Starring: Paul Mescal, Saoirse Ronan, Aaron Pierre
OUR RATING: ★★★☆☆
Story:
Amazon Studios sci-fi thriller directed and co-written by Garth Davis. Foe (2023) centers on Hen and Junior (Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal), who farm a secluded piece of land that has been in Junior’s family for generations, but their quiet life is thrown into turmoil when an uninvited stranger, Terrance (Aaron Pierre), shows up at their door with a startling proposal.
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Best Quotes
Hen: In the beginning, everything feels so alive and exciting. But time makes it predictable. He doesn’t really see me anymore. It’s as if he’s replaced me with someone else. I’ve lost those parts of who I am, or who I could be. And I’m scared I won’t ever get them back. Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you this.
Terrance: Junior? I think you’ll want to hear what I have to say. Both of you.
Terrance: Oh, I love that. The old ways of living.
Junior: Yep. Still a few of us left, so.
Terrance: We’ve been working on the next phase of transition for a long time. There’s always been several possibilities of human existence in space. The Moon. Mars. But with our lands and seas transforming as they are, we decided to build our own space station, our own planet.
Hen: Looks pretty ridiculous. I mean, why would you spend money up there when you should be fixing things here?
Terrance: Well, see, our motivation is proactive, to help our children’s children.
Terrance: We’ve had our first lottery. I’m excited to say that you’ve made the shortlist. You’re one step closer to living up there.
Junior: Okay. Well, you’re wasting your time, because we haven’t even been on an airplane, and she’d hate it.
Hen: Oh, so you wouldn’t? You wouldn’t hate it?
'Every relationship depends on open and honest communication.' - Terrance (Foe) Share on X
Terrance: I should clarify, sorry. I’m talking about you here, Junior. Only you.
Junior: [to Terrance] Are you threatening us? Is that what’s happening?
Terrance: You’d be a hero, Junior. Do you want to live mundane lives like everyone else, or do you want to be part of something special and unique? Because that’s what this is really about. A chance to be a better version of yourself.
Terrance: Listen, it’s time to move on. Soon, most of us won’t be able to live here. Our planet was marvellous, is marvellous. But it’s given us all it can.
Hen: No, it didn’t give us anything. We stole it.
Junior: [referring to Terrance] You know we won’t see him again. They’re not actually interested in someone like me. What have I got to offer?
Hen: You might be surprised.
Hen: Do you still like living here?
Junior: Why?
Hen: Do you feel happy here?
Junior: Of course I’m happy here. Aren’t you?
Hen: What am I to you?
Junior: Oh, you know, if this is about me leaving, if you’re worried about that…
Hen: No, it’s not. It’s not. It’s about us.
Hen: Did you have any questions when we got married?
Junior: There shouldn’t be questions.
Hen: We all have questions.
Junior: Well, not when you take your vows.
Hen: So in seven years, you’ve never felt any doubt?
Junior: Never.
Hen: [to Junior] What do you think about more, the past or the future?
Terrance: To get the best understanding of life up there, the selected group needs to be random. All walks of life.
Junior: Okay. So pick someone else, Terrance. People like us don’t belong in space.
Terrance: But that’s the whole point. At some stage, all of us may need to go. Permanently.
'Why does the unknown have to be a burden?' - Terrance (Foe) Share on X
Junior: I don’t like how you just show up here, and you say all this s**t, and you act like we should be thanking you. And if it’s such a f***ing great opportunity, why is it only you that shows up here? Where the f*** is everyone else, Terrance?
Terrance: Would it help if there were more people scurrying around your house and property?
Hen: This is why we have so much stuff, because you can’t let go, of anything.
Junior: What do you mean by that?
Hen: It means that all of this is just s**t. It’s stuff from your past, not ours.
Junior: [to Hen] We haven’t even talked about me leaving. and you’re acting like this is no big deal, like it’s not even happening.
Junior: I’m going away for years, okay? It’s not days. I’m worried about leaving you here alone.
Hen: You don’t have to worry about that, Junior.
Junior: I started thinking about leaving. The things I’ll miss, things that aren’t obvious.
Hen: Maybe we should talk about this outside.
Junior: No, no, no. Just like stupid little things. Like how by the sound of the floor creaking, I know that it’s your steps upstairs. And nobody could ever recognise that. It feels like a secret between us. I’ll miss hearing those steps.
Junior: [to Hen] Let’s just be together. Like right now. None of this matters.
Hen: Strange, how dying can still be beautiful.
Junior: Are you afraid of dying?
Hen: Maybe of not being ready.
Hen: [to Junior] Have you ever thought, what if we’re not actually looking up at the sky? What if we’re actually looking down? The sky below us. Try. Think about it.
'I just think having other living things around does something. Makes you hopeful.' - Hen (Foe) Share on X
Terrance: We’re taking Junior away. You’ve never been all alone out here before.
Hen: Yeah. So?
Terrance: Could be a real strain on her. On your marriage.
Junior: You’re the one that’s forcing me to leave her.
Terrance: We’re going to replace you.
Junior: What. Me?
Terrance: We’re going to ensure Hen has company while you’re away.
Terrance: Do you really want to leave her here all alone? Day after day? Night after night?
Junior: She can handle herself, Terrance.
Hen: Sorry, why doesn’t anybody ask me how I feel about it? Because I’m right f***ing here.
Terrance: It’s not another man. We’re developing a biological replacement.
Junior: What the f*** is he talking about?
Junior: I don’t want a f***ing robot living with my wife.
Terrance: Ah, it’s not a robot. Okay? It’s a new kind of self-determining life form. The first to live in a domestic setting as freely as you do. You’ll see. It’s going to be astonishing.
Junior: You ever punch someone?
Terrance: Can’t say I have.
Hen: I guess that’s what being a man is though, right?
Junior: Hen, I am just having a conversation.
Hen: So would you do your test of manhood with me?
Junior: Now you’re just being dumb.
'It's sad we need proof to believe in something.' - Hen (Foe) Share on X
Junior: Terrance, I don’t care what you’re planning. Okay? But whatever you bring here, it won’t be me, you know, becaus I can’t be replaced.
Terrance: Nothing wrong with a growing self-confidence.
Junior: Just make sure for your own sake it never hurts Hen.
Terrance: Have you ever hurt her?
Terrance: If we’re to help her while you’re away, your replacement will need to know what you know. I need to have an intimate understanding of your marriage, the good and the bad. And anything you tell me up here, I promise it’s confidential. It’s between you and me. You can handle that, right? This is more than saving the farm, Junior. It’s about ensuring your marriage survives while you’re gone.
Terrance: Do you feel you would know how she would react in every situation?
Junior: Hen’s not like that.
Terrance: But you don’t actually believe you know Hen better than she knows herself?
Terrance: [to Junior] Look, there are things about her you don’t know and will never know. Okay? Thoughts, feelings, all her years before you. Listen, mate. Hey. Look, she has desires that existed before you and exist beyond you. You can accept that, right?
Hen: [to Junior] As long as we move from day to day, living the routine that was established, that you established, you’re convinced I’m happy. Walking the same path as everyone who came before me.
Junior: I never want you to worry.
Hen: Yeah, I know.
'Endings aren't easy. Not like beginnings. But endings can feel alive and exciting too.' - Hen (Foe) Share on X
Hen: It’s sad we need proof to believe in something.
Terrance: Belief is deceptive.
Hen: No, it’s not. It’s a feeling, and when you have it, it’s exhilarating.
Hen: All that’s gone.
Terrance: Gone?
Hen: Affection. Possibility. Curiosity. That’s a big one. He used to love that about me.
Terrance: Do you think knowing Junior for as long as you have has taken that away?
Terrance: [to Hen] I encourage you to use this opportunity to act on your instincts.
Hen: How real will he look?
Terrance: Identical.
Hen: Will he behave like Junior?
Terrance: Just like when you first knew him. A new beginning.