Aryan (Himesh Patel) spends most of “The Evaluation” fiddling with skin, having developed a tangible virtual simulation of an animal to replace the creatures sacrificed in a near-extinction event some time ago. The meat is sometimes too tough, sometimes too artificial, but it’s definitely on point and it’s hard not to feel the same way about Fleur Fortuné’s powerful, entertaining sci-fi cover. In fact, the first film, which launched with its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, is so eccentric that it might have been better off without the genre trappings altogether.
But removing that dystopian future would deprive Fortuny of such a compelling showcase for his clearly gifted visual designer and license for some stunning production design from Jan Hollweg and a bold score from Emily Levins-Farosh, both of which organically suggest how a world increasingly devoid of humanity has made it all the more important for those alive to leave an impression with hand-crafted touches throughout the film. Still, the inventive premise of the script by Mrs. and Mr. Thomas (aka Neil Garvath-Cox and Dave Thomas) and John Donnelly makes the extra coat of paint a bit unnecessary when the metaphor isn’t needed to connect with Arian and his partner Mia (Elizabeth Olsen), as they undergo an interview with a state representative to determine their suitability for parenthood. When Virginia (Alicia Vikander) shows up at the door of their beachfront condo, Mia feels compelled to ask what she’s looking for in an adoption applicant; that answer is more vague than you might expect, even from a taciturn professional.
There are vague hints at what’s going on beyond the remote corner of Earth where Ariane and Mia live, a planet split between the so-called “Old World” and the better place the couple inhabits, where strict population control has made the inhospitable climate bearable once again. But “Evaluation” is wise to set aside any overt world-building when the painful process that Mia and Ariane undergo to prove themselves to a stranger is compelling enough. With the exception of Ariane’s dark back room where he works on his virtual pets, the film’s most bizarre element of the story has nothing to do with science fiction, but the fact that Virginia is obligated to stay in their house for seven days to get a proper reading for them. Moreover, she begins to act like the child they eventually take care of in order to gauge their reaction.
Vikander is hilarious as the troublemaker Virginia, delving into a well of weirdness she hasn’t had much of a chance to show outside of her collaborations with fellow Swede Lisa Langseth in “Hotell” and 2017’s “Euphoria.” Patel and Olsen are equally good as the nervous duo of scientists who can clearly handle the responsibilities of caring for a child, but may not survive the weeklong experiment. “Evaluation” is cleverly crafted, with each day bringing a new challenge that makes Mia and Ariane question themselves, including Virginia’s childish tantrums, the assembly of a Bucky Ball-like playhouse that resembles many an IKEA nightmare, and a surprise dinner party they must throw for various guests from their lives who are unlikely to invite themselves. The only problem arrives when “Evaluation” has to be put back into its larger context after the process itself is over.
While everyone involved in the film has clearly thought through the implications of the story, the ending is a little less satisfying than its predecessor, introducing a number of big ideas that never quite had time to fully flesh out. Still, even when The Evaluation goes beyond its smaller scope, it carries a lot of thought throughout, and Fortuny deftly balances logic and emotion. The film may depict a society losing touch with humanity, but it is extraordinarily moving when it doesn’t show its lack of humanity.
