‘Jexi’ movie review: Adam DeVine is stalked by a clingy AI
A fictional Siri bosses a dorky nervous wreck around and tries to make his life better
Adam DeVine is stalked by Jexi, a possessive AI assistant.Nowadays, it’s basically normal to see everyone playing with their phones when you’re taking public transport. Smartphones have pervasively integrated themselves into our daily routine, with addictive social media apps and always-listening AI assistants .
Some might even say that these little black boxes have taken over our lives and have taken away our ability to truly live. Jexi explores this idea, does a good job of humourously reminding us that we shouldn’t be so dependent on our phones.
The film’s plot follows Phil (Adam DeVine), a dorky nervous wreck who is addicted to his phone. His dependency on his phone has left him with no friends and a non-existent love life. When he upgrades to a new phone, he is greeted by Jexi, an AI assistant/life coach/cheerleader.
Jexi is programmed to make Phil’s life better, which she does. However as his real life improves, he starts to use less of his phone which prompts Jexi to transform into a digital nightmare that is determined to keep Phil all to itself.
Jexi’s banter with Phil is quite funny and well-written. An AI ordering a kale salad from the kids menu for an adult male makes for good laughs on the big screen. Seeing Phil make new friends, succeed at his job, and meet someone nice will definitely put a smile on your face.
Unfortunately Jexi’s storyline is too predictable, and as soon as Jexi is introduced to the audience, you can already guess that it will be dominating Phil’s life, so don’t expect any huge twists and turns.
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Adam DeVine is a great fit for the role. His energetic and over-the-top acting is perfect, as most of the scenes only star him and his phone. The character is also very relatable and you can’t help but sympathise with him at the beginning of the movie.
In a world where almost everyone has a smartphone, Jexi has a chance to poke fun at one of society’s biggest problems. It delivers an important message, which is that our lives do not depend on our phones and we should go out to have great experiences, and live our life to the fullest. Regrettably, it doesn’t ever rise above the level of a mediocre Netflix comedy flick and remains a fun but forgettable watch.
Warning: This film contains strong language and some scenes of a mature nature.