seducing Elaine. Whereas the androids end up having relations, C2 for the first time, and stay away all night.

In the morning, as C2 stayed out all night, Charles goes to Elaine's to track him down. Elaine returns home at the same time, seeking E2. They simultaneously get calls from their respective androids, who have shared who they are with each other and realize that they are falling in love.

Elaine and Charles are forced to team up to get their lives back. Going to Zach, who created both of the androids, they enlist his help. He is able to track them using their GPS tracks, but he reminds the humans they will not be able to have them back as they are humanising.

Before the trio go to track down C2 and E2, Charles secretly contacts his friend and former soldier Ashley or 'Fat Ninja' to help. The trio finds the androids in a motel, incapacitating them with tasers and throwing them into the trunk just as Ashley arrives to kidnap the androids.

Meanwhile, C2 and E2 come to and take off with the car, soon thereafter stealing their owners Elaine and Charles' identities. They first trick each, pretending to be their human counterparts, to get their cars and credit cards then try to trick them into believing they have robbed a place at gunpoint. They suggest they escape to Mexico.

Charles drives them to his stepfather's small cabin in the woods. Initially bickering, once he breaks out a bottle of bourbon they share it, eventually falling asleep together in the armchair near the fire. The next morning, before heading to Mexico, Elaine rewatches the video which supposedly frames them. Realising it was a ploy to take over their lives after seeing them on social media, they seek them out at Charles' stepdad's.

Charles and Elaine jump two servant androids to take their masks to sneak into the celebration. Realising E2 and C2 plan to wed there, they find their window to taser them and throw C2 over a cliff. Before they can throw over E2, they both wake. Able to retaser E2, they go to Zach's to force him to loan them E3, his sex slave. Videocalling C2, they convince him that E2 is back with Charles.

When the irate C2 comes, two police officers follow him into the house and take the seemingly two pairs of identical twins into custody. When fingerprinting them produces identical sets of prints, they determine they have illegal robot clones.

After contacting the federal authorities, the sheriff goes home to spruce up for his anticipated TV appearance. Charles uses his phone call to get Ashley to get them out. At the Mexican border, the identical retinas mean only two can cross. So Charles urges C2 to join E2 in Mexico, where androids share equal rights.

Although Charles and Elaine expect to be imprisoned for having clone robots, the feds can't prosecute as Ashley has blown up the police station and evidence. As C2 and E2 convinced Charles and Elaine to be less cynical, they kiss, then take C2 and E2's place in the wedding.

Cast

 * Shailene Woodley as Elaine / E2 / E3
 * Jack Whitehall as Charles Cameron / C2
 * Paul Rust as Zach
 * Nick Rutherford as Ted Jr.
 * Paul Jurewicz as Ashley
 * David Grant Wright as Ted Cameron
 * Emanuela Postacchini as Francesca
 * Chelsea Edmundson as Emily Denholm
 * Jackamoe Buzzell as Sheriff Bill Horton
 * Samantha Ashley as Deputy Chavez
 * Richard Lippert as David Schulman
 * Kate Herman as Kiki Schulman

Production
Emma Roberts was originally cast in June 2020, until Shailene Woodley replaced her in June of the following year.

Filming occurred in New Mexico in August 2021.

Release
In April 2023, Neon acquired US and Caribbean rights to Robots. The film had a simultaneous theatrical and on-demand release in the United States on May 19, 2023. It was also released in Lithuania on June 6, 2023 and in Russia on June 29, 2023.

Box office
Robots grossed $200,105 in Russia and Lithuania.

Critical response
Lisa Nystrom of FilmInk said, "There are no real laugh-out-loud moments, no emotionally moving denouement, just a bland but good-natured outing you can safely forget the moment it’s over."