Purpose (2002)

A college student (John Light) has an idea for an internet application that will revolutionize the way the world wide internet communicates. With the assistance of an overly ambitious deal closer (Jeffrey Donovan), their fledgling company is funded by a wealthy rancher (Hal Holbrook) and brokered by a powerful CEO (Mia Farrow). But things don't go as easily as planned. As directed by Alan Ari Lazar (who also co-wrote, co-produced and composed the underscore for the film), the film wants to be edgy and pertinent but it comes across as unbelievable and contrived. First of all, as played by Light, the protagonist is too naive (if not dim witted) to be believable as an internet genius. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg, he's not. He's a hunky party animal! One can't feel much sympathy for him when his company starts spiraling out of control. By the time the film reaches its semi-happy ending, one can't help but shake one's head at how amateurish it all comes across. On the positive side, there's a nice performance by Farrow as a lollipop sucking, shrewd hard nosed businesswoman, a nice change of pace from the usually ethereal types she's best known for. With Peter Coyote, Paul Reiser and Megan Dodds.