Jenna Ortega brings innocence and wonder to Klara and the Sun, a visually striking adaptation exploring artificial intelligence, faith, friendship, and the sacrifices we make for those we love.
Millions of people all over the world believe that out in the universe somewhere there is a higher power, a deity, if you will, that will heal us and help us if we pray hard enough. For thousands of years, these "gods" have been the explanation for anything and everything, and when things can't be explained, they are called miracles. However, with the creation of artificial intelligence, would all those beliefs go away? Would AI be able to give logical explanations for everything, and would people stop believing? Not if you were a B1-generation artificial friend named Klara (Jenna Ortega; Wednesday). Based on the bestselling book, Klara and the Sun, the film adaptation opens in theaters nationwide this week.
Klara and her AI friends are discontinued models that can't compete with the new B3 Superstore that opened across the street from their shop. Each day, Klara prays to the Sun to let this be "her day," the day she gets bought and taken home to be a teenager's companion. However, that seems less and less likely until the day Josie (Mia Tharia; The Education of Jane Cumming) sees Klara in the store window and decides she wants to buy Klara to be her friend.
As Klara acclimates to her new home and life, much to the chagrin of Josie's mother, Chrissy (Amy Adams; Arrival), she learns that Josie is sick due to the "lifting" surgery she had. After prayers to the Sun go unanswered, Klara must do whatever she can to try to save Josie, even if it means sacrificing herself.
Ortega is a shining star in young Hollywood these days, and it seems everything she touches becomes hers. She portrays Klara with humor and a sense of naiveté and wonder that make her seem so innocent in an ever-changing world. Tharia does well alongside her co-star, and Adams rounds out the trio nicely with her mix of anger, sadness, and reluctance to accept anything: Klara, Josie's fate, or the loss of her firstborn child.
Director Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit) may not have been the best choice to bring this adaptation to the big screen, though. The novel deals with heavy subject matter and life-altering events, but Waititi tends to make everything more humorous, and while the laughter helps to negate some of the heaviness of the plot, he uses it in a more infantile and childish manner than the book does. Fans of the original material may not see his version as being serious enough to honor Josie and Klara.
He does bring Klara's world to life in a magical way, from the rolling hills full of wheat fields to the vibrant colors of Josie's house and the world outside her front door. He also uses pixelated moments to give the audience the feel of what it is like for Klara to calibrate her new surroundings. It is a useful tool that he utilizes often and effectively. Waititi uses light in an interesting way as well to show Klara what it seems like when two people love each other.
Klara and the Sun employs some terrific visuals and is well cast, making the movie enjoyable for the most part. However, it makes light of some of the aspects of the original story that fans of the book may not appreciate and may even make it seem as if Waititi is disrespecting the source material. However, if you have not read the novel, you will probably find the film heartwarming, fun, and full of life lessons we can all learn.
At the end of the day, it is a tale that should remind everyone to seek out joy and friendship whenever possible.
Grade: B-
