When the words:

“Open the pod bay doors, please, Hal”

were uttered in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the concept of artificial intelligence began cementing itself as both extraordinary and fearful. A learning machine on a space expedition, the HAL 9000, or Heuristically Programmed Algorithmic Computer, became a villain as it tried to protect itself from the prospect of being shut down, nearly killing the crew of the Discovery One. A massive dissection of evolution, for both humans and technology, 2001 resonates with space race propaganda and the Cold War politics of the time. Coincidentally, as AI grows increasingly relevant in our everyday lives, a new cold war race to be the best is inciting new tensions with China over GPU processor restrictions. And this is the twenty-first century, real-world context for director Robert Rippberger’s Renner.

Frankie Muniz, the perspective-based face of childhood unfairness in the long-running series Malcolm in the Middle, commits to his starring role as the titular Renner, an obsessive-compulsive affected shut-in whose brilliant mind has created Salenus (Voiced by The Mist’s Marcia Gay Harden) an Alexa-like life coach meant to aid him in reaching his goals and make him a better all-around person. Setting his sights on asking out the girl next door, Jamie (Truth or Dare’s Violett Beane), the soft-spoken Renner asks Salenus to help make him more assertive. A useful tool when Jamie comes to dinner with her brother Chad (Saturday Night’s Taylor Gray).

From the start, Muniz is phenomenal. As a character, Renner is mired in mechanical routines and afraid of what might happen if he strays from it. Muniz amplifies Renner’s anxiousness with abrupt tonal changes, rapid eye movement, and reserved body language, giving the appearance of being raised by robots and adding extra dimensions to his superb performance. Through Salenus, Renner regulates, offsetting disturbing thoughts with maintained, organized spaces and a rigorous dental routine. However, as Jamie and Renner get closer, he becomes intolerant of his established procedures, thrown further off balance, and growing increasingly mercurial. Pushing him to perfection, Salenus begins to sound more and more like his dead mother, and she’s growing less fond of Jamie’s influence on Renner, alerting him to a resonance of deception in Jamie’s voice. But is Jamie lying about her feelings for Renner? Or is Salenus self-aware that her replacement has come?

A chamber piece, the entire story takes place in an apartment building, where Renner counts on momentary interactions with Jamie. The slight set changes facilitate the film’s progression, even though it’s evident that the cost-saving measure is avoiding new locations. While Muniz’s character work and his chemistry with Beane are significant factors to why Renner works, seeing these characters in less sterilized or liminal spaces may hold some benefit. Given his condition, dating is confined to Renner’s apartment and his vinyl music selection. But he must have some affinity for crate digging to find a highly prized copy of “Rhapsody in Blue.” It’s that romanticism that seems lost in the script. Renner seems sternly passionate about it, but I also believe this is the film’s way of saying, “No AI was used” to create Renner.

There’s also more to Renner’s admission to preferring art in analog over digital, especially as the jealousy aspects of an AI begin to manifest. A palm-sized robot is not a suitable companion (I think the posters for the recent film Companion would agree) and can’t compete with Jamie in the physical category. Though appearing rather oedipal on the surface, I do believe the change in Salenus’ care for Renner comes more from a place of Hal 9000 self-preservation than anything else. Salenus simply requires Renner to complete her task; otherwise, what is her purpose?

Robert Rippberger manages to do a lot with very little in Renner, relying on strong cinematography and Muniz’s talent to make the film work. Rippberger employs many stylish tricks that young directors may want to pay attention to here. A mise-en-scène inspired by Nicolas Winding Refn creates a calm yet artificial look, bolstering this romantic thriller’s appearance of being a sci-fi film by utilizing vibrantly saturated cinematography. I mean, what apartment building hallway has lighting like this? It must be the future! The film is also very well-edited and structured. But though it’s never uninteresting, some of it is a little bland. Renner’s writing is systematic. It hits a lot of beats and occasionally inserts subtle introspective quandaries, but other than one unpredictable moment, the movie goes exactly in the direction you think it’s going to go.

Ultimately, I like Renner. I think there are a lot of technical achievements and some slightly nuanced affection for brilliant children who couldn’t connect with their parents for one reason or another. But I don’t think we’re treading new ground here, which is kind of the point of AI. The most surprising thing about Renner is truly Muniz, who seems ingrained in the role of his character to an admirable level. He’s remarkable, and I hope we see him take on more of these serious roles in the future.