Bicentennial Man is one of those films that didn’t get the critical acclaim one would expect. In fact, even public reviews scored low as well. It could have been because it was featured as a Robin Williams film; therefore, people were expecting some sort of comedy, or it could have been that it didn’t quite follow the original Asimov story on which the film’s plot rests, disappointing his fans.
Be that as it may, it certainly didn’t live up to the expectations of the larger audiences. And that’s why we love this film. It is undoubtedly a science fiction tape, but it is also, and more to the point, a remarkably serene and thoughtful drama. That’s what it draws from Asimov’s unique original story: our desire to feel we have a purpose in life. The bicentennial man has in mind more than cosmetic musings on the transience of life, the meaning of being human, and the quest for social acceptance.
For all of the above, this could be the film to get those friends who never want to come with us to the cinema - they’re not that much into science fiction, they say - to give it a try, at last!