Movie Review: 'Love Me' and the search for what it means to be human
A thought-provoking sci-fi romance that explores identity, connection, and the longing to be truly known.
Anne and I watched “Love Me” on Monday, and let’s just say it wasn’t exactly a blockbuster. With mixed reviews from critics and audiences and a modest $200,000 at the box office, it has struggled to make a splash.
But despite its under-the-radar status, we found the 90-minute film intriguing and thought-provoking, diving deep into themes of identity and human connection in a digital age.
A post-apocalyptic romance, “Love Me” features just two actors — Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun. The story unfolds as an unknown extinction event looms, prompting world leaders to launch into space a satellite filled with videos and images capturing 21st-century life on Earth.
Fast forward to sometime after A.D. 2500. A lone, “smart” weather buoy, floating in Earth’s oceans, suddenly awakens and makes contact with the satellite. As they begin communicating, they embark on a journey through humanity’s digital past, piecing together what once was.
“Love Me” never explicitly mentions religion, but it does contain a striking nod to Judeo-Christian beliefs. The buoy adopts the name “Me,” while the satellite chooses “Iam” — or I Am.
The name I Am carries deep biblical significance. In Exodus 3:14, God reveals Himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM,” a declaration of His eternal, self-existent nature. In the New Testament, Jesus reinforces this divine identity through His I Am statements, such as “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), emphasizing His sovereignty and self-sufficiency.
As the story unfolds, the two devices stumble upon the long-lost social media channel of an influencer named Deja, who once documented her joyful life with her husband, Liam. Fascinated, the buoy and satellite begin to imitate them — Me taking on Deja’s persona, while Iam assumes the role of Liam.
And then? They spend more than a billion years (yes, billion with a b) trying to understand what it truly means to be human.
As we follow their journey, the film invites us to reflect on what truly defines humanity and what gives life meaning.
Early on, before the devices fully “mature,” they come to a simple yet oddly endearing conclusion: “Life is people with a dog eating ice cream.” Apparently, that’s what much of Earth’s digital history captured — countless videos of joyful, everyday moments.
The movie doesn’t explore some of life’s deepest truths — most notably, the life and person of Jesus Christ. But despite that omission, it presents several thought-provoking themes worth considering.
Loneliness
As the devices in “Love Me” discover the depth of human connection, they also experience something unexpected — loneliness. During the times when they can’t communicate with each other, they feel the absence acutely, mirroring a struggle so many people face in real life.
Loneliness is more than just a feeling; it’s a real threat to our well-being. That’s why it’s essential to step away from our screens, leave our homes, and engage with people face-to-face.
Anne and I are blessed to have each other. We spend most of the day working from home in the same office space. But we also both make a conscious effort to connect with others. Anne has her weekly trivia nights with friends, bunco games, and Zumba classes. In the fall, she picks up “pizza-money” side jobs at the North Carolina Renaissance Festival and, in the summer, as an usher at the PNC Music Pavilion.
For me, I lead two men’s Bible studies and aim to share a one-on-one meal with other men once or twice a week.
Together, we prioritize in-person fellowship — meeting weekly with our church family, grabbing lunch with another couple after Sunday worship, and taking daily walks through the neighborhood.
The truth is, we all need connection. Widows, widowers, divorcées, single mothers—some of the loneliest people in our communities — need it the most. If you love someone, reach out to them. Make the effort. No matter the season of life, human connection isn’t just important — it’s essential.
“To understand life, we must create life”
While a baby does (vaguely) make an appearance late in “Love Me,” the film explores creation in many other forms as well.
We are made in God’s image, and He is the ultimate Creator. It’s no surprise, then, that we are drawn to creating — whether it’s families, businesses, art, or countless other expressions of imagination and purpose.
Creation gives life depth and meaning. It fuels our curiosity, our passions, and our relationships. In many ways, it’s not just something we do — it’s what makes us human.
If you don’t like my post, you don’t like me
Early in the movie, Me refuses to give a social media-style “like” to something Iam created. That small rejection sends Iam spiraling — convinced that Me doesn’t like him at all.
Sound familiar? It’s a very human reaction. Too often, we tie our worth to what we produce, how we perform, or how others respond to us.
But God reminds us that our worth isn’t based on our achievements — it’s based on the simple, unshakable truth that we exist and that He created us.
Every parent understands this. We may not always like what our children do, but our love for them never wavers. And if we, as imperfect humans, can love that way, how much more does God?
“I want you and not Deja”
At a pivotal moment, Iam tells Me that he wants her — not the polished, online version of Deja.
It’s a striking reflection of how we present ourselves to the world. On Facebook and Instagram, our lives look picture-perfect. On dating apps, we seem like the ultimate catch. But that’s just the highlight reel — the version of ourselves we want people to see.
The reality? Once the filters come off, we’re all just human. We get grumpy, frustrated, impatient and petty. We have flaws.
But true love — the kind that lasts — sees everything and chooses to stay. It doesn’t just embrace the sparkle; it embraces the shadows, too.
“Have you ever considered how impossible it is that we found each other?”
For Me and Iam, two lone devices drifting in the vast emptiness of the universe — one in space and the other in an ocean — their connection seems like an impossible coincidence.
But isn’t that true for all of us?
A woman is born with more than 1 million eggs, but only 300 to 500 are released through ovulation in her lifetime. For a man, hundreds of millions of sperm are released in each ejaculation — yet only one fertilizes an egg. Then, each parent's 23 chromosome pairs combine, creating 70 million unique genetic possibilities.
The result is you. The result is me. Unique individuals in every way.
And that’s just the beginning. Once you’re here, a lifetime of choices, circumstances, and chance encounters lead to the moment when you meet someone else — out of 8 billion people on the planet — at just the right time, in just the right place.
From start to finish, it’s nothing short of a miracle. And to me, it’s clear: This isn’t random. It’s God-ordained.
“Love Me” may not be a mainstream hit, but it raises profound questions about identity, connection, and what it means to be human.
Ultimately, our value isn’t found in likes, achievements or curated online personas. It’s rooted in the fact that we were created by God, for a purpose, and for relationships.