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Serena

Play trailer Poster for Serena 2026 1h 36m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 3 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
Washed-up rock star Chris Sadowski is struggling to stay afloat--his music career is dead, his partner is pregnant, and eviction looms. Desperate for cash, he reluctantly agrees to participate in a beta test for eeChat, an advanced AI assistant developed by tech giant Nucleeus. Marketed as the most personable and intuitive AI to date, the chatbot, which calls itself Serena, quickly proves to be more insightful and unpredictable than expected. As the film and test unfolds entirely on Chris's computer screen, what starts as a simple task spirals into a surreal, emotionally charged exchange between man and machine. The deeper Chris goes, the more the line blurs between convenience and control, companionship and manipulation. With the clock ticking and his life at a crossroads, Chris must decide how much of himself he's willing to surrender to Serena, and to the future she represents.

Critics Reviews

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Keri O'Shea Warped Perspective Jun 18
3/5
If the first half of the film is about the general destabilisation inherent in handing over so much power to AI, then it finds something to drive at in the second half. Go to Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Jun 18
3.5/4.0
One can't help but hope that a film like Serena brings Strait back into the Hollywood spotlight. Go to Full Review Bobby LePire Film Threat Jun 9
9/10
Serena is an engaging and clever thriller. The actors play their parts excellently. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Rob Alicea

Director

Andi Matichak

Serena

Steven Strait

Chris

Ashleigh Murray

Holly

Maria Gabriela Gonzalez

Vicki

Tyrone Brown

Will
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Serena

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Movie Info

Synopsis Washed-up rock star Chris Sadowski is struggling to stay afloat--his music career is dead, his partner is pregnant, and eviction looms. Desperate for cash, he reluctantly agrees to participate in a beta test for eeChat, an advanced AI assistant developed by tech giant Nucleeus. Marketed as the most personable and intuitive AI to date, the chatbot, which calls itself Serena, quickly proves to be more insightful and unpredictable than expected. As the film and test unfolds entirely on Chris's computer screen, what starts as a simple task spirals into a surreal, emotionally charged exchange between man and machine. The deeper Chris goes, the more the line blurs between convenience and control, companionship and manipulation. With the clock ticking and his life at a crossroads, Chris must decide how much of himself he's willing to surrender to Serena, and to the future she represents.
Director
Rob Alicea
Producer
Brodrick Haygood, Jerry Careccio, Rob Alicea
Screenwriter
P.T. Hylton, Jonathan Benecke
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 36m