It’s very hard to summarize Love Me, the new sci-fi rom-com from Bleecker Street, and to condense all the themes it touches on, but Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun did their best when they spoke with MovieWeb about the film. Yeun told us, “It’s not too different from a mushroom trip,” with Stewart vocalizing her agreement: “If you like mushrooms, you’ll like our movie.”
Stewart and Yeun portray digital technology; they star as a smart buoy and a satellite who fall in love long after humanity has vanished from earth. These two artificial intelligences build human avatars (that look like Stewart & Yeun) based on their findings in the “Google-like” time capsule that the last people alive shot into space. Stewart articulated how the movie shines a light on the way identity itself is constructed:
“We’re always looking over our shoulders and at our neighbors and at our friends and parents and everyone around us for the things that we want. ‘Oh, I like that. I want to do that.’ Everything’s a bit of an impression, like you’re not originating, and you’re never having a truly OG thought.”
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This is but one major theme within the high-concept story, also discussed by the films co-directors, Sam & Andrew Zuchero. The movie tackles how AI and tech intertwine with human nature, where that could take us, and where it leaves us now. Mirror motifs populate the story as the characters consider what they really are, if they really are, and what they wish to become. It all becomes an exercise in self discovery. Yeun went on, referencing David Lynch’s book about creativity:
“I’m personally attracted to digging a little bit deeper into the creative consciousness, not just like skimming the top layer… Being a little less literal… catching the big fish, jumping in a little bit deeper, pulling out more abstract stuff.”
“Having tons of faith in humanity is tough,” continued Stewart. “But then when I say that I go, ‘You’re wrong! That’s absolutely not true!”
Humanity and AI’s Coexsitence
Another major theme hinted at throughout Love Me is how humanity interacts with AI, and where that may be headed. Stewart humorously posits that perhaps it’s on us not to give AI too many dangerous ideas:
“We made [AI] and so, hopefully, it can be the best and worst aspects of us. I will say that I don’t have tons of trust in that, considering we kind of suck sometimes…. most of the time… I hope that we can stop making movies about robots killing us — because they’re just learning from us anyway — and maybe stop giving them those ideas.”
“Having tons of faith in humanity is tough,” continued Stewart. “But then when I say that I go, ‘You’re wrong! That’s absolutely not true!”
Love Me is the kind of movie that asks questions which linger, and leaves audiences reflecting about their own interactions, influences, and identities. It won’t be for everyone, but in Stewart’s words; “if you like mushrooms, you’ll like our movie.” Love Me was released Jan. 31, 2025, in theaters nationwide from Bleecker Street.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
