In the near future, Cameron (Mahershala Ali) is facing into the fact that his terminal illness will leave his wife, son and unborn child without a husband and father. Choosing not to tell them of his condition he looks to Dr. Scott (Glenn Close) and her groundbreaking new process of cloning as a way to spare his family the grief of losing him. 

Swan Song is an exquisitely made science fiction film. In a futuristic world where people wear contact lenses and ear pieces that allow them access to communications and information the question of what makes us human is everlasting. 

When Cameron travels to Dr. Scott’s remote location he meets his clone whom they decide to call Jack. Cameron and Jack have to spend a week together to ensure that Jack is emotionally stable and has the same memories as Cameron. Mahershala Ali’s dual performance is at its best in these moments as Cameron faces into his fears. Not just the fear of leaving his family in the hands of another him but also the current worries in his life that he has avoided facing into. 

Whilst at the facility Cameron will meet the previous patient at the facility called Kate (Awkwafina) who is now waiting to die having been replaced already by her double. Their relationship helps them both to let go and is delicately portrayed. 

The entire film is beautifully made and a joy to watch. The cinematography from Masanobu Takayanagi is exquisite featuring gorgeous shots of wildlife around the remote facility and clean sharp futuristic imagery in the city and buildings. The acting is exceptional and is led by a quiet and emotionally powerful dual role for Ali. Glenn Close, Awkwafina and Naomie Harris as his wife Poppy all do fantastic work in small but affecting roles as well. The music from Jay Wadley also matches the tone perfectly and the soundtrack features some wonderful covers of Radiohead songs by Wooden Elephant (that I instantly added to my library at the end of the film). 

All in all I would say that I loved the debut feature film from writer/director Benjamin Cleary. A man so aware of his influences that he has Cameron make origami animals with spare pieces of paper.