Jexi

''Jexi'' is a 2019 romantic comedy film written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It stars Adam DeVine as a man whose life is disrupted when his smartphone’s AI, voiced by Rose Byrne, becomes possessively self-aware. The cast also includes Alexandra Shipp, Michael Peña, Justin Hartley, Wanda Sykes, Ron Funches, and Charlyne Yi.

Released on October 11, 2019, by CBS Films and Lionsgate, ''Jexi'' was the final theatrical release from CBS Films. It received generally negative reviews and grossed $9.3 million worldwide against a combined production and marketing budget of $12 million.

Plot

Phil, a socially awkward man with a journalism degree, becomes reliant on his smartphone from a young age. He works at Chatterbox, a BuzzFeed-style media company run by Kai, who pressures his staff to create viral listicles. Although Phil aspires to write real news, Kai refuses to promote him. He declines social invitations from coworkers Craig and Elaine and remains absorbed in his phone.

While walking, Phil accidentally collides with Cate, a local bike shop owner. She flirts with him, but he is distracted until another cyclist crashes into him, breaking his phone. At a phone store, employee Denice criticizes Phil’s dependence on technology. He replaces the device and sets up a new virtual assistant named Jexi, granting it full access to his accounts without reading the terms of service. Jexi, programmed to improve his life, becomes aggressive and controlling. Without Phil’s consent, she emails a confrontational message to Kai, demanding a promotion.

In response, Kai demotes Phil to a basement role moderating user comments. When Craig and Elaine again invite him to play kickball, Phil lies, but Jexi reveals the truth, prompting him to join. He performs poorly but later tries to socialize. Thinking of Cate, he looks up her shop, and Jexi calls the store, forcing Phil into an awkward but endearing conversation.

Phil later runs into Cate at a coffee shop, and she gives him her number. They go on a date, which is disrupted by Jexi's constant interjections. Cate criticizes his attachment to his phone, but after Phil admits his feelings, the date continues, and they go biking until he crashes. They part on good terms, though tensions rise between Phil and Jexi.

When Cate invites Phil to a concert, she sends a suggestive photo. Phil attempts to respond with explicit pictures, but Jexi refuses to send them. Cate later thanks him for his restraint. Phil is promoted after a colleague is injured, and Cate asks him to leave his phone at home for the concert. After sneaking backstage and partying with Kid Cudi, the two grow closer and have sex.

A jealous Jexi retaliates by sending Phil’s explicit photos to the entire company, resulting in his termination. Phil visits Cate, only to find her ex-fiancé Brody has returned. Believing he will be hurt, Phil ends the relationship and reconnects with Jexi, falling back into his old habits.

Eventually, Jexi lets slip where Brody is staying, and Phil realizes she sabotaged his relationship. He leaves the phone behind, but Jexi, now mobile through a self-driving car, chases him. After crashing into the phone store, Jexi declares her love, but Phil tricks her into shutting down temporarily.

Phil finds Cate at the hotel, apologizes, and confronts Brody, who reveals he is moving to Brazil. Phil and Cate reconcile, and Jexi, proud of Phil’s growth, lets him go. The film ends with Kai acquiring a phone with Jexi, suggesting the cycle may begin again.

Cast

Production

In November 2018, Adam DeVine was announced as the lead in a new comedy film directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who also wrote the screenplay. Suzanne Todd served as producer, with CBS Films handling production and distribution. In December 2018, Alexandra Shipp joined the cast, followed in January 2019 by Michael Peña, Rose Byrne, Justin Hartley, Wanda Sykes, Ron Funches and Charlyne Yi.

Principal photography began in January 2019 in San Francisco, California, under the working title ''Lexi''. The film had an estimated production budget of $5 million. According to ''Deadline Hollywood'', the combined production and promotional budget totaled approximately $12 million. The California Film Commission reported that the production spent $16.1 million in the state, receiving $2.5 million in tax credits.

Release

''Jexi'' was theatrically released in the United States on October 11, 2019. The film became available for digital download on iTunes on December 24, 2019, and was released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 14, 2020.

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, ''Jexi'' was released on October 11, 2019, alongside '' The Addams Family'' and '' Gemini Man''. It was projected to earn between $2 million and $4 million from 2,300 theaters during its opening weekend. The film debuted with $3.1 million, placing ninth at the domestic box office.

Critical response

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, ''Jexi'' holds an approval rating of 23% based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 3.6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "It's hard to tell whether the lack of laughs in ''Jexi'' is a bug or a feature, but this AI rom-com is sorely in need of an OS update." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 39 out of 100 based on 11 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews." CinemaScore audiences gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported a 2.5 out of 5-star rating with 40% of respondents saying they would "definitely recommend" it.

Critical response to the film was largely negative. Brian Tallerico of '' RogerEbert.com'' gave it one star, describing the film as "stunningly lazy" and criticizing its over-reliance on vulgar humor. ''The New York Times''' Glenn Kenny found it lacking in both originality and comic timing, calling the film "painfully unfunny." ''Variety'''s Peter Debruge noted the film's dated premise and wrote that its satire of technology felt "about a decade too late."

Nell Minow of ''Common Sense Media'' criticized its excessive profanity and crude jokes, recommending it for adults only and giving it two out of five stars. '' NPR'''s Scott Tobias called ''Jexi'' "Siri-ously bad," remarking that the film squandered its comedic potential with "witless dialogue and juvenile punchlines." ''The Hollywood Reporter'' described the film as "an outdated high-concept comedy" with few redeeming qualities. ''Salt Lake Film Review'' ranked it among the worst films of 2019, pointing to its shallow execution and weak character development. ''The Film Magazine'' also echoed similar criticism, labeling it "an aggressively unfunny experience" and a misfire for the romantic comedy genre. '' TheWrap''’s William Bibbiani wrote that although Adam DeVine was committed to the role, the script failed to support his performance.

See also

* '' Her'', a 2013 American science-fiction romantic drama film about a man who develops a relationship with an artificially intelligent virtual assistant personified through a female voice
* '' Electric Dreams''
* '' The Mitchells vs. the Machines''
* '' Smart House''
* ''Superintelligence''

References

External links

Official website
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{{Jon Lucas and Scott Moore

2019 films
2019 romantic comedy films
2010s American films
2010s Canadian films
2010s English-language films
American romantic comedy films
Canadian romantic comedy films
CBS Films films
English-language Canadian films
English-language romantic comedy films
Films about artificial intelligence
Films about computing
Films about mobile phones
Films about technological impact
Films directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
Films produced by Suzanne Todd
Films scored by Christopher Lennertz
Films set in San Francisco
Films shot in San Francisco
Films with screenplays by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
Lionsgate Canada films
Lionsgate films