In the near future, society enforces strict regulations on parenthood due to environmental collapse and resource scarcity. Pharmaceutical cocktails that dramatically increase human life expectancy and healthspan also inhibit reproduction such that procreation is only possible through artificial wombs. Prospective parents must undergo a rigorous seven-day assessment to determine their suitability for raising a child. Mia and Aaryan, a married couple residing in a secluded, technologically advanced home beneath a protective dome, are eager to have a child. Mia is a dedicated botanist working on cultivating plant life, while Aaryan designs virtual reality pets to replace real animals that have been eradicated.
Their lives are disrupted by the arrival of Virginia, the government-appointed assessor. Virginia, a stoic and enigmatic figure, informs the couple that she will be living with them for the next seven days to evaluate their potential as parents. If they fail the assessment, they will never be parents. She initiates a series of unconventional tests, including adopting the persona of a child, exhibiting behaviors ranging from tantrums to inquisitive questioning, forcing Mia and Aaryan to respond as they would to their own offspring. These scenarios expose underlying insecurities and unresolved conflicts within their relationship, leading to emotional outbursts and moments of vulnerability.
As the assessment progresses, Virginia's methods become increasingly intrusive and manipulative. She orchestrates situations that pit Mia and Aaryan against each other, further straining their relationship. One pivotal moment occurs when Virginia arranges a dinner party, inviting neighbors and colleagues to observe the couple's social interactions. The evening devolves into a series of awkward and revealing conversations, with guests challenging the couple's readiness for parenthood. This event highlights their differing coping mechanisms under social scrutiny and intensifies the existing tensions.
After Mia receives a call about her sister being sick in hospital, Virginia reluctantly agrees to let her go and see her as long as she returns by 6 in the morning. While Mia is gone, Virginia climbs into bed with Aaryan and pressures him into having sex, saying that it is a part of the assessment and will stay between them. When Mia comes back, it is revealed that the call from the hospital was a false alarm due to mix-up over names. The next day, Virginia burns down Mia's greenhouse and nearly dies in the process, but she is rescued by Mia.
At the end of the seven days, Virginia decides to fail them without any explanation. Aaryan admits to Mia about sleeping with Virginia. He creates a simulated baby to reconcile with her, which initially delights her but when she realizes the simulated baby has no smell, she abruptly drops it to the ground and refuses to accept it as their child.
Mia tracks down Virginia in a small, down at heel apartment and learns that there have been no successful applications in the last six years. Virginia had been offered the possibility of getting a child of her own to replace the daughter she had lost to a drowning accident in exchange for failing all couples. She explains the assessment was always meant to fail and was designed only to provide hope.
In the aftermath, Virginia is assigned to assess another couple but chooses to die by suicide. Fed up with the oppressive nature of the New World, Mia decides to leave, seeking refuge in the Old World where her mother, a radical dissenter against the state's policies, was exiled. Meanwhile, Aaryan has created simulated versions of a child who is growing up and also a simulated version of Mia.
The Assessment was written by Mrs & Mr Thomas (Nell Garfath-Cox and Dave Thomas) and John Donnelly. It was directed by Fleur Fortuné in her feature length debut. It is produced by Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen with Augenschein Filmproduktion and Number 9 Films.[3][4]
The Assessment had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024.[10][11] That month, Amazon Prime Video bought the international rights outside Germany for the film.[12] The film was released in the United States on March 21, 2025.[4] The film was later released on Digital on April 8, 2025.
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 76 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7/10.The website's consensus reads: "A stimulating sci-fi that invests its high concept into ideas rather than special effects, The Assessment puts a trio of superb performances under a microscope and invites the audience to join in the scrutiny."[13]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 62 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[14]
Vikander was nominated for Best Lead Performance at the British Independent Film Awards in November 2024.[15] The film was also nominated for Best Debut Screenwriter and Jan Houllevigue for Best Production Design, winning the latter.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
