Code 46
| Code 46 | |
|---|---|
Code 46 film poster
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| Directed by | Michael Winterbottom |
| Produced by | Andrew Eaton |
| Written by | Frank Cottrell Boyce |
| Starring |
Tim Robbins Samantha Morton Jeanne Balibar |
| Cinematography | Alwin Kuchler |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by |
MGM United Artists (USA) |
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Release date
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2 September 2003 |
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Running time
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93 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | ~ US$7,500,000 |
Code 46 is a 2003 British film directed by Michael Winterbottom, with screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce. It was produced by BBC Films and Revolution Films. It is a dystopic science fiction love story exploring the implications of current trends in biotechnology. The soundtrack was composed by David Holmes under the name "Free Association". The film was shot on location in Shanghai, Dubai and Rajasthan, with interiors done on stage in London. The mix of foreign locations was chosen because the juxtaposition of elements in these cities offered a believable futuristic setting.
In the near future the world is divided between those who live "inside", in high-density cities, and the poor underclass who live "outside." Access to the cities is highly restricted and regulated through the use of health documents, known as "papelles" in the global pidgin language of the day (composed of elements of English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Italian, Farsi and Mandarin).
Most city residents venture outside only after dark since direct sunlight is now considered hazardous to their health. However, many residents still venture outdoors during the day. The government appears to be authoritarian and dystopian. Society is regulated by various "codes". The code of the movie title prohibits "genetically incestuous reproduction", which may occur as a result of the various medical technologies which have become commonplace, such as cloning.
William Geld (Tim Robbins), an insurance fraud investigator, is sent to Shanghai to interview employees at a company known as "The Sphinx", which manufactures "covers", ostensibly "insurance cover documents" but which in fact regulate the movements of people among cities and "inside" and "outside". William's assignment is to identify employees who are suspected of forging "covers". After interviewing numerous Sphinx employees, he identifies a young worker named Maria Gonzalez (Samantha Morton) as the forger. He is able to do this using a genetically engineered "empathy virus," which allows him to gain information from people if they voluntarily reveal something about themselves. Maria tells William that she has the same dream each birthday: she is traveling the subway to meet someone she cannot identify. Each birthday she is one station closer to her destination, where she expects to meet the person. William is captivated by her, and instead of turning her over to security, he identifies another employee as the forger.
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