Set in the near-future, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is about how people would deal with an on-coming apocalypse, knowing that the world is going to end for certain in a few weeks. Dodge (Steve Carell) reacts rather hopelessly devoid of feeling, carrying on his day like any other, full of regret. A chance encounter with Penny (Keira Knightley) a neighbor in his apartment complex, sends the two of them on a search for Dodge's first true love. Seeking A Friend For the End of the World is an odd dramedy, that attempts to balance a somber tone with some sweetness and laughs. The thing that surprised me more than anything is how much the film succeeds solely because of the budding romance and sweet relationship which slowly develops between Dodge and Penny. Going in, I thought these actors were odd choices but together with a well-written script, their story is told with a surprising tenderness even if the film's tone is a little jarring at times. The film plays more like a comedy, and it has some pretty hysterical bits, but every once and awhile there is a surprisingly intense dramatic moment that punches the viewer in the gut, reminding them that this is a story about the end of the world. Touching on a lot of interesting emotions and concepts about the end of the world, the film just isn't quite as meditative as I was hoping for, never really getting too deep. The story gets a little too wrapped up in plot structure, a sequence involving Dodge's father for example, felt completely unnecessary and rushed, but the friendship feels right, and the ending was well done. 7/10
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
|