In Fleur Fortune’s chilling thriller “The Assessment”, the question of whether a couple is fit to become parents is explored in a dystopian world where government control dictates reproduction.
The film stars Elizabeth Olsen as Mia and Himesh Patel as Aaryan, a married pair of scientists living in isolation by the ocean. Aaryan creates lifelike animals, while Mia works in a greenhouse cultivating plants. Their quiet life is almost blissful, yet there is one thing they both long for: a child.
Enter Virginia (Alicia Vikander), a government-appointed assessor sent to decide if the couple is suitable for parenthood. Virginia moves in with the couple for seven days, initially coming across as cold and stoic. But as the days unfold, she becomes increasingly unhinged, subjecting Mia and Aaryan to bizarre and intense role-playing scenarios to test their parenting potential.
Vikander’s performance is exceptional, shifting between three distinct personas—impartial assessor, petulant child, and lonely human—capturing the audience’s attention with each transformation. Her portrayal is a mesmerizing mix of control and chaos and it’s a performance that lingers, building tension with each passing day of the assessment.
The film’s script, written by Dave Thomas, Nell Garfath Cox, and John Donnelly, is evocative and thought-provoking, but it’s the cinematography and production design that truly elevate the story. The opening scene, with Mia swimming in the ocean while the camera bounces on the waves, sets the tone for the film. Once inside the couple’s sleek, cold home, smooth pans and tracking shots highlight its clinical, sterile design—sharp concrete edges. As Virginia’s increasingly bizarre tests unfold, the tension within this space becomes palpable, thanks to the work of cinematographer Magnus Jonck and production designer Jan Houellevigue.
While some early developments, such as Mia showing Virginia a sentimental memento from her mother, might feel predictable in their outcome, “The Assessment” is ultimately more concerned with exploring larger philosophical questions: What drives the desire for a child in such a bleak, controlled world? Is their yearning a need to fill an emotional void and inject life into an otherwise monotonous existence?
At its heart, the film questions what it truly means to be a parent. The assessment itself disrupts their routine and challenges their relationship, much like a child would. In a world stripped of unpredictability, perhaps this testing is exactly what their bond needs to prove its strength. With a standout performance from Vikander and striking visual storytelling, it’s a film that demands to be seen.
Letter Grade: B+