The Assessment

For other uses, see Assessment (disambiguation).

The Assessment is a 2024 science fiction thriller film written by Dave Thomas, Nell Garfath-Cox and John Donnelly and directed by Fleur Fortuné in her feature-length debut. Set in a near future where parenthood is strictly controlled, it follows a couple who undergo a rigorous seven-day assessment to determine their suitability for raising a child. The film stars Elizabeth Olsen, Alicia Vikander, and Himesh Patel, along with Indira Varma, Nicholas Pinnock, Charlotte Ritchie, Leah Harvey, and Minnie Driver. It is produced by Stephen Woolley, Elizabeth Karlsen and Grant S. Johnson with Number 9 Films, augenschein Filmproduktion, ShivHans Pictures, and Project Infinity.^[3]

The Assessment
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Fleur Fortuné
Screenplay by	Dave Thomas Nell Garfath-Cox John Donnelly
Produced by	Stephen Woolley Elizabeth Karlsen Jonas Katzenstein Maximilian Leo Shivani Rawat Julie Goldstein Grant S. Johnson
Starring	Elizabeth Olsen Alicia Vikander Himesh Patel
Cinematography	Magnus Nordenhof Jønck
Edited by	Yorgos Lamprinos
Music by	Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch
Production companies	Number 9 Films augenschein Filmproduktion ShivHans Pictures Project Infinity Tiki Tane Pictures
Distributed by	Capelight Pictures (Germany) Magnolia Pictures (United States) Amazon MGM Studios (International)
Release dates	September 8, 2024 (2024-09-08) (TIFF) March 21, 2025 (2025-03-21) (United States)
Running time	114 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom Germany United States
Language	English
Budget	$8 million
Box office	$279,328[1][2]

The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024, and was released in the United States on March 21, 2025, by Magnolia Pictures.

Plot

In the near future, society enforces strict regulations on parenthood due to environmental collapse and resource scarcity. People prolong their lives through pharmaceuticals and childbirth 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 the hospital, Virginia gives her a chance to go and see her until 6 in the morning. While Mia is gone, Virginia gets into bed with Aaryan, rapes him and says that it will stay between them and is a part of the assessment. When Mia comes back, it is revealed that the call from the hospital was false and it was a mixup of 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.

Cast

• Elizabeth Olsen as Mia
• Alicia Vikander as Virginia
• Himesh Patel as Aaryan
• Minnie Driver as Evie
• Indira Varma as Ambika
• Nicholas Pinnock as Walter
• Charlotte Ritchie as Serena
• Leah Harvey as Holly
• Anaya Thorley as Amelia
• Benny O. Arthur as Ash
• Malaya Stern Takeda as Catherine

Production

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]

Filming was expected to commence in Cologne, Germany in July 2023.^[5] In August 2023, location shooting took place in Tenerife.^[6][7][8] In February 2024, Deadline Hollywood reported that the film was in post-production.^[9]

Release

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.