Ann Marie Fleming’s dystopian fable opens, not with gnarly destruction, but birdsong and lush greenery. The sensorial calm of rustling ferns and blushing bell flowers envelop the frame, while the Ink Spots’ recording of I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire plays softly in the background. This music cue recurs throughout the film, with each appearance more menacing than the last. Indeed, something wicked is lurking within this Edenic cocoon.
Things start out innocently enough. We see Ellie (Sandra Oh), a radiant single mother, entrusting her daughter Kiah (Keira Jang) to the care of Daniel (Joel Oulette) as the pair of young adults head off on an important mission. It is quickly revealed, however, that the pastoral beauty of their surroundings comes with a price. In the aftermath of catastrophic environmental disasters, the human race has decided to become unplugged. Not only that, a method of population control is put in place where people are voluntarily euthanised after turning 50. Daniel and Kia, it turns out, are Witnesses, designated community workers who monitor these end-of-life procedures.
There’s an engaging contrast between the seasoned Daniel and wide-eyed Kiah, who documents the activities in her drawings; this quirk is echoed in the film’s visual style, which incorporates colourful animation into live-action images. In contrast to these lively flourishes, the narrative itself feels timid, never delving fully into the ethical implications behind the idea of individual sacrifice for the greater good. Even when Kiah faces the moral quandary of her mother’s impending death (of which she will probably be the facilitator), such knotty dilemmas are sentimentally explored. It is a shame, considering the excellent performances and wonderful chemistry between Oh and Jang, as the mother and daughter. But in prioritising world-building details and expository dialogue over character development, the film swerves towards a conclusion that feels rushed, regrettably.
• Can I Get a Witness? is in UK and Irish cinemas from 19 September.
