Like the best science fiction, it comments on the present while positing a near-future where virtual reality becomes far too easy to confuse with the real thing. In this case, providing a cure for the acute loneliness felt by Felix, played by Richard Kind in a poignant and complex performance. Ousted from his job before he was ready to go, he finds himself becoming far too attached to the virtual companion projected by the augmented reality glasses (the Auggie of the title). That said companion (Larisa Oleynik) is a comely and empathetic young woman created from Felix’s subconscious makes the situation fraught when she suggests an upsell that involves making Felix’s experience tactile.
When I spoke with filmmakers Matt Kane and Marc Underhill by phone on September 5, 2019, why they duo wanted to ponder loneliness in their film was one of my questions for them. We also discussed the serendipity of how they met; why these actors wanted to go behind the camera; the nature of fidelity; and the nuance of Richard Kind.
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