Finch

Beneath the surface of its post-apocalyptic concept, Finch boils down to a story about a man and his dog — well, and a robot.

Rarely has the devotion between human and canine felt as vital and affecting as in this bittersweet science-fiction vehicle for Tom Hanks, which is an adventure of discovery and rebirth inadvertently tailor-made for an age of lockdowns and quarantines.

Hanks works solo in the title role as the only on-screen human character. As the film opens, he’s stranded somewhere near St. Louis as a survivor of a cataclysmic event that has decimated the population.

We’re gradually given hints about his predicament and that of the planet. He’s become ill, perhaps from radiation stemming from accelerated global warming, and needs a contingency plan for his beloved dog. Fortunately, Finch is a robotics engineer whose latest invention is an advanced droid named Jeff (voiced by Caleb Landry Jones), whose job is to be the pooch’s long-term caretaker.

But first, Finch must teach Jeff as many human characteristics as possible — from walking and talking, to making emotional connections, to learning resourcefulness and ingenuity while battling the brutal elements and other undefined threats. “Trust will get you killed,” Finch warns. “Trust no one.”

Trying to stay ahead of a deadly storm, Finch and his surrogate family head to the west coast in a makeshift RV to build a new life, if they can survive the trip.

Hanks already mastered the challenge of acting essentially by himself in Cast Away, and here his sidekicks certainly provide more feedback than a weathered volleyball, even if the scenery isn’t quite as nice. At any rate, it takes a certain charisma and screen presence to bring conviction to such circumstances, and Hanks effortlessly generates sympathy.

Meanwhile, British director Miguel Sapochnik (“Game of Thrones”) uses a washed-out color palette to vividly depict a stark and harrowing futuristic landscape.

The film tries to make a story built on desolation and despair feel uplifting by injecting humanity and sentimentality in equal doses. The screenplay juggles its tones reasonably well as it navigates a mostly predictable path.

Too often, Finch tries to compensate for lagging narrative momentum with irrelevant detours and mild contrivances, and the final act tugs too aggressively at the heartstrings. But confident steering from Hanks keeps this road trip from veering off course.

Rated PG-13, 115 minutes.