Conceiving Ada

Neither the groundbreaking use of digital technology nor the estimable talents of actress Tilda Swinton can save this ridiculous cyber-portrait of Ada Byron, estranged daughter of Lord Byron and one of the earliest computer theoreticians. The film opens in 1993, as pregnant computer genius Emmy Coer (Francesca Faridany) is hard at work developing software that will enable her to communicate with long-dead historical figures. Emmy's prime target: 19th-century mathematician Ada Byron (Tilda Swinton), who anticipated the development of computers and is generally credited with writing the first computer program. Not only does Emmy finds a way to tap into Ada Byron's "m...