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    Code 46

    • 20032003
    • RR
    • 1h 33min
    IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    20K
    YOUR RATING
    • Cast & crew
    • User reviews
    • Trivia
    • IMDbPro
    Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton in Code 46 (2003)
    A futuristic Brief Encounter, this is a love story in which the romance is doomed by genetic incompatibility.
    Trailer1:50
    1 Video
    99+ Photos
    DramaRomanceSci-Fi

    A futuristic Brief Encounter (1945), this is a love story in which the romance is doomed by genetic incompatibility.A futuristic Brief Encounter (1945), this is a love story in which the romance is doomed by genetic incompatibility.A futuristic Brief Encounter (1945), this is a love story in which the romance is doomed by genetic incompatibility.A futuristic Brief Encounter (1945), this is a love story in which the romance is doomed by genetic incompatibility.A futuristic Brief Encounter (1945), this is a love story in which the romance is doomed by genetic incompatibility.

    • Director
      • Michael Winterbottom
    • Writer
      • Frank Cottrell Boyce
    • Stars
      • Tim Robbins
      • Samantha Morton
      • Om Puri
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Michael Winterbottom
    • Writer
      • Frank Cottrell Boyce
    • Stars
      • Tim Robbins
      • Samantha Morton
      • Om Puri
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 158User reviews
    • 136Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 10 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:50
    Official Trailer

    Photos101

    Tim Robbins and Samantha Morton in Code 46 (2003)
    Tim Robbins in Code 46 (2003)
    Michael Winterbottom at an event for Code 46 (2003)
    Michael Winterbottom at an event for Code 46 (2003)
    Michael Winterbottom at an event for Code 46 (2003)
    Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, and Michael Winterbottom at an event for Code 46 (2003)
    Michael Winterbottom at an event for Code 46 (2003)
    Samantha Morton at an event for Code 46 (2003)
    Samantha Morton at an event for Code 46 (2003)
    Samantha Morton at an event for Code 46 (2003)
    Tim Robbins at an event for Code 46 (2003)
    Tim Robbins at an event for Code 46 (2003)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tim Robbins
    Tim Robbins
    • William Geldas William Geld
    Samantha Morton
    Samantha Morton
    • Maria Gonzalesas Maria Gonzales
    Om Puri
    Om Puri
    • Bahklandas Bahkland
    Togo Igawa
    Togo Igawa
    • Driveras Driver
    Nabil Elouahabi
    Nabil Elouahabi
    • Vendoras Vendor
    Sarah Backhouse
    • Weather Girlas Weather Girl
    Jonathan Ibbotson
    • Boxeras Boxer
    Natalie Mendoza
    Natalie Mendoza
    • Sphinx Receptionistas Sphinx Receptionist
    Emil Marwa
    • Mohanas Mohan
    Nina Fog
    Nina Fog
    • Woleas Wole
    Bruno Lastra
    Bruno Lastra
    • Bikkuas Bikku
    Christopher Simpson
    Christopher Simpson
    • Paulas Paul
    Lien Nguyin
    • Singer in Nightclubas Singer in Nightclub
    David Fahm
    • Damian Alekanas Damian Alekan
    Jeanne Balibar
    Jeanne Balibar
    • Sylvieas Sylvie
    Mick Jones
    Mick Jones
    • Selfas Self
    Taro Bahar
    Taro Bahar
    • Jimas Jim
    • (as Taro Sherabayani)
    Nina Sosanya
    Nina Sosanya
    • Anyaas Anya
    • Director
      • Michael Winterbottom
    • Writer
      • Frank Cottrell Boyce
    • All cast & crew
    See production, box office, & company info

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    Storyline

    Edit
    This movie is a love story set in a Brave New World-type near-future where cities are heavily controlled and accessible only through checkpoints. People cannot travel unless they have "papeles" (papers in Spanish; words and sentences in many languages, especially Spanish, French, and Chinese are mixed with English in this new world), a special travel permit issued by the totalitarian government, the "Sphinx". Outside these cities, the desert has taken over and shanty towns are jammed with non-citizens, people without IDs forced to live primitive lives. William Geld (Tim Robbins) is a family man who works as a government investigator. When he is sent to Shanghai to solve a case of fake IDs, he meets a woman named Maria Gonzales (Samantha Morton). Although he realizes she is behind the forgeries, he cannot help but fall completely in love with her. He hides her crime and they have a wild, passionate affair that can last only as long as his visa: twenty-four hours. Back home, William is obsessed with the memory of Maria. When the original investigation is inevitably re-opened a week later and William is sent back to finish the work he started, he tracks her down only to discover she has been accused of a Code 46 violation, and any further relationship is therefore impossible.
    vaginashaved labialabiascantily clad femaleshower192 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • In the future...love is a dangerous game.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for a scene of sexuality, including brief graphic nudity
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Code 46 refers to the twenty-two chromosome pairs, plus the two sex chromosomes in human beings.
    • Goofs
      The numerous seeming "errors in geography" are actually an intentional artistic choice. Because the film is set in a future where global cultures have become thoroughly merged, Michael Winterbottom purposely blended footage shot in Shanghai, Dubai and Rajastahn so that Shanghai has a desert outside it, etc.
    • Quotes

      Maria: Oh, you have a kid?

      William: Yeah.

      Maria: Chico or chica?

      William: Chico. Jim. His name's Jim.

      [shows her his photo]

      Maria: I bet he's very special.

      William: He is special.

      Maria: Everybody's children are so special. It makes you wonder where all the ordinary grown-ups come from.

    • Crazy credits
      There is a looped animation running next to the names during the final credits. It shows a variety of things, including chromosomes, chromosome replication, and chemical structures.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Collateral/Code 46/Stander/Little Black Book/Festival Express (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      No Man's Land
      Written by David Holmes

      Published by Universal/Island Music Ltd

      Performed by David Holmes

      Courtesy of Polydor UK Ltd

      Licensed by kind permission from the

      Universal Film and TV Licensing Division

    User reviews158

    Review
    Top review
    Possibly A Scary Look At What The Government Will Be Telling You What You Can Do Next.
    This one is billed as a love story set in the "near future". I got the idea it was more of a one night stand set in the near future, considering the main character, William (Tim Robbins), was married with a son waiting back home. William is a government investigator and the girl that he fell in love with, Maria (Samantha Morton), was the person in particular that he came out to investigate.

    This movie starts in a similar fashion as I, Robot, with just a definition and the law of what exactly a Code 46 is. It's kind of the same way police codes work today whereas a 187 is a homicide, etc. A Code 46 is, in a nutshell, if two people share the same "genetic identity" (read - DNA), anywhere from 25% to 100% the same, they are not permitted to conceive a child. Any pregnancy resulting from a Code 46 must be "terminated". If the parents were ignorant of their genetic identities, then medical intervention is authorized to prevent a further occurrence of a Code 46 (this was similar to the whole plot of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind where they medically make you forget who this person is and any involvement you had with him) and last, but not least, if any two people of the same genetic identity knowingly commit a Code 46, then that is a criminal offense.

    That being said, you can almost guess the entire basic story but there are other little things in the movie that almost certainly have to be watched again to catch everything. I turned on the movie before I was ready to commit my full attention to it and found myself playing catch-up the rest of the time, so make sure the film has your full attention.

    The world here seems a little bit like in Demolition Man, but more realistic and less intense. You need what is called a "papelle" in order for you to enter a real city through a checkpoint and if you do not have one, you are doomed to stay outside of any major cities. In reality, this was more similar to Tijuana. They were mobbed by people selling fruits or whatever to anyone that stopped near them, etc., which was a more likely realistic future than that of Demolition Man.

    Also, the language and people were more of a melting pot around the world. Just about everyone primarily spoke English, but no one said "Thank you", it was "Gracias" and other little things of that nature.

    Tim Robbins style in this movie reminds me of Jeff Daniels for some reason. I think it is his voice acting, there's not much else to act with here and I really think he came out looking kind of stale. Samantha Morton looked like Sinéad O'Connor and not very attractive, but I believe her performance was a little more believable, although not great.

    With all that in mind, you really have to be in the right mood to watch this. It's definitely a movie that you have to think about to understand what is happening and you can't just sit with a tub of popcorn and be entertained. Take that in consideration and decide for yourself if this is your type of movie. I honestly did not care for it, but can appreciate the little things that went on in the movie and I realize that just because it isn't for me, it is still pretty good. 7/10
    helpful•66
    27
    • BigHardcoreRed
    • Jan 14, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 17, 2004 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Manga Films (Spain)
      • Official site (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kod 46
    • Filming locations
      • Grand Hyatt Shanghai, Shanghai, China
    • Production companies
      • BBC Films
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
      • Kailash Picture Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $7,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $285,585
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $20,170
      • Aug 8, 2004
    • Gross worldwide
      • $886,018
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 33min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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