Clara Parent Guide

Clara is a difficult movie to categorize. It is a romantic drama that often has a somber tone. It is a space story that never leaves earth. It asks big questions and gives answers that feel forced and manipulative. It is also a pretty decent production for viewers who enjoy debating complex questions on the way home from the theater.

The story opens with Dr. Isaac Bruno (Patrick J Adams), a post-doctoral research fellow who is obsessed with finding life somewhere else in the universe. This fixation leads him to redirect the university’s scheduled telescope time for his own research interests, resulting in a forced leave of absence. Without access to the university’s computers or telescopes, Isaac decides to continue his research on his own. He advertises for a research assistant, offering room and board instead of a salary. Enter Clara.

Clara (Troian Bellisasio) is a free spirit with wanderlust, a childhood spent in foster care, and a secret. She is also an artist, and a painting of hers hung on campus has captivated Isaac. Her passion for space and her yearning to find out if anything is “out there” apparently compensates for her lack of relevant experience and Isaac hires her.

Kudos to the filmmakers for not making the relationship between Isaac and Clara too easy. There is no instant chemistry and they move slowly from fellow researchers to friends to lovers. As they get to know each other, Clara (and the audience) uncover the personal tragedy that drives Isaac’s determination to find life in space. The pair also spend time in conversation, discovering each other’s beliefs and opinions and having frequent disagreements as to whether there is a purpose behind life and the universe or whether everything is the result of chance. As the couple are watching a projection of the galaxy in Isaac’s apartment, Clara sighs, “It seems too beautiful to be random.” Isaac shoots back, “It’s beautiful because it’s random.”

Moviegoers concerned about negative content need have few worries about Clara. As of this review date, it has not received an MPAA rating, but it has been rated PG in Canada and that rating is appropriate. With a handful of moderate profanities, no violence, rare social drinking, and a sexual relationship that is implied but not shown, this movie ticks the boxes for reasonably clean viewing. The biggest concern parents will have relates to honesty and ethics. Once Isaac and Clara have found a potentially inhabitable planet, they need time on a powerful telescope to validate their data. Having lost his university access, Isaac is stumped, until he decides to break into the university, assume his best friend’s identity over the phone, and once again misappropriate university telescope time – a move that almost costs his friend’s job.

These issues aside, the real strength of this movie is that it asks big questions of both its stars and the audience. Its biggest weakness is that the answers are unsatisfying. Not only do they “jump the shark” but they are also annoyingly saccharine - which is a jarring contrast to the film’s unsentimental beginnings. If you are looking for a profound meditation on the universe, Clara is not the film for you. But if you are looking for a reasonably interesting film that raises existential questions in a non-threatening way, book your seat and buy some popcorn.