An apocalyptic love story is unique, but not an entirely new
concept. There was 1988's Miracle Mile
with Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham searching for one another in a chaotic
Los Angeles under the threat of impending nuclear war. You could also count Don
McKellar's Last Night, about
intersecting lives in Toronto on their very last night on Earth. Written and
directed by Lorene Scafaria (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist), Seeking a
Friend for the End of the World is a bit more bright and hopeful or as
bright and hopeful as a movie can be when it's about Armageddon. Let's just say
it's on the opposite spectrum of Lars von Trier's Melancholia.
Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck won't be saving anyone. The
film opens with the dour announcement that a cataclysmic asteroid is about to
collide with Earth and a last-ditch effort by NASA to divert it has failed.
Insurance salesman Dodge Petersen (Steve Carell) gets another shock when his
wife, Linda (played by Carell's real-life spouse Nancy) suddenly exits the car
and runs off into the night without a word. Dodge stumbles into a numb daze
while his friends throw wild parties. Eventually, he forms a friendship with
Penny (Keira Knightley), the free-spirited girl next door. It turns out that
Penny has been holding on to some of Dodge's mail for months, including a
letter from an old flame.
As riots break out across the city, Penny agrees to help
Dodge find his former high school sweetheart in exchange for getting her to England
to be with her family. Accompanied by a scruffy little dog named Sorry, they
embark on an epic road trip where they encounter an assortment of eccentric
characters such as a trucker (William Peterson) who has decided to die via
hired assassin and a military man (Derek Luke) fully stocked and prepared for
the apocalypse.
It's a safe bet that no matter what Dodge and Penny will
wind up together. The A-story may be a tad predicable, but Carell and Knightley
make for a winning couple. They're likeable enough that you root for them on
their cross-country adventure. Just as he's done in Little Miss Sunshine and Dan
in Real Life, Carell gives an understated performance that mixes pathos
with a dry wit. Knightley brings warmth to the role of Penny. Some critics have
described her as the dreaded 'manic pixie dream girl,' perhaps because she
totes around a collection of vinyl records like a safety blanket. Thankfully,
Penny does not display the typical quirks of the archetype though she does
resemble a pixie with her short hair and petite frame.
In addition to the leads, Scafaria has assembled a wonderful
supporting cast that includes Rob Corddry, Connie Britton, Patton Oswalt,
Melanie Lynskey, and Amy Schumer as Dodge's party pals. There's also Adam Brody
as Penny's dim-witted musician boyfriend and Martin Sheen in an emotional turn
as Dodge's estranged father. Gillian Jacobs and T.J. Miller cameo as the wait
staff of a TGIFriday's type establishment that has descended into full-blown
hedonism. But, some of the funniest scenes involve Dodge and his maid (Tonita
Castro), who seems absolutely oblivious to the fact that all life on Earth is about
to be wiped out.
Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back, world is
destroyed by massive rocks from outer space. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a breezy and
bittersweet romantic comedy bolstered by some terrific performances.
Rating: *** (*****)
No comments:
Post a Comment