First-time feature director Fleur Fortuné brings a thought-provoking sci-fi narrative to the Toronto Film Festival, blending old-school speculative fiction with a modern twist. Her debut film presents a futuristic world where climate change has devastated Earth, leaving a controlled, temperate zone for the elite and a barren wasteland for the outcasts. In this setting, the authoritarian government enforces strict rules on parenthood, requiring couples to undergo an intrusive assessment and grow babies outside the womb from their genetic material.
Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel star as Mia and Aaryan, a prominent couple who are confident their assessment will pass. Their evaluator, Virginia, played by Alicia Vikander, is both unsettling and enigmatic, questioning their relationship with unnerving precision and even participating in role-play scenarios. Virginia’s increasingly erratic behavior raises questions about her true motives—whether she is genuinely assessing the couple or using her authority to disrupt their relationship.
The film explores themes of emotional coldness and the feasibility of parenthood in a world stripped of warmth and intimacy. The performances by the lead actors are compelling, and supporting roles by Minnie Driver, Indira Varma, and Charlotte Ritchie add depth to the narrative. The film’s extended coda may divide opinions but demonstrates Fortuné’s ambition to craft a meaningful conclusion. Overall, this stylish debut offers a unique and provocative take on the intersection of technology, authority, and personal relationships.
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