# Life Like (film)
**Life Like** is a 2019 American science fiction thriller drama directed and written by Josh Janowicz, in which a young couple's purchase of a lifelike household robot changes their perception of humanity.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) The film stars [Drew Van Acker](https://www.edgepedia.org/drew-van-acker) as James, Addison Timlin as Sophie, and [Steven Strait](https://www.edgepedia.org/steven-strait) as the android Henry, with [James D'Arcy](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-darcy) as Julian.[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6547786/) It was released digitally in the United States on May 14, 2019.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Josh Janowicz[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) |
| Release | Digital release in the United States, May 14, 2019; later theatrical releases in Italy (November 21, 2019) and South Korea (January 2, 2020)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) • [3](https://embed.letterboxd.com/film/life-like/crew/) |
| Runtime and rating | 1h 35m (96 minutes by some listings); rated R for sexuality, nudity, language, and some violence[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) |
| Main cast | Drew Van Acker (James), Addison Timlin (Sophie), Steven Strait (Henry), James D'Arcy (Julian), Mark Famiglietti (Ronald Gitts)[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6547786/) |
| Production | Lionsgate, Sprockefeller Pictures, and Wildfire Pictures; distributed by Grindstone Entertainment Group and Lionsgate[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) • [4](https://assets.moviebuff.com/life-like) |
| Reception | IMDb 5.4/10 from about 5,300 ratings; Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer based on 0 reviews, Popcornmeter 48% from 50+ ratings[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6547786/ratings/) • [1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) |
| Budget | $1.5 million[6](https://ezcritic.com/movies/life-like) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Sophie and James purchase a lifelike robot to cook and clean at their new home. At first the android Henry is quiet and hard-working, but as his artificial-intelligence programming develops he begins to anticipate the couple's needs and desires.[7](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/life-like) The film's tagline frames the premise: "They're too human to be perfect. He is too perfect to be human."[4](https://assets.moviebuff.com/life-like)
The story develops into a relationship drama among the couple and their android, with supporting characters including Julian (James D'Arcy), Rosa (Justine J. Hall), and Ronald Gitts (Mark Famiglietti).[2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6547786/) Reviewers have noted that the film builds to a late twist; one retrospective review states that the "android" was a person the entire time.[8](https://sgiath.dev/blog/2026/03-13-life-like-review.html)
## Production
The film was shot in New York, USA, on an ARRI ALEXA M camera at an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, with Benjamin A Goodman as director of photography and Katy Jarzebowski as composer.[4](https://assets.moviebuff.com/life-like) Producers were Ryan R. Johnson, Sunil Perkash, and Martin Sprock, who also appears in the cast as Barry.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6547786/)
## Release and reception
Life Like was released on digital platforms in the United States on May 14, 2019, with a same-day DVD and Blu-ray release.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) • [3](https://embed.letterboxd.com/film/life-like/crew/) It later received theatrical releases in Italy, South Korea, Ukraine, and Russia between 2019 and 2021, and physical releases in Germany and Australia.[3](https://embed.letterboxd.com/film/life-like/crew/) The film circulated internationally under several alternative titles, including *Perfect Human*, *Love Thy Keepers*, and the Russian *Как живой*.[3](https://embed.letterboxd.com/film/life-like/crew/)
Professional critical coverage was thin: Rotten Tomatoes lists no reviews on its Tomatometer, while the audience Popcornmeter stood at 48% from more than 50 ratings.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) On IMDb the film holds a 5.4/10 rating weighted from about 5,300 user votes, with an unweighted mean of 5.6.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6547786/ratings/) Audience reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes described it as a low-budget genre film with pacing and script weaknesses, while some found its themes and Strait's understated performance as the android worthwhile.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like) A scholarly article on the bisexual visitor narrative took up the film as a case study, noting it engages that narrative pattern despite shortcomings acknowledged even by its author.[9](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347941390_BiAI_Life_Like_2019) Commentators have also compared it with other confined-setting android dramas such as *Ex Machina* (2014).[10](https://synopsisandreviews.com/life-like-synopsis-review-plot-summary/)
## References
1. [Life Like, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_like)
2. [Life Like (2019), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6547786/)
3. [Life Like (2019), Letterboxd](https://embed.letterboxd.com/film/life-like/crew/)
4. [Life Like (2019), Moviebuff](https://assets.moviebuff.com/life-like)
5. [Life Like (2019) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6547786/ratings/)
6. [Life Like (2019), EZ Critic](https://ezcritic.com/movies/life-like)
7. [Life Like streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/life-like)
8. [Life Like (2019) Review, sgiath.dev](https://sgiath.dev/blog/2026/03-13-life-like-review.html)
9. [Bi/A.I.: Life Like (2019), ResearchGate](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347941390_BiAI_Life_Like_2019)
10. [Life Like Synopsis & Review, Synopsis and Reviews](https://synopsisandreviews.com/life-like-synopsis-review-plot-summary/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Science fiction and fantasy films (individual works) › Science fiction and fantasy films of the 2010s › Science fiction films of the 2010s › Titles J to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license