A recommendation: The Assessment is Must See Intellectual Sci-Fi

“She’s just pushing buttons, okay? We just need to stay cool...” One of the most underrated indie films that made my Top 10 of 2024 list (Opens in a new window) last year was this one - The Assessment. It’s now playing around the US in select theaters and it’s a serious must see for everyone who enjoys clever sci-fi filmmaking, or innovative storytelling, or films that make you think and make you ask questions about your own life. The Assessment is a remarkably smart, entirely original sci-fi film directed by French filmmaker Fleur Fortune. Set in the near future where parenthood is strictly controlled by the government, a couple's seven-day “assessment” for the right to have a child unravels into a psychological nightmare. It’s a sneaky film without flashy VFX or action or clunky dialogue that is sharply commenting on parenthood, government control, climate change, the challenges of parenting, humanity’s choices, and so much more. I recently rewatched this for the theatrical release and it’s JUST as good a second time around - confirmation that it’s a truly brilliant film that will be discovered and appreciated by more people with time. It features subtle sci-fi world-building, set in our near future but not exactly in a world any of us recognize because we’re not there yet. But we might be soon. It’s not so specific that I can say this world is good, and the old world is bad, it’s meant to make you think and wonder - what is good, what does humanity need, what does it take to live in a utopian society, and what are the side effects of a perfect world. It’s lead by three extraordinary performances from already beloved actors - Elizabeth Olsen, Alicia Vikander, and Himesh Patel. It’s better to watch this film without knowing what is going to happen, to experience this unraveling for the first time will all three of them going through “the assessment” together.

(Opens in a new window)

In the near future, prospective parents must pass an initial test in order to prove their suitability for parenthood, and then endure a seven-day live-in visit from a facilitator known as the assessor who will put them through the wringer in all kinds of imaginable and unimaginable situations where, at the end, they will either get a passing grade – or not. Mia and Aaryan are assigned an assessor named Virginia, and as they begin the uncomfortable tests, their relationship begins to crumble. Directed by Fleur Fortune, the film’s screenplay is written by Dave Thomas & Nell Garfath-Cox (as “Mr & Mrs Thomas”) and John Donnelly. This is perhaps Vikander’s best sneaky WTF performance since Ex Machina, and easily one of the best performances ever from Elizabeth Olsen in the lead role as Mia. Engaging with this film is such a rewarding and enriching sci-fi cinematic experience. It’s rare to come across such deeply intellectual filmmaking, not only in the ways it brings to life this story on screen, but also in what it discusses, what it hints at, what it makes you think about as you’re watching. And beyond… The Assessment is also one of these clever films that sticks in your mind for weeks after: What did all of this mean? Why did she make that choice? What about this one line of dialogue? What about that dinner scene? What about the backstory behind this futuristic society they’re living in? Should we be scared we’re headed towards that kind of future? Or should we embrace it? There’s so much to analyze and discuss. This is the real potential of great films – they can actually change your life in big ways. They can be as profound as any deeply moving, thought-provoking event. The review I wrote last year (Opens in a new window) is actually quoted in the official trailer (Opens in a new window) for the film: “a fascinating, captivating film for nearly a thousand reasons.” This is one of my top recommendations for 2025 that I will be bringing up as often as I can. One way or another, whether at home or in the theater, The Assessment is a must watch.

For more info on the film and to find out how to catch it, visit the official site (Opens in a new window).