49/47
There are two Rice University Easter eggs
Set in a near future where parenthood is tightly controlled, a couple’s seven-day assessment of whether they have the right to have a child turns into a psychological nightmare. The Assessment is a sci-fi drama starring Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel as Mia and Aaryan. A couple who want to have a child in the future are put through a 7-day test by an evaluator (Alicia Viklander).
If no mishaps happen, they are blessed with a baby
But the parents-to-be find this to be more difficult than they expected. Bolstered by strong acting and a unique premise, The Assessment has a plot that I wasn’t really expecting, but I think it’s brilliantly done. The film takes place on days 1 to 7, and each one is as different and compelling as the next.
But Alicia Viklander is also very good and to be honest, she’s very good in the whole sci-fi genre and it was a joy to see her here
Honestly, I was expecting this to be a reuse of sci-fi cliches from the past, but I have to say that this is so original and unexpected that I think it’s superbly done! The way everything is connected and what the couple has to do is portrayed so well that in a world affected by climate change, this could be the most likely reason for having children. The performances don’t disappoint, Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel were so good that they probably could have been alone with a completely different plot and it would have been just as engaging.
But that doesn’t really matter and is essential to the plot
Just everyone involved did their best and I really appreciate that in a film that doesn’t really rely on CGI to be so creative. However, the film is very explicit in terms of sex in some places, and the disturbing interactions of Alica Viklander’s character acting like a child in an older woman’s body gave me “Poor Things” vibes. The film is definitely aimed at older audiences, though, and I can definitely see it easily getting an R or 15/18 rating in the UK if anyone is interested.
Grade: A+London Film Festival, October 19th
Overall, while some characters don’t really have resolved storylines, the characters who do are so well created and portrayed that it’s hard to find anything bad about The Assessment. Definitely a must-see film when it comes out in mid-2025. I highly recommend this amazing and creative work of art when it hits theaters.