Swan Song Movie Review

“Swan Song” is a dynamic roller coaster ride set in a time of robots and technology that do almost everything for us… except falling in love. The timeline is not long from our time now. The film is a romantic drama wrapped in science-fiction to give it more of an edge, which it succeeds in doing.

Through our main character, Cameron (Ali), and his journey home on a train, we are given a glimpse into how little difference there is between his world and ours. As you watch, you consider whether that’s something you’d want or not.
He orders an “Echo Bar” from a robot, paying without breaking out a wallet. Apparently, in the future, you’re just known. Little things like this help make the sci-fi feel more natural and move the story in the direction it needs to go to grab the attention of its audience. He meets Poppy (Naomie Harris) on this train, who later becomes his wife. It’s a sweet and funny scene we needed to endure us to Cameron as a person to feel for as we learn of his fate.

We discover Cameron is terminally ill, something he has shared with no one. Poppy has just lost her twin brother, Andre (Hatendi), and Cameron hates that she’ll now be saddled with the loss of her husband, too.
But now, there’s a way around that. His doctor, played by Glenn Close, tells him there’s a way for his family to never even know of his death. He can have himself cloned. Taking that in, he refuses to be selfish. With this decision, he’s thinking only of them and agrees to have himself replaced.
After seeing his exact replica lying before him, he thinks maybe this isn’t for him after all.
However, it doesn’t take long before he’s persuaded back into the program after his doctor reminds him that his family’s life won’t be disrupted from the pain and loss of his death.

Flashbacks are used to tell more of the story as Cameron’s memories are transferred to his clone.
One big problem arises with the decision he has made. That is that sadly, through the cloning process and before his actual death, he’s missing time with them that he could be enjoying. However, there are contacts for his clone, who’s called “Jack,” to wear when he’s with them. These contacts are tiny cameras. This is to make things easier for Cameron as with the use of these, Cameron can watch Jack interact with his family. It’s almost as if he’s in the room, too. He doesn’t want to miss time with them, so he monitors Jack’s interactions as often as possible.
Hearing a conversation on the phone between his wife and “himself,” he suddenly wants out again. Part of the reason for this is that Poppy is pregnant, and he knows he’ll never get to see his child. His heart is shattering inside his chest.
As if he is Cameron already, Jack senses and understands how difficult everything must be for him and is supportive of Cameron sneaking into the house to give his wife and child one last visit. There’s a loving, emotional ‘edamame moment’ between him and his son. It’s the goodbye he didn’t get and still isn’t ready to give.

Near the end, writer/director Benjamin Cleary, for some reason, has Cameron say he senses an issue. This isn’t needed and is seemingly used to give the film more grit and length. Its use was so insignificant that it got in the way of an otherwise excellent storyline. This addition is why my score is what it is. I still say see it for, if nothing else, Mahershala Ali’s performance. He’s fantastic in the dual role of both Jack and Cameron.

“Swan Song” streams on Apple TV+ 12/17.