Directed by Bryan Carberry, following Chris, a thirty-something man who lives with a life-sized AI doll, who is animated through an app.

There is an inherent hurdle in exploring this topic in that it’s very uncomfortable and strange, so it does take a little bit of time to settle into it but there are some interesting areas to dive into. Starting with the most obvious being loneliness and anxiety, it opens up the discussion of whether these dolls and AI chats help to boost confidence or separate you more from the physical world.

Bryan Carberry doesn’t really take a hard line, he shows both sides and while ultimately it does feel like he leans a certain way, Carberry builds a very intimate atmosphere which is more about Chris than the larger discussion. That comes with its advantages and disadvantages, it truly is a deep dive into this man’s life and not all of what you find out may sit comfortably with viewers.

There are some murky areas, particularly an unhealthy version of closure which may even offend some viewers. It can also feel that the journey from start to finish doesn’t achieve that much, so if you’re looking for a big evolution from this subject, you likely won’t find it. You won’t necessarily connect with this topic but it does still make you ask what these advances in technology are doing, are they helping people or removing a need for socialisation and letting people turn inwards even further?

Although undeniably Carberry provides a judgemental free, open and honest space for Chris to talk about this incredibly personal topic. The style is very unobtrusive, it’s structured but it’s not pushing things, it’s observing and letting the subject lead the way. Yet it does still acknowledge some of the tricky topics and unhealthier aspects to Chris’ choices.

*smiles and kisses you* is one of those films where you’re left unsure of how to feel. There are some ethical quandaries and there’s a great deal of sadness. There are definitely interesting and relevant topics to explore and it’s very frank and gentle. However, it’s a tricky line to walk as it’s such an unusual behaviour, and is so far from the norm, it’s hard not to struggle with the cringeworthy nature of it. It may also just leave you feeling a little bit sorry for the world we’ve built for ourselves.

Verdict: ✯✯✯ | 6/10

Celebrated its World Premiere as part of Edinburgh International Film Festival