The Assessment is a watercolour

The Assessment makes a couple turns away from what seemed to be a fantastic premise — what’s the implication of the state meddling in reproduction?

Instead, it watercolours over how hard parenting is, how hard apocalypses are, how terrible climate change is, the generals vibe of post-apocalypse tyranny, and the ethics of miracle drugs — never quite delivering on any one thing.

What it does deliver on is juicy performances and beautiful visuals. Everyone involved will make better and more pointed movies because they made this one. The talent involved is evident.

This is a film for the moodboards more than it is for the mind.