FOE

Australia, 2023, 110 minutes, Colour.

Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, Aaron Pierre.

Directed by Garth Davis.

From a novel by Iain Reid who collaborated with the director on the screenplay. It is a slow-burn drama, (some bloggers complaining that the fire took a long time even to kindle). However, for those who enjoy intriguing dramas, elements of the unknown, the probing of relationships, there is much to commend a careful watching of Foe.

Foe has a global theme, the continued destruction of planet Earth, ambitious moves towards settlements on other planets, preparations for work on space stations. It is 2065, frighteningly close to the present, the continuing barrenness of the planet and it should be so close. There are sequences of devastated countryside (filmed in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia). However, as with global filmmaking these days, the setting for the story is the midwest of the US (and with an Australian director, Garth Davis (Lion, Mary Magdalen) two Irish leads, and a British lead).

While it is important to focus on the futuristic, science-fiction aspects of the scenario, in many ways, they are quite secondary, simply offering the opportunity for the main theme, the exploration of a marriage. We see a couple who have been married for seven years, he on the property and in the house owned by his family for centuries, working in a large chicken processing plant, she working as a local waitress in a diner. Saoirse Ronan is Hen. Paul Mescal is Junior. The marriage is not always easy, Hen wondering about the affection of her husband, dreaming of something better. Junior seems to be satisfied where he is. Quite a lot of scenes between the two leads dramatising the tensions, ups and downs of the marriage. No children.

Then the science enters in the form of a government agent, Terrance, played by Aaron Pierre, very British in his delivery. The government has investigated the couple, wants Junior to spend a year on a space station, a sign of the future. He lets the couple ponder this for a year, then returning, the plan to go into action, and the proposal, definitely science-fiction here with artificial intelligence, robotics, and plans to create exact replicas, physical, mental, emotional, some company for Hen during her husband’s absence.

While the initial part of the film has been a probing of the marriage, this intensifies with Terrance’s presence, interrogations, tests, trying to understand each of the characters, the relationship, so that the substitute will be a proper companion.

While there is scientific success, there are some emotional complications, building up to quite a dramatic conclusion, surprising dramatics, and the final solution which we may have been anticipating.

There is very little futuristic technology seen in the film, that being kept to the very end. Rather, this is a psychological study of two people in a futuristic setting and challenge. And a slow-burn.

(Recently, with the same time sitting, a more elaborate conflict between humans and AI creations was seen in The Creator.)

1.    Title? Enemies? Marriage? Interaction between Hen and Junior? Terrance as a foe?

2.    Science-fiction? Earth and its destruction? Survivors? Quality of life? Space travel, space stations, a future?

3.    Artificial intelligence, robotics, clones, the creation of perfect copies, physical, emotional, mental?

4.    2065, not so long into the future? The possibilities of Earth degradation? The possibilities of technological development?

5. The settings, filmed in Australia, the American midwest, barren plains, vast open spaces, no rain, poor crops, the Homestead from the past, the elaborate chicken factory, the diner? The musical score?
6. The picture of the marriage, seven years, Hen in the shower, voice-over, pondering Junior’s love for her or not? His being rooted in the area, pride, family? Her work in the diner? His work in the chicken factory? Life at home, his storing everything, the piano, her love of playing, Junior not wanting her to play? The change, playing, consistent – then destroying the piano?
7. The arrival of Terrance, the car, isolated area, the government, his proposal, their reactions? His building up the possibilities? His return after a year?
8. The process, interviews with Junior, Terrance getting to know every aspect of his life, the scenes of interrogation, the physical tests, psychological tests, emotional tests? The effect on Jr? The effect on? Criticisms, observations, becoming more involved? Terrance and the intrusion into their lives, talk, drinking, the attraction?
9. The scenes of ordinary life, the chicken factory, the diner? The episode of Junior out in the fields, the flying saucers, his being injected, his returning to the house, the confrontation?
10. The twist in the plot, the government preparing the complete replicant, the confrontation between the two, the humanity of the replicant, Junior returning from the space station, detached? The effect on Hen, the companionship with the replicant?
11. Terrance, the crew, technology, observations, the scene of their toasting their success?
12. The replicant, his humanity, the pathos of his last moments, the death, the corpse?
13. The aftermath of the marriage, Hen and her comments about leaving the envelope, the blank page inside? Her explaining her ambitions to do more, Terrance and his sympathy?
14. Hen, her disappearance, Jr by himself, the reappearance, more formal, learning, the indication that she did not have all of Hen’s knowledge, Junior accepting her as companion?
15. Hen, in the plane, the pass comments about air travel, her leaving behind her replicant, going on a personal quest?