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CONCEIVING ADA Send This Review to a Friend
This unusual film by Lynn Hershman Leeson should appeal to
feminists and computer junkies. If you happen to be both, so much the better. Ada Byron
King, Countess of Lovelace and the daughter of Lord Byron, was a visionary credited
with creating the first computer program way back in the 1840s. Leeson, a computer
enthusiast herself, has conceived a film in which Emmy, a computer expert played by
Francesca Faridany, uses her skills in an effort to tap into cyberspace and find a virtual
reality link to Ada. Tilda Swinton, known for her work in "Orlando," plays Ada.
Sound like a tall tale? It is, but the computer savvy may be fascinated by all the
technical detail and the results of Emmy's strange journey into cyberspace. The feminist
angle is evident in the writer-director's exploration of a woman not as well known today
as she should be considering her achievements.
Unfortunately, all the activity in front of the computer screen may seem like gibberish
to many, and even more unfortunately, the acting is rather stiff. The far-fetched plot
involves Emily's sex life, her pregnancy and the hocus-pocus of Emily using her own
genetic information to link her to Ada and harness Ada's attributes. The visuals are
interesting, but "Conceiving Ada" makes for a lot of conception to swallow.
A Fox Lorber release.
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