Code 46

2003

1h 33m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

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Drama

Science Fiction

Thriller

In a dystopian future, insurance fraud investigator William Gold arrives in Shanghai to investigate a forgery ring for "papelles", futuristic passports that record people's identities and genetics. Gold falls for Maria Gonzalez, the woman in charge of the forgeries. After a passionate affair, Gold returns home, having named a coworker as the culprit. But when one of Gonzalez's customers is found dead, Gold is sent back to Shanghai to complete the investigation.

Directors

Michael Winterbottom

Writers

Frank Cottrell Boyce(screenplay by)

Stars

Tim Robbins

Samantha Morton

Nabil Elouahabi

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William Geld

Maria Gonzales

Vendor

Bahkland

Mohan

Wole

Bikku

Driver

Sphinx Receptionist

Sylvie

Himself

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Weather Girl

Boxer

Anya

William's Boss

Medic

Directors

Michael Winterbottom

Writers

Frank Cottrell Boyce(screenplay by)

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Featured review

6/10

I struggle with some of these futuristic dystopian dramas simply because I can never imagine how humanity could ever find itself in the situation where life could really be like this. This one adds an additional, if entirely accidental, Oedipean element to the plot. “Geld” (Tim Robbins) is an investigator who tracks down folks who peddle in fake travel documents. Believe it or not, this is big business in a world where travel is tightly regulated by the governmental “Sphinx”. His latest trip takes him to Shanghai where he encounters “Maria” (Samantha Morton) whom he quickly deduces is behind the forgeries, but he’s too smitten to do anything about it as he embarks on twenty-four hours of activities he might not like to recount to his wife at home. Anyway, back home he goes only for his boss to enquire as to why he seemed to have failed in his mission and to promptly send him back. Was this his plan all along - to be sent back? Well when he tries to find “Maria” again, he discovers that she has undergone memory erasing treatment following her alleged breaching of “Code 46”. He also discovers that she is not quite the random person he had initially supposed, and that the genetics of two into one don’t really go! Essentially this comes across as a curious take on a love story, with Robbins confidently delivering a persona that still yearns for a degree of humanity in the face of an increasingly sterile and prescribed human existence. Morton also delivers well, exuding a certain vulnerability as her character sits on the wrong side of an arbitrarily defined society that discriminates indiscriminately. The plot tries to reconcile some more scientific concepts alongside the emotionally conflicted ones, but that’s where I found it’s wheels came off. It hasn’t quite the convictions to deliver without reaching an uncomfortable compromise that I felt rather let the whole thing down, and boy can it take it’s time as it often feels way longer than ninety minutes. There are moments of chemistry between the pair, and I did like the premise but the over-written and ponderous execution just left me disappointed, sorry.

Geronimo196731 Aug, 2025