Review of Jexi

This modern fable has been a long time coming, the story of a generation's addiction to the smart phone. Even when at times taken to absurd proportions (sometimes funny, sometime not so...), the material is quite predictable. One such addict Phil (Adam Devine) has his cell phone knocked off his hand by a passing cyclist. At the store trying to buy a new one, the level-headed salesperson has no qualms about giving him a piece of her mind "You don't need a new phone; you need rehab." That sets the tone of the movie which, clocking at 90 minutes, wisely retains entertainment value before it runs out. The title "Jexi" (voice of Rose Byrne) is the name of the operating system of the phone, omnipotent and omnipresent (with the help of Cloud that embraces us all), claims Phil for her own, but later declares "I am ashamed to be your phone". The trajectory follows Phil's two relationships, with Jexi and with newly met girlfriend Cate (Alexandra Shipp). As mentioned, it is somewhat paint-by-number. Still, the two leads (previously, Devine in a number of not-too-memorable roles and Shipp as the new generation X-men's "Storm") are pleasant enough to make the laughs easy and relaxing. Particularly scene-stealing is Michael Pena's eccentric boss (a "virgin") who manages a media outfit where Phil works as a website listicle man while aspiring to be a real journalist. Two colleagues played by Ron Funches and Charlyne Yu serve their function mandatory sidekick function. The true shinning star of the movie is Rose Byrne who, while not seen on screen, is pitch perfect (no pun intended) in delivering the basically cyborg but slightly human title role.