Foe – REVIEW
Set in the year 2065, the minerals and resources of the Earth are being depleted quickly owing to the world’s overpopulation.
New settlements are being tested on a space station and people with varying physical strengths and specific skills are being forced to leave their lives behind and participate.
Hen (Saoirse Ronan) and Junior (Paul Mescal) have been married for seven years and are working on their desolate farm in the Midwest. A stranger named Terence (Aaron Pierre) arrives and tells Junior that he has been “conscripted” and must attend for a couple of years. To ensure the marriage survives a human substitute which is a dynamic copy of her husband with real body tissue will keep Hen company for the duration of his absence – basically a biological replacement.
Can the marriage survive under such daunting conditions? Will the substitute husband be better than the real husband? Psychological pressure builds to an explosion of emotions when Junior believes that Terence and his wife may be on together.
Described as a Sci-fi flick, Foe is more aptly a ‘three character psychological thriller’. It’s a lavish production boasting mesmerizing cinematography with effective CGI re-creating the barren landscapes. However, even with the brilliant performances delivered from A-list performers Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal, this is unfortunately one of the worst movies of the year.
The problem lies in what must be one of the messiest screenplays ever written. The ambiguity of the convoluted plot, time shifts and non-linear style of storytelling collectively detract significantly, especially in the second half where many may frustratingly ask, “what the hell is going on?” Dull and boring, even the more attentive audiences may find that it’s exhausting viewing.
All is revealed in the finale, but even then there are questions about aspects of the story which were not picked up earlier that lead to other questions and many may leave the cinema wishing they had alternatively gone to watch ‘pure and simple’ Barbie for the umpteenth time!
Audiences are expected to keep up with a plot with so many complexities that it’s simply impossible to enjoy. For optimum understanding of this perplexing movie it’s probably best to read the book prior to attending the screening – and even then you may have to have another encore screening!
This movie will go unnoticed in Australia as it did in America where it generated embarrassingly miniscule box office.
★★
In cinemas Oct 19
