I’m often the first one to harp on films that struggle to explain aspects of their world and rarely give high marks for style over substance filmmaking. The latter typically relies on vibes and visuals, two things that can elevate a film but not make one completely. Narrative gaps in world building rely on its themes and cast to power it through, and often leave far too many unanswered questions in the end. That being said, “The Assessment” forces me to break my own rules, forgiving any of its dystopian future gaps and heavily favored style and championing it as one of the best films of the year.
The vibes are all the way on for me, and everything from its vibrant yet dulled color pallet, claustrophobic yet reclusive setting, immaculate but minimalist production design and unassailable cast all make “The Assessment” a stunning cinematic experience. It’s themes – though a childless cat daddy with a puppy – somehow still resonate with me and examine the harsh truth across any futures, real or not: parenting is hard, and in this case even the best intentions, motivations, and confidence that you’re fit for it- parenting is a nightmare.
Whatever it lacks in building a believable future becomes irrelevant because this film thrives in themes and performances. That’s not to say that it creates a world that doesn’t feel lived in; on the contrary it’s a future that feels eerily imminent given our current political climate. And anchoring itself on a tried and true motif of the woes and perils of parenting in an ever evolving hellscape ruled by a government desperate to control women’s bodies allows this film to keep itself focused and tightly wound on its characters. And those characters are wholly compelling thanks to a stellar cast and a go for broke committed performance from Alicia Vikander. I remember when I sat down for the premiere screening at TIFF and thinking, “ya know, I was JUST asking myself why we haven’t seen Vikander recently,” and lo and behold she arrives here to deliver one of her best performances since “Ex Machina.“
Fleur Fortuné makes her directorial debut from a script by David Thomas, Nell Garfath-Cox, and John Donnelly, and “The Assessment” stars Vikander, Elizabeth Olsen, and Himesh Patel. In near future, the world is ravaged by climate change and those who decide to comply with the rules and regulation of the government live in a literal dome bubble. Outside of the dome it is considered toxic and unruly, and inside no new children are allowed until prospective parents are put through a seven day. live-in test facilitated by an assessor to decide if they will make suitable parents. Mia and Aryan (Olsen and Patel) are both successful scientists in their own fields and want a child together. Their assessor Virginia (Vikander) arrives and explains that her decision at the end of the assessment is final, and the trials begin. She puts both Mia and Arayan through the wringer, and with each passing day the lines between adult Virginia and child like Virginia begins to blur and calls into question both the couple’s motivations for wanting a child and their relationship as whole.
“The Assessment” is a stripped down sci-fi drama that lets both its cast and themes flourish. The hues of greens and reds and blues and yellows dulled yet vibrant create a haunting yet beautiful atmosphere, and slowly but surely layers its thematic themes of sacrifice, overreach, and self reflection. Both Olsen and Patel want a child for different reasons, an idea that only becomes apparent when Virginia begins to systematically shred their perfect candidate veneers. Her methods grow increasingly unsettling and invasive, and Fortuné creates some truly uncomfortable yet darkly humorous scenes utilizing Vikander’s vigor and dedication to the role. This film wants us to ponder why we would ever want to bring a child into a crumbling world and ask ourselves how far we are willing to go to maintain the status quo of a perfect life. As each mask begins to be removed from each character (be it through normal child tantrums or more adult, inappropriate methods) it reveals plenty of unprocessed grief and trauma that we may end up passing onto to the children we want so badly.
There’s an investment in its high concept premise that allows “The Assessment” to pack a wallop of a dramatic punch without having to bog itself down with mind numbing exposition. Fortuné is smart enough to trust her cast and trust herself, and lets that intrusiveness sit and fester as she transforms her audience into sometimes unwilling voyeurs into the lives of others. Forgive the repetitiveness of the compliment, but Vikander is really something special here. She sinks her teeth into a role whose motivations are kept mostly in the dark – enough to constantly question her actions as she takes things further and further to disrupt any idea of suitability Mia and Arayan have of themselves – and embodies Virginia with complete abandon. Olsen and Patel are terrific as well, but Vikander’s adult to child to adult code switching delivers an engrossing energy that you simply can’t look away from every time she’s on screen.
There’s a dinner scene in “The Assessment” that may be the most uncomfortable scene in recent history. It brings people from both their pasts to the table (literally) and allows Vikander to be the most misbehaved, unhinged child set on disrupting every moment she can with outbursts and unruly behavior. “The Assessment” adds a quick cameo from Minnie Driver here, who is living her best life as a performer who just shows up for a day, absolutely serves and then bounces out to the next project to do it again. I’m here for every second of it.
If there was ever a scene that captures the totality of the film’s themes ideas, it’s here at the dinner table. It’s punishing and revealing and deeply funny in the way that you laugh because you’re so uncomfortable you’re not sure what else to do. This film knows when to pull this trigger, which paired with the trio of excellence from the cast elevates the tension as things get more uncomfortable and less satirical.
While “The Assessment” may share bones with things like “Black Mirror” and “The Handmaid’s Tale,” it still feels wholly unique and timely. Passing a test for parental fortitude doesn’t seem all that distant of a future, but it’s what it is underneath that is more profound. Who Mia and Arayan truly are and why they want a child reveals more about themselves as individuals than it does as who they would be as parents, and Virginia – as cold and calculating and destructive as she may be – has her own reveals that come late in the film. “The Assessment” isn’t so much an indictment of having children as much as it is an examination of the world around us and what having a child means.It ultimately is about self acceptance and the processing of grief and trauma that can’t be fulfilled by having kids. It’s about realizing the dishonesty between couples who solve their problems with the idea of a family rather than truly understanding themselves together.
Fleur Fortuné bursts onto the scene with this a low-key sci-fi drama powered by an incredible performance from Vikander and thought provoking ideas that force us to ask questions about the white picket fence life in a future that dictates your own suitability and pushes the limits of how far you would go to maintain the lie. “The Assessment” is powerful stuff, and easily one of the best films of the year.
I’m good with my cats and puppy. Those are all the children I need in my life, thank you.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
“The Assessment” is now playing in theaters. You can watch the trailer below.
