Iain Reid, original author of Foe and I’m Thinking of Ending Things (also made into a film in 2020 directed by Charlie Kaufman) has always had an impressive way of creating realities that feel human yet unsettling at the same time. The way he paints relationships and the monotony of our day to day opens up our minds to the beauty but also the pain of being human. Garth Davis directing, along with Iain Reid penning the script for the film adaptation, is able to harness the power and disastrous effects of long term relationships between characters Henrietta and Junior set against a future date on a farm in the Midwest.
Henrietta (Saoirse Ronan) and Junior (Paul Mescal) are visited one night by a strange man, Terrance (Aaron Pierre) informing them that Junior has been selected to potentially be a part of Outermore’s installation experiment, sending individuals to space in search for a new place to live. What follows is a journey leading up to the eventual day of Junior’s departure and the outcomes of a slowly descending marriage.
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Although Foe has a sci-fi aura surrounding it, it is far from an exploration of artificial intelligence and space travel. These elements almost feel like red herrings in the grand scheme of the film as the film focuses on relationships and the unfortunate reality of repetition and comfortability within a marriage. It shows what happens when a couple loses the drive to continue understanding one another as years go by and the dangers of putting one’s expectations of their partner above the reality of what the other wants.
Iain Reid’s script harnesses the essence and themes of his novel with the help of Garth Davis to bring it to life. It is clear Reid and Davis had an understanding of the true story being told here using futuristic elements to further drive home a story that plagues modern relationships everyday.
The film’s focuses on its central characters in the way a stage play would, seeing both of their lives and desires from the sources themselves. Seeing both Henrietta and Junior in their own bubbles as well as how they see one another in their marriage displays the discrepancies between what we wish our partner was versus who they are or have become. Although the film utilizes minor sci-fi elements, it more captures the human side of the story rather than opting for a full blown futuristic tale.
There are bigger performative moments, particularly from Paul Mescal that do not feel like they are written to display his obvious range as an actor but instead to further the way Henrietta views Junior in their marriage and how he has changed. Saoirse Ronan’s ability to perfectly portray Henrietta is seen in a number of scenes where her mannerisms and facial expressions tell us when she is aware of what is happening versus when she is showing genuine surprise.
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Mescal and Ronan amplify the script in their portrayals of their respected characters because of a clear understanding of Davis and Reid’s vision. Foe’s title is a tale in itself, causing us to see our partners as lovers but also adversaries in not only our journey together but as individuals.
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