I Origins
Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: July 18, 2014 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
57
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 36 Critic Reviews
Positive:
16
Mixed:
20
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyJan 26, 2014
I Origins is a bracingly venturesome, exploratory work that achieves an exceptional balance between the emotional and intellectual aspects of its unusual story. Read full review
88
USA TodayClaudia PuigJul 24, 2014
An exploration of where science ends and spirituality picks up, this second feature from writer-director Mike Cahill (Another Earth) is captivating, suspenseful and thought-provoking. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesBill ZweckerJul 24, 2014
Cahill has not only made a thoughtful and compelling movie about science, but he’s also given us an intriguing story that delves into the age-old debate of faith vs. hard proof involving the possibility of a higher spiritual power. Read full review
88
McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreJul 16, 2014
A true indie film roller-coaster ride, from moon-eyed romance to aching heartbreak, cerebral puzzle to incredibly moving, emotional resolution to that puzzle. In a season of the year where sci-fi is dumbed down and then dumbed some more for mass consumption, here’s a piece of speculative fiction that will stick with you long after the last Transformer’s battery has died. Read full review
83
Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerJul 18, 2014
Brit Marling, who starred in and co-wrote Cahill’s debut feature, “Another Earth,” is very good as Ian’s lab assistant and eventual wife, and a young Indian girl named Kashish, a nonactress I would guess, is unforgettable. Read full review
83
The PlaylistRodrigo PerezJan 26, 2014
I Origins is a fascinating examination of belief, spirituality and otherworldliness through the skeptical lens of science, however, it's not always perfect. Read full review
80
EmpireDamon WiseSep 22, 2014
Cahill's second feature film is another smart, inventive and engaging offering. Read full review
75
Portland OregonianMarc MohanJul 25, 2014
Thought-provoking, making this a solid date movie science geeks and philosophy freaks alike. Read full review
75
St. Louis Post-DispatchJoe WilliamsJul 24, 2014
A film that aims for the stars and may have found one here on earth. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoJul 18, 2014
It is a film that can sometimes frustrate in its supporting characters but Cahill and his talented cast are unapologetically willing to explore the kind of complex intangibles that filmmakers often ignore or merely turn into pretentious drivel. Read full review
75
New York PostKyle SmithJul 17, 2014
The attraction between the resolutely empirical scientist and his “spiritual,” hippy-dippy girlfriend gives the film an unpredictable quality. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyLeah GreenblattJul 16, 2014
It works its own sort of magic. After all, who doesn't want to believe that the soul does have a window, and that if it closes we might open it again? Read full review
75
IndieWireEric KohnJan 26, 2014
While still invested in grandiose swipes at big ideas and the epistemological babbling of a late night college dorm room conversation, Cahill generates an authentic sense of mystery by keeping a tighter lid on the secrets of the universe. Read full review
70
The DissolveTasha RobinsonJul 16, 2014
The hypnotic, clicky soundtrack, Bergès-Frisbey’s playful yet sad performance, and a few significant script moments laying out the film’s philosophy all aim toward a sleepy trance that helps put the biggest flaws into soft focus. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy BurrJul 24, 2014
As a director, Cahill’s a capable and sometimes breathtaking stylist, and he accomplishes remarkable things on a modest budget, topping up the visuals with patterns, rhymes, and concordances. Read full review
63
Washington PostMichael O'SullivanJul 24, 2014
The film ends with an ambiguous, yet powerful conclusion. It doesn’t answer the question it raises, yet the way it’s asked keeps it echoing in your head. Except that Cahill can’t seem to leave well enough alone. Read full review
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