Finch (2021) Poster

(2021)

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6/10
Not terribly original, but sweet nonetheless
gbill-7487720 December 2021
A sweet little film, especially considering it's set in a post-apocalyptic hellscape. Maybe that's the Tom Hanks effect. Comparisons to Cast Away are inevitable, with Wilson the volleyball replaced by Goodyear the dog and Jeff the robot, but the grim sense of the struggle to survive somehow seems muted here. This is light entertainment, geared more towards families or younger viewers. There were cute moments as the robot needs to be trained and weepy moments as the human's health is failing, but unfortunately it never seemed terribly clever or original. Hanks is great as always and the robot is awkwardly cool, but I wish the story had been better.
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8/10
Apocalyptic future story with again a great Tom Hanks.
deloudelouvain9 December 2021
This is exactly the kind of movie I do enjoy watching. Post-apocalyptic scenes, it makes you think about the future. In the case of Finch it's quite simple, no Mad Max action scenes but a simple story with only one actor, Tom Hanks, if you don't count the voice of the robot and the lovely dog Goodyear. Like in Cast Away Tom Hanks carries this movie like nobody else can. One actor only doens't mean bad movie and he shows us that. Quite a long movie but never boring, with good existencial conversations between Tom Hanks and his robot. The dog, what is he cute, adds something sweet and emotional to the story. In other words I liked it a lot and I'm not surprised others will like this one as well.
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7/10
Tom Hanks carries the film like a boss !!!
ketgup837 November 2021
Tom Hanks is such marvelous actor that he can get into the skin of any character and does it with so ease that convinces the audience.

Finch (played by Tom Hanks) is struggling to survive both mentally as well physically in the post-apocalyptic world in the company of a dog and a robot. He knows that he is getting old and will not be able to make it through, so he invents another AI based human-like robot who imitates the activity of Finch so that they can travel as far as possible away from storms which tends to threaten them.

From the director of Game Of Throne series, Finch is a heart-warming and compassionate film which will make you smile, laugh and cry with its moments. The film could have been better just like Tom Hanks's previous classic Cast Away, but looses the steam towards second half. Nevertheless, the powerful performances and few brilliant scenes and Finch can be a pleasant watch with your family.
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9/10
A pleasing story with a feel good ending.
Defected744 August 2022
Finch is more proof that Tom Hanks is a great actor and makes good movies. This is a dramatic story of a man a dog on a journey to San Francisco during a post apocalyptic future with the companionship of a self-aware robot. While the movie's setting is not unique and slightly predictable, Tim Hank's ability to make the viewer feel so comfortable with the main character you can't help but feel his emotional ups and downs. It wasn't until the end that I realized it was a 2 hour movie.

I'm surprised that so many reviewers expect blockbusters from every movie with a big named actor. These same people are over-saturated by comic action films they failed to see the beauty in the story itself and expected 2 full hours of action.
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7/10
Another One Man Show for Tom Hanks
Alexander_Blanchett5 November 2021
It was a decent movie. The premise was not the most original one, as we have seen elements of it in previous films. I think this is a film that again suffers a little bit from its marketing and the expectations it arises. If you expect an action loaded film like "I, Robot" you will be disappointed. This is rather a melancholic story about a dying man and his dog who creates a robot as a caretaker. Its a film about life, loss and moving forward.

It does have some action and tense elements that are typical for a SciFi adventure, and it does have fantastic visual effects and a beautiful cinematography. But the core of it is the characters (including the dog, which has its own character) by which the film is driven.

Its truly another one man show on Tom Hanks' resume and he has more than once proven that he is great at that. This is no difference. Tom Hanks gives a very touching performance. Its not constantly brilliant as he sometimes sleepwalks a bit through it, but in its essence very good.

I also liked he dynamic between the three characters which was nicely done.

Good film, not legendary, not a 100% must see but a good way to pass 2 hours with.
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8/10
I don't understand....
radhrh5 November 2021
...what people don't like about this movie. I'll admit it is a little sentimental, but in a good way. Tom Hanks gives his signature "ordinary Joe" performance but the stand out is the robot. Despite beginning sounding like Borat the robot is the star of this movie. I'm fascinated to learn how they made the robot so life-like but in the end it doesn't really matter. In addition it would be nice to see a movie not based around an apocalyptic vision of the future. Given the huge advancement the human race has achieved wouldn't it be a welcome novelty to envision a positive future? Just a thought.....

BTW a great family movie. No violence, sex, bad language or drugs. Just a story of simple human values everyone in the family can enjoy. Even the dog.
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6/10
Apple wants us to bond with our technology
c-glive6 November 2021
This was a mediocre post apocalyptic adventure. Definitely feels like a combination of popular films that have come out since 2000. Hanks' performance is appropriate, though not his best, its still good to see him. It just didn't break new ground and I can't help but feel like there was a very significant sub plot eliminated so we could focus more on a human's relationship with technology. Furthermore, it just feels like Apple's sad attempt at using America's Mr. Likeable to grease the wheels on our admiration, dependence and emotional bond with our hardware and operating systems. It is what it is, I guess.
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8/10
LOVED IT.
andrewchristianjr6 November 2021
Loved it. It's Tom Hanks, a robot and a dog - what's not to love? From the life lessons, tender relationships portrayed between human and robot, human and dog, and the action-packed suspenseful scenes - it's a fun wild ride that had me laughing and crying and hugging my dog.
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7/10
tom hanks is the sole...
ops-525355 November 2021
Survivor of this , indeed utopian apocalyptic sci-fi drama, making new friends out of what he has at hand, hes very well equiped both on material and intelectual capacities, a lot more than as a sole survivor after a plane crash in the pacific that made a film some decades ago.

Its a film full of special effects, and exploding visual colours, allthough the atmosphere is dazed out by dust and dirt, the filmographers do give this film a solesurviving glow of hope. Its a film about artificial friendship, may feel slow at times, but it gives more than it takes thinks the grumpy old man. Mr finch is the sole survivor i do wanna be. A recommend.
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5/10
So So
Tweetienator6 November 2021
Robinson Crusoe embedded in an en vogue (post)apocalyptic scenario, spiced up with a dog (how cute, dogs work always), and Number 5 (Short Circuit, 1986). The only thing I miss is E. T. ;) Finch is not a bad movie but it is one of those ueber-generic movies they produce en mass these days. Everything we get we already got served in many other movies, maybe in another context, maybe not, nothing is really new, besides maybe the blend and dose of the ingredients well known. Tom Hanks is solid, the production pro, the humor sometimes forced, and Jeff, the robot is the equivalent of mini Yoda. In a sequel Jeff maybe will get the job of WALL·E done, and clean up the mess mankind left. Verdict: all in all okay but nothing memorable. Movies like The Omega Man or I am Legend are the better ones. The movie business really needs some talented writers and not those hired copycats who depend on formulas and really have not a tiny drop of own creativity at dispose.
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7/10
Two writers and neither could come up with a story?
Top_Dawg_Critic7 November 2021
Basically it's a two hour road trip story about taking care of a dog. I get that both writers are newbs, but at least give us some real drama, thrills and suspense. There was only one part things seemed like they were going to get exciting, but let's just hide under a bridge to avoid all the excitement instead. The story was dull, unoriginal, and lacked any real plot.

I've never been so disappointed in the lost potential from an underused conceptual story, especially with the 115 runtime and amazing casting. This may as well been a short film. And had Hanks not been cast, this just wouldn't of worked and would've flopped. Hanks, and his dynamic with Caleb Landry Jones as Jeff were the only reason I finished the film, although Jeff was unconvincing and a lame and wimpy excuse for a robot.

The directing, cinematography, sets and visuals were excellent, as was the old-school tunes soundtrack. But even all of that will leave you disappointed and wanting more. Even my dog had better ideas to add into this film. It's a very generous 7/10 from me. Apple should stick to computers and phones.
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7/10
Is this the most underrated movie of 2021?
matthewssilverhammer26 January 2022
In a normal world, Finch could've been a hit, or at least a cult hit. A delightful comfort-food hangout movie with four relatable, likable characters...only one of which is human. The ending isn't super satisfying, but it says something about the rest of the film that I still enjoyed it so much. Apparently, my face was giving away my feelings. Without my having spoken a word, in the middle of the movie, my wife randomly said to my daughter, "Your daddy loves this movie."
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6/10
Tom Hanks/mechanical Borat road trip.
mackheath-156-59663212 December 2021
Post-apocalyptic cautionary tale where division, fear and greed is the response to a natural disaster. What remains is a not so wildly imagined extension of the status quo into a future of mistrust, paranoia, and fear fueled by survivalism.

This conceit pits Hanks' grounded dour pragmatic affect against the child-like wonderments and fish-out-of-water discoveries of his newly created mechanical side kick. Straight man Hanks serves up comic relief softballs to CLJ but instead of synergy, the net effect of mixing this acid and base, is a neutralized salt. Add a pinch of maudlin, bake at 165F for 2 hours. Serves 0.
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8/10
How can u give 1?
energy_ucoz5 November 2021
It's not the best movie ever, but how can people give this 1-4? It is very good in my opinion. About 2 hours long but it felt very short. Very likeable characters. And there is only 4 of them. If u count robots and the dog. Not boring, funny, and emotional with good visuals. Perfect movie for one evening.
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7/10
Tom Hanks the Legendary, one more time
Mobadomer1 May 2022
I have to start with the amazing acting of Tom Hank as the only human face in the movie. So all or most of what I felt was because of him. Caleb and even the dog were very good. Hence, a Salute shall be paid to the director. Blot is not great although the story and script were very crafty and balanced between slight comedy and hardcore drama moments.

This is a good day. I've seen several very good shows in a row.
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10/10
Great film- lousy reviews
Snootz5 November 2021
This is a slow-burning, slice-of-life movie. It doesn't have to have amazing CGI; not all sci fi is about giant robots and space battles. No, the robot didn't "carry the film". Tom Hanks pulls this through all the way; the robot and dog were supporting actors so to speak. This isn't an action adventure film, it won't fill one's adrenaline addiction, doesn't throw gore and sex at the viewer, and isn't for Transformer fans. It's a film about friendship, regrets, hope, and renewal. If someone doesn't get that... watch something else.

The 1 & 2 star reviews are ridiculous drivel. Even if someone didn't personally like the film, it's considerably better than 1 or 2 stars. Methinks some people post reviews out of ego rather than trying to fairly critique the film.

This was a very good movie, full of emotion and simple humanity, presenting the good side and bad. It's not flash bang; it's more a simmer with a satisfying flavor. Great job by Hanks in what was basically a one-person show (four if you count the robots and dog).
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6/10
Off the mark, but gotta love Tom Hanks
fmdead4 December 2021
Amongst all the stellar post-apocalypse survival movies made over the last decades, Finch doesn't add one thing new to the canon. As soon as the robot he's created starts speaking like naive boy, disobeying direct orders and very quickly starts displaying emotions, it all became a bit childish for me. Audiences are far too sophisticated for that sort of sentimental, unrealistic claptrap. That being said, Tom Hanks' charm and ability to bring humanity to any role he plays is always a pleasure, and the visual effects were -- well, not amazingly impressive, but interesting enough. If you're a fan of either futuristic themes or Tom Hanks himself, give it a go, but otherwise your time's better spent elsewhere.
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10/10
Big message about appreciation of life, friendship and death.
mail-6991724 September 2023
Don't get how some could rate this a poor movie. It was great joy watching it. Lovely screen design, atmosphere and vibe. If you are not dead inside you will truly loose a tear of this great movie. Characters and message work so well to tell the story of friendship, hope, life and death. Tom, again, carries the the emotions of being in a father role looking after his little family of a dog and his robots. The movie never felt out of story or useless scenes. It a ends up nicely taking you on a beautiful adventure across America. I hope we will never have to deal with such a reality as in the movie - but it makes you think about it. Enjoy!
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6/10
Tom Hanks can't save this post-apocalyptic abomination
petergamble-5572611 December 2021
This film has a big star, excellent production values and a cute dog. Beyond that, don't waste your time. The screenplay is unbearably vapid and the slapstick robot is truly cringe-worthy. Essentially, it's Cormack McCarthy's "The Road" dumbed down to a G-rated cartoon. Even Tom Hanks cannot save this post-apocalyptic abomination.
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4/10
All the right ingredients...but the wrong recipe!
Go_For_The_Jugular5 November 2021
This film has it all.

Tom Hanks being Tom Hanks - Legendary. Some of the best CGI I've seen in a while. Great cinematography and sound...top it all off with a cute little dog.

So what went wrong? The story just wasn't engaging enough. I don't know if that's down to the writer, the director, or the producer...but it just is.

It's quite hard to stay focused, as it just doesn't warrant your attention...but I guarantee that if it wasn't for Tom Hanks, this film would be getting 1 stars across the board - the man is freakin' amazing! Every body movement, facial expression and word that he speaks is pure greatness!

Unfortunately, he wasn't enough to make this anything more than a bang average flick.
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7/10
A Formulaic Combination of Many Films
wayneradcliffe6 November 2021
There's a little bit of everything in Finch. It's several movies in one: Short Circuit, Benji, and pick your post-apocalyptic film. Tom Hanks makes it very watchable.
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7/10
A robot, dog and Tom Hanks - you can't go wrong with that
8512228 March 2022
Greetings from Lithuania.

"Finch" (2021) is is a road movies movie set in a post apocalyptic world. It features 3 characters: a robot, dog and Tom Hanks. And this is Tom Hanks which we know and like - no Oscars will be won in here but its always great to see this highly likable actor who carries the movie. Directing was solid but its the story itself and runtime of this movie that i found dragging - at running time 2 hours this movie could have been 20 min shorter.

Overall, "Finch" is a post apocalyptic movie but its not depressing kind of setting, its actually a bit sweet and has a heart. A pretty good movie to see it once.
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10/10
What's this about "no story"?
XweAponX10 November 2021
I had no trouble of following a very touching and sensitive story in this film.

I have seen other movies that involved AI, well, AI for one- and Chappie, the Terminator franchise, I Robot...

But this is the first time I have seen elements of "damnation alley" used in a basically "robot dog sitter" film.

Because basically, that is what this is. We think that the Finch character is making a joke when he is programming Asimov's four laws of Robotics into the robot, with the fourth law focusing on the welfare of his dog "goodyear", rather than "mankind".

The dog was Finch's sole focus, and he explains why to the robot "Jeff" about halfway through the film. What I found pleasant with this film was that the robot picked up humanizing traits from Finch as they traveled.

But at the same time we learn some unfortunate things about the man, Finch. Which explains mostly why he is doing what he is doing.

It is one thing to program intelligence and knowledge into a computer. What about compassion, what about common sense? This is another thing that provides a stark difference between this film and most other "robot" films.

"Jeff" is being taught common sense- and that lesson is learned at too high of a cost, much too high.

There is another aspect to this film: what would our world look like in the aftermath of a climate change event as severe as what happens here? Finch barely escapes a storm which is traveling at him at a rapid speed. One of the interesting things that he says about this world, is that the climate change, the solar flare, did most of the damage but we ourselves as people provided the killing blow to the human race.

But there is also a glimmer of hope in this film as well.

There were all kinds of stories in this film it's just that there weren't very many characters: it's just Finch, Jeff, the dog, and another dog robot, Dewey.

We really don't see anybody else but you can feel their presence.

There is also a little bit of Harlan Ellison's "a dog and his boy" here as well. Except that Jeff is less than successful in learning how to speak "dog".
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6/10
Beautiful...
Thanos_Alfie25 November 2021
"Finch" is a Drama - Sci-Fi movie in which we watch a man trying to survive on a post-apocalyptic Earth. He also builds a robot to help his beloved dog but it starts to learn more about humans and life in general.

I enjoyed this movie because it had a nice and beautiful plot and the characters evolved very well through time. The direction which was made by Miguel Sapochnik was very good and he kept a little bit of mystery in his movie, something that made it even more interesting. The interpretation of Tom Hanks who played as Finch was absolutely amazing and he made this movie even better. In conclusion, I have to say that "Finch" is a nice movie and I strongly recommend everyone to watch it because it presents very well how fast and unpredictable everything can change on our planet and how people can be affected by it.
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8/10
A pleasant road trip through post apocalyptic America
eddie_baggins14 November 2021
Originally known as BIOS before it was acquired by Apple TV+ for a prominent streaming release, Finch is yet further proof of Tom Hanks innate ability to carry a film as the sole human presence (here accompanied by a dog and a robot, not a volleyball) in what amounts to a genuinely heartfelt and pleasant journey in a post-apocalyptic America.

Directed by British filmmaker Miguel Sapochnik, who established himself for the big time with his direction of hugely popular Game of Thrones episodes such as Hardhome and Battle of the Bastards, Finch may appear on paper to be a big-scale film ripe for action and spectacle but in a nice turn of events, Sapochnik is content to keep things intimate and humanly focused as Finch forgoes easy wins in the entertainment stake to instead keep the focus on Hank's ill inventor and apocalypse survivor Finch Weinberg as he travels the barren lands with his beloved dog Goodyear and his newly born robot protector Jeff (voiced by Caleb Landry Jones).

What transpires in Finch will be more than familiar to anyone that's ever partaken in an odd couple road-trip movie and one that deals with A. I learning what it means to be human but that doesn't mean the familiarity found in Finch and the comfort food it offers to us as viewers doesn't make it any less enjoyable and it's refreshing to see such a high profile film with this big of a scale happy and comfortable too allow its human moments to shine brighter than anything else that could've easily have been the focus.

As is always the case with one of the most beloved performers in Hollywood and an actor that everyone would seemingly love to call their uncle/friend, Hanks doesn't rework any of his previous performance repertoire to bring Finch too life but whether his interacting with Goodyear, teaching Jeff important life lessons (nothing more important than how to care for a canine) or in one moving scene recounting his past experiences in the violent and confronting new world, Hanks is as reliable as ever as a man doing his best in trying circumstances as he comes to terms with his own mortality and what makes a life worth living.

Throughout the films runtime Sapochnik embraces the staples of the sub-genre his working in, allowing the common components that have become prevalent in these type of films to make Finch a film that gives an experience akin to a big old bear hug, the type of experience we can all use a little bit more of and one that makes Finch an accessible and joyful film that never tries to become anything more than it needed to be.

Final Say -

Lead by a typically strong Tom Hanks performance and its embracing of what type of film it is, Finch is a touching tale about mismatched souls trying their best to survive in a world that has lost sight of what it once was.

4 can openers out of 5.
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