🎯 Quick Overview
Trailer
- Director: Ben C. Lucas
- Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Psychological
- Release year: 2017
- Runtime (length): 1h 36min
- IMDb rating: 6.2/10 (17K votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes: None
😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained
A scientist invents a drug that lets you live an entire year in your mind in like, a minute, then gets trapped in a virtual prison and has to break out of reality itself… or something.
🍿 OtherLife: Detailed Plot Synopsis
The Invention of OtherLife
Dr. Ren Amari develops a nanotechnological drug, OtherLife, capable of creating time-compressed virtual realities. This technology allows users to experience days, or even years, in mere moments. Ren co-founds the OtherLife company with Sam, driven by the hope of helping her brain-dead brother, Jared, who is in a coma after a diving accident.

Ethical Dilemmas and Conflicting Visions
Sam envisions applying OtherLife to revolutionize the prison system, enabling inmates to serve year-long sentences in their minds within seconds of real-time. Ren vehemently opposes this application due to ethical concerns. The tension escalates when Ren’s boyfriend, Danny, uses OtherLife without authorization and dies, leading to further conflict between Ren and Sam.

Virtual Imprisonment and Betrayal
To avoid jail time for Danny’s death, Sam proposes that Ren use OtherLife for a virtual one-year prison sentence, promising it will only take a minute in the real world. Ren reluctantly agrees, only to find herself trapped in a terrifying virtual cell where time resets indefinitely. She discovers she has been betrayed by Sam and Byron, who have used her as a test subject.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained
🎬 Cast & Characters
- Ren Amari (Jessica De Gouw): A brilliant but conflicted scientist who invented OtherLife, a drug-induced virtual reality, and grapples with its ethical implications.
- Sam (T.J. Power): Ren’s ambitious business partner who seeks to exploit OtherLife for profit, leading to conflicts and betrayals.
- Jared Amari (Liam Graham): Ren’s brother who falls into a coma, serving as a key motivation for Ren’s work and a catalyst for ethical dilemmas.
- Danny (Thomas Cocquerel): Ren’s boyfriend, who accidentally overdoses on OtherLife, triggering a series of events that lead to Ren’s imprisonment.
- Dr Robert Amari (Tiriel Mora): Ren’s father and a fellow researcher whose work on memory inspires and influences her, adding a complex layer to her motivations.
- Byron Finbar (Clarence Ryan): An engineer at OtherLife who is convinced by Sam to betray Ren.
💬 Memorable Quotes
- Ren Amari: “As far as the brain is concerned, reality and fantasy are chemically identical.” – Ren explains the scientific basis of OtherLife, emphasizing the brain’s inability to distinguish between real and simulated experiences.
💰Box Office
- Budget: None
- Domestic Gross: None
- Worldwide Gross: None
💥 OtherLife Reviews
Personal Review
I found ‘OtherLife’ to be a fascinating watch! The concept of experiencing extended periods of time in a compressed reality is really intriguing. Jessica De Gouw delivers a compelling performance as Ren, making you root for her even when she’s making questionable choices. The whole virtual prison sequence was incredibly intense and kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly questioning what was real and what wasn’t. The ending left me thinking about the potential dangers of technology and its impact on our perception of reality. I enjoyed the film, but felt some plot lines were not properly resolved.
- Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of Black Mirror”
- “Viewers interested in psychological thrillers”
- “Sci-fi enthusiasts exploring the ethics of technology”
- Content warnings ⚠:
- “Drug use”
- “Themes of psychological isolation”
- “Brief scenes of violence”
Professional Reviews
- MovieWeb: “OtherLife offers a thought-provoking exploration of virtual reality and its potential consequences. While the plot has familiar elements, the movie’s strong performances and visual style create a compelling viewing experience.
- IF.com.au: “Aussie Sci-fi movie that proves you don’t need a big budget to make good sci-fi. Combined with excellent cinematography and good acting this movie lifts itself up. I know many people who don’t like to watch movies with smaller budgets, mostly foreign movies, not produced in Hollywood, but then again, this movie proves you don’t need to have the big budgets to get full potential.
Audience Reactions
The movie made me question what reality actually is.: Many viewers praised the innovative storyline, comparing it to episodes of ‘Black Mirror’ and ‘The Matrix’.
Was a little convoluted but held my attention.: The acting performances and the visual elements of the simulated worlds.
Overall Consensus: A thought-provoking sci-fi thriller with a compelling premise, but may be too complex for some viewers.
Awards
🛠️ Behind the Scenes
- “The film is based on the novel ‘Solitaire’ by Kelley Eskridge.”
- “Filming took place in Perth, Western Australia.”
- “The overhead shots in the building feature Penrose (aperiodic) tiling, possibly referencing the infinite and never-repeating experiences of the software.”
🖥️ How to Watch OtherLife?
As of my last update, ‘OtherLife’ is available for streaming on various platforms. Check streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Tubi. It is also typically available to rent or purchase on platforms like Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Availability might change depending on your region.

🎥 Similar Movies
If you enjoyed OtherLife, you might like these similar films:
- Black Mirror (2011-2019): Shares a similar anthology format exploring the dark and often unsettling consequences of technology on society and the human condition.
- Inception (2010): Delves into the complexities of dreams and simulated realities, questioning the nature of reality and perception.
- Total Recall (1990): Explores memory implantation and simulated experiences, raising questions about identity and reality.
- The Matrix (1999): Poses fundamental questions about the nature of reality and control, featuring characters who discover they are living in a simulated world.
🛒 OtherLife Related Products
- Black Mirror: Season 1-5 [Blu-ray]: The ‘Black Mirror’ series provides chilling cautionary tales exploring the potential dangers of advanced technology, similar to the themes presented in ‘OtherLife.’
- Inception [Blu-ray]: Inception’s complex narrative and exploration of altered states of consciousness and dream-like realities would satisfy fans of the cerebral and reality-bending aspects of ‘OtherLife.’
- Total Recall (Special Verhoeven Edition) [Blu-ray]: A thought-provoking narrative exploring the intersection of memory, identity, and reality, while also delving into the dangers of corporate greed.
🎧 Soundtrack
OtherLife features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:
You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.
🤨 FAQ
OtherLife is a nanotechnological drug that induces time-compressed virtual realities, allowing users to experience extended periods of time in mere seconds. This technology is used for creating immersive simulated experiences.
The primary ethical concerns involve the potential misuse of the technology, such as using it for virtual imprisonment, which raises questions about psychological manipulation and the nature of reality. Additionally, there are concerns about the impact on individual autonomy and the potential for abuse.
Ren was betrayed by her business partner, Sam, and their engineer, Byron. They conspired to use her as a test subject for virtual imprisonment and misled her about the true nature of the experiment.
🔥 Bonus Content
Virtual Prison Where 1 Year is Equal to 1 Minute of Lifetime
Ever get lost in a movie’s plot? This recap breaks down ‘OtherLife’ and its mind-bending virtual reality prison concept in just 15 minutes. It’s pretty wild how they compress time in the film, you should check it out!
Drops of Ink in the Eye Can See Virtual Reality.#shorts
Imagine experiencing virtual reality through eye drops! This short clip from ‘OtherLife’ shows exactly that, giving you a glimpse into the movie’s cool and slightly unsettling premise. Would you dare try it?
That’s a horrible punishment. #movie #movieclips #shorts
Imagine serving a year in prison in just seconds of real-time. This short clip from ‘OtherLife’ reveals the film’s intense virtual prison concept. Pretty messed up punishment, right? Check it out!
✨ Rate
There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write one.