As a movie critic with a personal experience of navigating the complexities of fertility treatments, I found “The Assessment” to be a riveting and thought-provoking exploration of a not-so-distant future where the state controls procreation. The film’s unique blend of psychological thriller and sci-fi elements is masterfully executed, with Elizabeth Olsen, Himesh Patel, and Alicia Vikander delivering powerhouse performances that evoke both empathy and discomfort.
In “The Assessment,” a psychological sci-fi thriller set to debut at the Toronto Film Festival on Sunday, Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel portray a couple yearning for parenthood. However, their desire clashes with a future society where the government decides who can have children. Consequently, they must undergo a secretive and enigmatic evaluation to demonstrate their worthiness.
A character portrayed by Alicia Vikander arrives as an assessor, visiting a couple at home for a seven-day evaluation. As the days progress, she poses probing and embarrassing questions to them, then subjects them to scenarios simulating unimaginable distress that children might inflict on parents. The end result is a film with an unusual, occasionally somber mood that deliberately slips into absurdity as the pair are compelled to reconsider their desire for family expansion. Director Fleur Fortuné aims for viewers to feel slightly uncomfortable during the movie-watching experience, and the actors concur.
Olsen remarked at the EbMaster’s Toronto Film Festival studio, sponsored by J.Crew and SharkNinja, that finding satisfaction in making others uneasy is intriguing. He suggested that we all might benefit from stepping outside our comfort zones.
Fortuné, who made her directorial debut with “The Assessment”, drew inspiration for the movie from her personal experiences dealing with fertility issues.
For four long years, she had been striving to conceive and it involved numerous IVF attempts and tests, which at times seemed almost comical in their frequency. It was then that a script from a producer reached her, a story concept that deeply resonated with her about a future where couples undergo a week-long test to determine their ability to have children.
Vikander, who crafts the madness within the storyline and intensifies it to its peak, pondered as she read the script about how certain over-the-top scenes might be portrayed on screen.
In her words, “I needed to be quite brave when I stepped onto the set. At one point, I simply had to let go.” She further explained, “The advantage is that you can find inspiration from your personal life. I felt like I was embarking on a journey of self-discovery through different stages of my character, which was incredibly intriguing.
Patel remarked, “All we can do is present the facts as they are. Things might seem irrational right now, but our main priority is to stay truthful.
As the film was shot in various cities across Germany and Spain, the cast, who had come together for this production, chose to stay in place during their free time and formed a strong connection while working on the set.
During film shoots in secluded areas, it’s common for crew members to retreat to their personal lives on weekends due to exhaustion or a desire for solitude. However, in our case, we were constantly drawn to each other. This doesn’t happen frequently. I found this unexpected bond incredibly reassuring and unique.
In ‘The Assessment’, we delve into a scenario where giving birth isn’t automatic or a choice individuals can freely exercise. Fortuné highlights contemporary correlations between reproductive freedom and the recent Supreme Court verdict that overturned the constitutional right to abortion.
Fortuné finds it intriguing as this scenario mirrors current situations in numerous nations. It’s not just the U.S., but everywhere… the peculiar contradiction between striving to regulate women’s bodies and uphold personal rights, while at the same time prioritizing our own survival,” Fortuné stated. “Because if we wish for children, we desire a fantastic future for them – and we are not moving in that direction.
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2024-09-09 02:16