Review

An affluent family in the not-so-distant future purchases the latest suburban trend: a robotic family servant. They dub him Andrew, and he goes about cooking, cleaning and the other sundry tasks expected of a robot housekeeper. But it soon becomes clear that Andrew is a little special: He soon shows signs of individuality and sets out to discover what it's like to be human. Data from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" may want to get a lawyer. In fact, anyone watching this sappy, overlong family film may join Data in a class action suit. Too bad, for the costumes, makeup and art direction are effective. Williams is understated, just like the rest of the cast; to such an extent that the film has no energy. Add a weird romantic twist, and Bicentennial Man leaves little hope for the future.