Operator 2016

As a cost-cutting measure, Welltrix, a prominent health company, opted to streamline their customer service operations by implementing an automated system, sacrificing the human touch in the process. Joe (Martin Starr), a skilled programmer, was tasked with developing a voice simulation software to execute this plan. The script written for the AI’s responses lacked emotional resonance, a glaring issue that would soon be rectified thanks to Joe’s wife, Emily (Mae Whitman), who worked as a concierge at the prestigious Parkside Hotel in Chicago. Her expertise in interacting with hotel patrons was exactly what Welltrix needed, and Joe seized the opportunity to tap into her customer service acumen.

Emily agreed to lend her voice to Joe’s project, bringing her unique blend of empathy and understanding to the AI’s responses. The result was a significant improvement in the program’s ability to connect with customers. However, as time passed, Joe became increasingly enamored with his creation, deriving more satisfaction from interacting with his simulated wife than with his real-life partner. Emily noticed this trend and felt the distance growing between them, ultimately leading her to pursue her true passion: an improvisational theatre troupe.

As the couple drifted apart, Emily threw herself into her new creative outlet, leaving Joe to realize the error of his ways. It wasn’t until he attended one of Emily’s improv performances that he finally acknowledged the harm caused by his obsession and longed for the real Emily. With a mix of regret and hope, Joe took the stage to express his newfound understanding, leaving the audience - and the viewer - wondering if this was merely a step towards reconciliation or a glimmer of a second chance at love.