The Assignment
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mature, pulpy thriller has iffy take on transgender themes.
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The Assignment
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What's the Story?
In THE ASSIGNMENT, a prickly, Shakespeare-and-Poe-quoting surgeon, Dr. Rachel Kay (Sigourney Weaver), lives in a mental hospital and is interviewed by Dr. Ralph Galen (Tony Shalhoub). She tells her story in flashback. Her brother, in trouble with gangsters, becomes the target of a hit man named Frank Kitchen. Dr. Kay subsequently kidnaps Frank and performs gender reassignment surgery on him. She does this partly as revenge and partly to see what Kitchen might do with this "fresh start." And so Kitchen awakens as a woman (Michelle Rodriguez), and, after searching for a way to reverse the procedure (and failing), decides to get her revenge on everyone connected to Dr. Kay -- all the way up to dangerous, well-protected gangster "Honest John" (Anthony LaPaglia).
Is It Any Good?
On the one hand, this thriller starts out with a ludicrous, wrong-headed idea, but on the other hand, as directed by Walter Hill, it's so skillful and pulpy that it could become a cult classic. Certainly The Assignment (the title changed from (Re)Assignment) is inauthentic, and the surgery is initially viewed as a punishment or a setback. And the timing of the movie's release, when real-life discrimination is the norm against transgender people, isn't ideal. But it's clear that this isn't a hateful movie.
Hill -- who first worked with Weaver on Alien (1979), which he produced -- is best known for directing action classics The Warriors and 48 Hrs., as well as the recent Bullet to the Head. His filmmaking here is rugged, hard, and snappy, delivering a "B" movie punch right out of days gone by; it even includes transitions designed to look like comic-book panels. A theme in most of Hill's films involves characters who find themselves in unfamiliar territory. And Rodriguez is no different; she's a tough hero that anyone can sympathize with and root for.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Assignment's violence. Is it supposed to be fun? Upsetting? What were your reactions? How does the film elicit those reactions? What's the impact of violent media on kids?
What is the film's take on gender reassignment surgery and transgender people? Do you think it's accurate? How could you find out more?
How does the movie portray drinking and drug use? Does it make substance use seem enjoyable? Glamorous? Or does it seem sad/desperate? Are there consequences?
Movie Details
- In theaters: April 7, 2017
- On DVD or streaming: June 6, 2017
- Cast: Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver, Tony Shalhoub
- Director: Walter Hill
- Inclusion Information: Latinx actors, Middle Eastern/North African actors
- Studio: Saban Films
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: graphic nudity, violence, sexuality, language and drug use
- Last updated: November 3, 2022
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