The Wasteland Reviewer

Love Me (2025) Written Review

What are some of the most unexpected places to find love in this world? What makes that question even more interesting is if humanity has been long lost at some point. Without humanity, all that is left are the technological constructions of our time. Artificial intelligence. At this point, we have not created machines with the capacity for love. But maybe one day, in the far-off future, that is a possibility. That sets the stage for one of January’s more unexpected films…Love Me. An AI buoy. A satellite. There are some interesting possibilities. 

But how do Andrew and Sam Zuchero leverage such a strange concept with some interesting potential? This film finds two machines connecting online and crafting an unexpected romance and connection through what they see of love through human artifacts. For such a small film, there are some quality specific effects. The effects are crafted in different contexts throughout the film. The most effects driven elements are with the buoy and satellite existing in the natural world. The special effects team makes this as effective as possible. Then we see some early versions of the world these two are crafting online. The film renders different stages of computer generation well for sure. This is a crafty and interesting visual experience for sure. 

Does the film deliver in a more meaningful way outside of its visual and concept framework? There are a lot of thematic elements that are explored and many of them are interesting. The way the film sees how machines navigate our social media accounts and misconstrue our real existences with the ones we put out into the universe leaves an impact. This becomes a big point of conflict and contention in the film which is both relatable and poignant. The way these two machines struggle in crafting a meaningful and lasting connection is the most human element of the film. There are some elements that struggle to land including the film’s exploration of the physical dynamics of relationships (I never thought I would hear a buoy projecting as Kristen Stewart asking to be called “Daddy” in my life…but it sure happened). 

But what is the biggest struggle of this film? Being a feature film. The visual and atmospheric elements certainly deliver. It is hard to not highlight the impressive talents of Stewart and Steven Yeun (which the Zuchero’s certainly do). They are two of the most talented acts working today and they make the most of their unique roles in this film. But the limitations of this story and script are just too glaringly obvious. This really works…for a while. But after probably the first 30 minutes, the novelty of this high concept film starts to wane. This would have been perfect as a short or a condensed feature. The 90-minute runtime isn’t even that daunting in theory, but this loses steam and fast. Repetitive and cyclical, the latter half of this film struggles to keep its going and engage the audience. 

Will Love Me still grab the attention of audiences with its glaring flaws? There is still something to work with here. Stewart and Yeun are a compelling duo for sure. The concept is a winner. The effects are impressive despite its smaller budget. There is plenty to experience and appreciate when it comes to Love Me. The gauge will be how long the energy and draw of this concept will last on you.