Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Plot summary

Repli-Kate (2002) Plot Summary & Timeline

Repli-Kate (2002) movie poster

Repli-Kate is a 2002 comedy and sci-fi film directed by Frank Longo, running 1 hour 36 minutes. This page retells the whole story in 596 words (about 3 minutes to read) and covers 12 key events in order, 7 characters, where and when it is set and 4 themes. Looking for the cast, ratings and where to stream it? See the movie page for Repli-Kate.

to read the plot summary
3 min
key events in the timeline
12
characters profiled
7
themes explained
4
Repli-Kate (2002) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 36m
Director
Frank Longo
Genres
Comedy, Sci-Fi
Original language
English
No spoilers

What Is Repli-Kate About?

The premise of Repli-Kate in 315 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.

The film opens on a sun‑blazed university campus where the buzz isn’t about finals or football scores, but about a breakthrough that has every student dreaming of a perfect copy of someone they admire. A cutting‑edge cloning lab sits at the heart of this frenzy, promising to turn scientific curiosity into a campus‑wide commodity. The atmosphere bubbles with youthful ambition, frat‑house revelry, and the low‑key anxiety of what it might mean to manufacture desire itself.

Max Fleming is a driven graduate student tasked with running the lab’s powerful cloning machine for the flamboyant and self‑promoting Dr. Jonas. Their uneasy partnership already hints at a rivalry between raw invention and the hunger for credit. When Kate Carson, a sharp‑tongued magazine reporter on the trail of the university’s secret projects, slips a drop of blood into the equipment, the experiment produces an unexpected result: Repli‑Kate, a fully formed adult woman who arrives with the blank slate of a newborn mind. Alongside Max’s easy‑going roommate Henry, the trio quickly sketches a vision of the “ideal” party girl—someone who drinks beer, loves football, and embraces the chaotic energy of campus life. The tone is a heady mix of slapstick comedy, raunchy party antics, and a sly satire of the lengths people will go to in order to capture perfection.

As the cloned copy begins to navigate a world built on expectations and fantasies, the film hovers between light‑hearted mischief and deeper questions about consent, identity, and the ethics of creation. The chemistry between the characters—Max’s earnest curiosity, Henry’s mischievous optimism, Kate’s investigative drive, and Repli‑Kate’s eager embrace of all things wild—sets up a playful yet thoughtful exploration of what happens when science collides with youthful desire. The stage is set for a comedic showdown where ambition, humor, and moral uncertainty swirl together, inviting the audience to wonder just how far the quest for the perfect copy can really go.

Full plot

What Happens in Repli-Kate?

The complete story of Repli-Kate, from the first scene to the last, in 596 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.

Spoilers ahead

Max Fleming, James Roday Rodriguez, is a graduate student who has developed a powerful cloning machine for the egotistical Dr. Jonas Eugene Levy. Jonas, eager to claim all credit for the breakthrough, leaves Max toiling in obscurity while he publicizes the discovery. The tension between creator and inventor sets the stage for a sharp, character-driven exploration of ambition, ethics, and desire within a university landscape that blends science with vanity.

One day, Max crosses paths with Kate Carson, Ali Landry, a young and ambitious magazine reporter who is preparing a story on the university’s cloning research. During the interview, Kate accidentally cuts herself, and a few drops of her blood mingle with one of the cloning samples. Later that night, Max runs a test of the machine, and to his astonishment, the device yields a perfectly formed replicate of Kate, whom he names Repli-Kate. The discovery throws Max into a whirlwind of possibilities and questions about identity, consent, and what it means to be “the real thing.”

Repli-Kate is fully adult, effectively the same age as Kate, but she starts with no knowledge of the world or the people around her. Max and his roommate Henry, Desmond Askew, set out to educate her—but they do so from a distinctly male perspective. Their plan is to fashion the “perfect woman” according to their own fantasies: someone who drinks beer, loves sports, and embodies a certain aggressive confidence. As Repli-Kate grows into this crafted image, she becomes Max’s girlfriend, complicating the line between adoration and manipulation. Yet as Max looks at the created ideal, he comes to a troubling realization: the woman he truly desires isn’t Repli-Kate at all, but Kate herself.

Across the campus, Dr. Jonas learns of Repli-Kate’s existence and moves quickly to seize both her and the original Kate. He intends to unveil a dramatic demonstration of human cloning before an international audience, turning his laboratory achievement into a global spectacle and commercial triumph for his invention. The unfolding conflict pulls Max and Henry into a desperate plan to halt Jonas’s showcase and protect Kate and Repli-Kate from a future dictated by a single scientist’s ego.

In a bid to turn the tables, the two friends create a new clone—Repli-Jonas—using the same technology, and the plan hinges on generating enough confusion to rescue the two women. The ruse buys them time and reveals the fragility of identity when copies begin to outpace the originals. The rescue succeeds, but the consequences ripple through the university’s cloning program and its control over the narrative surrounding the invention.

Jonas and his newly created clone, Repli-Jonas, are then subjected to the very system they sought to manipulate, as they are sent to a cloning research lab to serve as test subjects. With the dust barely settling, Max inherits control of the university’s cloning lab, and his enhanced cloning chamber catapults him to fame and financial success, shifting the power dynamics on campus and in his personal life. As professional triumph grows, so do personal entanglements: Max and Kate fall in love, and Henry and Repli-Kate deepen their own connection, complicating the already tangled web of relationships.

Repli-Jonas, however, manages to escape, leaving Felix Todd Robert Anderson to wonder about the next move. The final image lingers on a provocative, unsettling note: Repli-Jonas stands as the new president, delivering a chillingly simple, single-word discourse—the recurring, almost absurd “penis.” The film closes on this bizarre crest of irony, leaving audiences to ponder the ethical costs of replication, the hollow promises of perfected desire, and the uncertain line between creator and creation.

Timeline

Repli-Kate Timeline: Every Key Event in Order

12 key events in the order they happen, from “Max unveils cloning breakthrough” to “Repli-Jonas escapes and the finale”. 12 events name a place, across 12 locations.

  1. 1

    Max unveils cloning breakthrough

    Max Fleming develops a powerful cloning machine for Dr. Jonas but the publicity and credit are controlled by Jonas. Jonas seizes the limelight, leaving Max to toil in obscurity and question his own work. The tension in the lab sets up the ethical conflict at the heart of the film.

    When:Daytime Where:University lab

  2. 2

    Jonas claims the discovery

    Jonas publicly touts the breakthrough, positioning himself as the inventor while Max watches his credit slip away. Max's resentment grows as the recognition he expected never comes. The rivalry ignites the high stakes atmosphere of the university science scene.

    When:Day Where:University press room

  3. 3

    Kate encounters the cloning project

    Kate Carson, an ambitious magazine reporter, interviews Max about the lab work. During the interview, Kate cuts herself and a few drops of her blood mingle with the cloning sample. The incident introduces a personal risk that will drive the drama forward.

    When:During interview Where:Campus interview location

  4. 4

    Repli-Kate is created

    That night Max runs a test and a perfect replicate of Kate emerges, named Repli-Kate. Max and his roommate Henry decide to educate her, albeit from a male gaze and fantasies. The creation raises urgent questions about identity and consent from the outset.

    When:Night Where:Laboratory

  5. 5

    Repli-Kate becomes Max's girlfriend

    Repli-Kate grows quickly into an engineered ideal and becomes Max's girlfriend, blending attraction with manipulation. Max struggles with the ethics as she fits the self crafted image rather than a real person. The line between creation and personhood blurs in their campus life.

    When:Over the following days Where:Campus apartment and lab

  6. 6

    Max realizes his true desire is Kate

    As Repli-Kate embodies the ideal, Max comes to realize that his real desire is for the original Kate. The fake world of replication highlights the hollow nature of perfection. The story pivots on whether true connection can emerge from artificial replication.

    When:Evening Where:Max's apartment

  7. 7

    Jonas learns about Repli-Kate and plots a public demo

    Jonas learns of Repli-Kate and moves to seize her and Kate for a dramatic demonstration before an international audience. He intends to turn the lab achievement into a global spectacle and a lucrative windfall for his invention. The campus and conference settings become a chessboard for control of the narrative.

    When:Imminent Where:Jonas's lab and upcoming conference venue

  8. 8

    Max and Henry hatch a plan to halt Jonas

    To counter Jonas, Max and Henry create a second clone named Repli-Jonas and stage a confusing ruse. The plan buys time to rescue Kate and Repli-Kate but also demonstrates how copies can outpace originals. The moral weight of cloning is amplified as identity becomes a moving target.

    When:Night Where:Lab

  9. 9

    Rescue mission and role reversal

    The staged deception helps rescue Kate and Repli-Kate from Jonas's grasp. In the aftermath, Jonas and his clone are treated as test subjects in a research lab, flipping the power dynamic on the original creator. The rescue marks a turning point for the university program and its ethics.

    When:Following days Where:Campus lab

  10. 10

    Max gains control of the cloning program

    Max inherits control of the universitys cloning lab and unveils an enhanced cloning chamber that catapults him to fame and financial success. The power shift reshapes campus politics and his personal life. Romantic entanglements deepen as Kate and Max grow closer while Henry and Repli-Kate form their own bond.

    When:Post rescue Where:University cloning facility

  11. 11

    Romance and rivalry intensify

    Max and Kate fall in love as the real connection proves stronger than replication. Henry and Repli-Kate also deepen their relationship, further entangling the original and replica dynamics. The campus becomes a microcosm of ambition, desire, and manipulation.

    When:Ongoing after leadership change Where:Campus and personal spaces

  12. 12

    Repli-Jonas escapes and the finale

    Repli-Jonas escapes, leaving Felix to wonder what comes next. The final image shows Repli-Jonas as the new president delivering the chilling word penis, underscoring the ethical costs of replication. The film ends with a stark question about who controls invention and the narrative of science.

    When:Epilogue Where:Campus / cloning program building

Characters

Who Are the Main Characters in Repli-Kate?

7 characters, among them Max Fleming (James Roday Rodriguez), Jonas Fromer / Repli-Jonas (Eugene Levy) and Kate Carson (Ali Landry): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.

  • MF

    Max Fleming (James Roday Rodriguez)

    Played by James Roday Rodriguez

    A graduate student who develops a powerful cloning machine and vies for credit with Dr. Jonas. His initial drive is tempered by ethical concerns as the invention reshapes his relationships, ambitions, and sense of responsibility.

    • 🎯 Ambitious
    • 🧠 Clever
    • 💔 Conflicted
  • Eugene Levy as Jonas Fromer / Repli-Jonas (Eugene Levy) in Repli-Kate

    Jonas Fromer / Repli-Jonas (Eugene Levy)

    Played by Eugene Levy

    A brilliant, ego-driven scientist who seeks recognition and control over his discovery. His push for a global demonstration of cloning reveals a willingness to manipulate people and institutions for power.

    • 🎭 Charismatic
    • 🧪 Ruthless
    • 🧠 Calculating
  • KC

    Kate Carson (Ali Landry)

    Played by Ali Landry

    An ambitious magazine reporter probing the university's cloning program. Her presence catalyzes the central conflict, and her interactions with Max and the clones test themes of consent, authenticity, and desire.

    • 📰 Investigative
    • 💫 Ambitious
    • 💃 Assertive
  • R(

    Repli-Kate (Ali Landry)

    Played by Ali Landry

    The perfectly crafted clone who begins with a specific persona shaped by Max and Henry. She quickly grapples with autonomy, desire, and the consequences of being designed by others.

    • 🎯 Created
    • 💃 Emerges
    • 🧠 Developing
  • H(

    Henry (Desmond Askew)

    Played by Desmond Askew

    Max's roommate who helps educate Repli-Kate from a male perspective and becomes entangled in the cloning plot. He acts as a foil to Max's taller ambitions and moral questions.

    • 🧠 Curious
    • 🔬 Scientist
    • 💔 Complicated
  • F(

    Felix (Todd Robert Anderson)

    Played by Todd Robert Anderson

    Max's friend who participates in the plan and bears witness to the escalating consequences of cloning ambitions.

    • 🎭 Friend
    • 🧭 Moral conflict
    • 🧩 Plot twist
  • Eugene Levy as Repli-Jonas (Eugene Levy) in Repli-Kate

    Repli-Jonas (Eugene Levy)

    Played by Eugene Levy

    The clone of Jonas who becomes a pivotal element in the strategic ruse and represents the dangers of cloned identities evolving within the system.

    • 🧬 Clone
    • 🗳️ Power
    • 🚨 Escape
Setting

Where and When Is Repli-Kate Set?

Repli-Kate is set in University Campus and Cloning Research Lab. Here is why the place matters to the story.

Where

University Campus, Cloning Research Lab

Primarily set on a large university campus that houses a high-profile cloning program. The cloning lab and research facilities form the nerve center, blending sterile precision with campus vanity. The environment juxtaposes scholarly pursuit with media attention and corporate aspiration.

  • 🎓 Academic Environment
  • 🧪 Cloning Science
  • 🏛️ Campus Culture
Themes

What Are the Themes of Repli-Kate?

4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Identity, Ethics and Ambition.

  1. 01

    Identity

    Cloning blurs the line between real and copied life, forcing characters to question what makes someone truly themselves. Repli-Kate's emergence as a designed persona exposes how identity can be shaped as a product. The film probes consent and agency when copies navigate autonomy within male-dominated expectations.

  2. 02

    Ethics

    Ethical boundaries are tested as science outpaces safeguards. The pursuit of fame and control leads to manipulation, commodification, and the sidelining of personal rights. The narrative uses campus politics and international spectacle to critique the cost of unchecked invention.

  3. 03

    Ambition

    Ambition drives Max to chase recognition and funding, even at others’ expense. Dr. Jonas embodies ego and the lure of power that comes with breakthrough discoveries. The story shows how the pursuit of perfection can corrupt relationships and blur moral lines.

  4. 04

    Love

    Romantic entanglements complicate the moral maze: Max's attraction to Kate evolves into a relationship entangled with the clone. Repli-Kate's education from a male-dominated perspective clashes with Kate's genuine longing and autonomy. The film uses intimate bonds to reveal how desire collides with manipulation and ownership.

Tone & mood

What Kind of Film Is Repli-Kate?

Light in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.

Tone
Light
Pacing
Fast
Story
Straightforward
Intensity
Medium
Ending
Happy

A fast-paced, irreverent comedy that follows a bumbling scientist's absurd adventure with a cloned party girl, blending ethical questions with frat-house humor and a satirical look at scientific vanity.

  • playful
  • irreverent
  • silly
  • raunchy
  • absurd
  • satirical
  • cloning
  • ethical dilemmas
  • scientific ambition
  • idealized desire

Quiz

How well do you remember Repli-Kate? Test yourself on the story.

Take the quiz
Where to watch

Where to Watch Repli-Kate

Stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Fawesome, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Missing a Movie Plot Summary?

Tell us which film you want explained next: the full story, the timeline, the characters and the ending.

Request a summary
FAQ

Repli-Kate Plot Questions

5 quick answers about Repli-Kate, taken from the plot summary, character guide and setting on this page and the film’s credits.

What is Repli-Kate about?

The film opens on a sun‑blazed university campus where the buzz isn’t about finals or football scores, but about a breakthrough that has every student dreaming of a perfect copy of someone they admire.

Read the full plot summary

When and where does Repli-Kate take place?

Repli-Kate is set in University Campus and Cloning Research Lab. Primarily set on a large university campus that houses a high-profile cloning program. The cloning lab and research facilities form the nerve center, blending sterile precision with campus vanity.

The setting explained

Who are the main characters in Repli-Kate?

The story follows Max Fleming (James Roday Rodriguez) (played by James Roday Rodriguez), Jonas Fromer / Repli-Jonas (Eugene Levy) (played by Eugene Levy), Kate Carson (Ali Landry) (played by Ali Landry) and Repli-Kate (Ali Landry) (played by Ali Landry); the character guide covers 7 characters in all.

All the characters

What are the main themes of Repli-Kate?

The summary picks out 4 themes: Identity, Ethics, Ambition and Love.

The themes explained

Who directed Repli-Kate?

Repli-Kate (2002) was directed by Frank Longo and runs 1 hour 36 minutes.

Frank Longo’s films

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app