Self/less 2015

Billionaire New Yorker and real estate mogul Damian Hale (Ben Kingsley) is confronted with the grim diagnosis of terminal cancer. In a desperate move, he stumbles upon a business card leading him to Professor Albright (Matthew Goode), who introduces him to a controversial medical procedure known as “shedding.” This unusual process promises the transfer of one’s consciousness into a newly constructed body, which they claim to “harvest” for genetic perfection. Eager to escape his dire fate, Damian consents to the operation and, following Albright’s advice, stages a dramatic death to facilitate his transition.

After the procedure, Damian assumes a new identity as Edward Kidner and begins anew in New Orleans. Here, he quickly befriends his neighbor Anton (Derek Luke), but soon begins to experience disturbing hallucinations of a woman and child after neglecting his prescribed medication. Frustrated and confused, Damian confronts Albright, who dismisses his worries but inadvertently reveals knowledge about the visions that he hadn’t previously mentioned.

To further complicate matters, Albright offers Damian a vacation in Hawaii. However, convinced that his hallucinations are rooted in reality, he identifies a location from his visions and journeys to a farmhouse near St. Louis. There, he encounters Madeline (Natalie Martinez), who mistakes him for her deceased spouse Mark Bitwell (Ryan Reynolds). As Damian pretends to be Mark, he uncovers distressing details about Mark’s past, including how he may have sold himself to Albright for their daughter Anna’s ([Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen]) medical treatment.

Chaos ensues when Albright’s henchmen, including Anton, turn against them. Damian battles for survival, culminating in a deadly confrontation where he inflicts fatal injuries on Anton and his associates, ultimately fleeing with Madeline and Anna.

Seeking answers, Damian delves deeper into the world of “shedding” by researching online. His investigation leads him to the late Dr. Francis Jensen, the pioneer of trans-humanism. Uncovering chilling connections between Jensen and Albright, he realizes they may be linked through the shedding process itself. Discovering Jensen’s wife, Phyllis, in a nursing home, Damian learns she suffers from Alzheimer’s and cannot provide any insight.

Damian lures Albright to the nursing home, where he reveals the truth about the pills designed to erase the original personalities of the bodies used in the shedding process. Realizing that the pills are crucial to maintaining his consciousness, he understands that without them, Mark’s identity will resurface.

In a climactic sequence, as Jensen’s killers close in, Madeline and Damian fight back, leading to a shocking twist where it is revealed that Anton has undergone the shedding process multiple times. During a harrowing encounter, Damian collects Anton’s medication while confronting the truth of his existence. Desperate to protect Madeline and Anna, he seeks refuge with his old friend Martin O’Neill (Victor Garber), who helps devise a plan for the family’s escape.

The stakes heighten as Damian decides to cease his medication, hoping to access more of Mark’s memories. This choice leads him to a hidden lab where a final showdown with Albright occurs. Using cunning and courage, Damian manages to thwart Albright’s scheme, rescue his family, and culminate an explosive finale that sees him set fire to Jensen, sealing their fates.

In the aftermath, Damian attempts to mend his relationship with his estranged daughter Claire ([Michelle Dockery]), leaving her a heartfelt letter, and resolves to stop taking the pills altogether while on a journey to the Caribbean. As Mark’s real identity gradually reawakens, he discovers a video message from Damian, expressing gratitude for the life shared, concluding in a poignant reunion with his family.