Directed by Garth Davis (Lion), Foe (2023) is a slow-burning, atmospheric sci-fi drama that uses a dystopian setting to explore marriage, memory, and the ethics of artificial life. Based on the novel by Iain Reid—who co-wrote the screenplay with Davis—the film stars Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, and Aaron Pierre in a tight, emotionally complex story that blends futuristic concepts with intimate human dilemmas.
Set in a near-future where climate change has ravaged the Earth, Foe follows a married couple, Henrietta (“Hen”) and Junior, who live in isolation on a dying rural farm. Their world is disrupted when a government agent named Terrance arrives with a proposition: Junior has been selected to live and work on a space station as part of a long-term planetary resettlement program. The catch? Hen will remain on Earth—with a highly advanced AI replica of Junior, created to keep her company.
What follows is not a typical sci-fi plot, but a deeply psychological and philosophical meditation on identity, trust, and what it means to be human. As the line between the real Junior and the synthetic one begins to blur, the film examines whether love can survive when one partner may no longer be who—or what—they seem.
Paul Mescal delivers a performance of understated power, playing both human and synthetic versions of Junior with subtle distinctions. Saoirse Ronan is the emotional anchor, portraying Hen as a woman torn between duty and desire, memory and reality. Aaron Pierre’s Terrance adds an unsettling presence, calmly manipulating the fates of others in the name of progress.
Visually, Foe is stark and poetic. The cinematography captures the loneliness of Earth’s dying landscapes, echoing the emotional barrenness between the couple. The film’s pacing is deliberate—some may find it too slow—but its quiet unraveling of identity keeps you watching.
At its core, Foe is less about the future of Earth than the future of relationships. It asks: If someone could love you perfectly—say the right things, never argue, never leave—but wasn’t real, would that still be love? And if our memories and emotions can be replicated, what makes us unique?
The film also touches on consent, control, and surveillance, raising ethical questions about how much autonomy we truly have in systems designed to shape our futures. It’s as much an emotional horror story as it is speculative fiction.
A potential sequel, Foe: Return Protocol, could explore what happens years after the real Junior is presumed lost in space—only to return to Earth and find his replica has fully integrated into Hen’s life.
This sets the stage for a psychological battle of identity: two Juniors, one human, one artificial—both claiming to be the better partner. Hen must choose between a man she once loved and a machine that evolved to love her flawlessly. But who truly knows her now?
The sequel could deepen the ethical dilemmas around cloning, memory implantation, and emotional autonomy, blurring the line between love and programming even further.
Foe is a quiet, eerie, and thoughtful sci-fi drama that values character over spectacle. While its pace and ambiguity may frustrate some viewers, it offers a haunting reflection on what we owe to each other when technology learns to love better than we do.
