Don’t let this low-budget Sci-Fi Drama put you down. “I Origins”, written and directed by Mike Cahill (who did such a good job with “Another Earth” a few years ago), offers imagination and provocation to spare. It may not be as good as his first feature, but it has staying power and it’s damn hard to dismiss that. By way of plot I’ll say this: The talented Michael Pitt plays a research scientist who study people’s eyes. He photographs almost everyone he meets and keeps a running file of these pictures. When he shoots a woman at a Halloween costume party and she runs off before he can learn her identity, he becomes obsessed with tracking her down. This will lead him and his lab assistant (Brit Marling) to uncover scientific evidence that could change the world as we know it. And that’s where things become interesting. But it’s hard to talk about the story without revealing some of its key events. So you’ll have to see that for yourself. Suffice it to say that Cahill has once again crafted something worth watching and discussing.  I found the overall result satisfying and entertaining, and if it’s less than perfect, I’m willing to cut the film some slack. After all, it offers rich performances by a fine cast and gives us something to talk about long after the credits stop rolling.

Rating: 2.5/4