MOVIE OF THE WEEK #2 (6/22/12): SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Connie Britton, Adam Brody, Rob Corddry,
Gillian Jacobs, Derek Luke, Melanie Lynskey, T.J. Miller, Mark Moses,
Patton Oswalt and William Petersen
WRITER(S): Lorene Scafaria
DIRECTOR: Lorene Scafaria
THE PLOT: A film that arrives just in time for all those who believe
the Mayans will be correct with their calendar prediction, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World stars Steve Carell as Dodge,
a man who isn’t exactly having the best of luck lately. You see, Dodge’s wife Linda
(Carell’s real-world spouse Nancy), has just left him, literally running away
from him during a car trip.
So understandably, maybe that’s why he’s failed to fully
embrace the seriousness of the bigger problem he – as well as every other
living soul on earth – faces: All life
on earth is about to be wiped out by “Matilda,” a huge asteroid that mankind’s
last ditch effort to stop has failed and failed miserably.
Meanwhile, Penny (Kiera Knightley) has been having a tough
go of it lately as well. She seemingly can’t make a clean break with her ex
(Adam Brody) and she’s missed the last flight option she had to get home to her
native England … Then again, given her penchant to sleep in the noisy of
conditions, if she crashed before the asteroid hits, she might not worry about
it too much, anyway.
Returning home from work one evening, Dodge ends up crossing
Penny’s path and makes two discoveries: Not only do they live in the same
building, but that the mailman has been accidentally delivering some of his
mail to her apartment – including a letter from Rose, a.k.a. “the one that go
away.”
Now, with the world coming to an end, Dodge and Penny are
about to embark on a journey that could be the love story of a lifetime …
Albeit a very short one.
THE TAKE: If there is one thing Steve Carell has perfected no matter the
character he is playing, it’s the art of being understated verbally while
speaking volumes with his demeanor. Be it something as subtle as a dash of the
eye, a shoulder shrug and/or a quick, nervous smile, Carell’s ability to
control a scene without saying much is one of his strongest attributes, making
it oh so much more impactful when he does speak.
In regards to Seeking
a Friend for the End of the World, the marriage between his non-speaking
and speaking skills has arguably never been better or more effective in a role
that – in a perfect world – would earn the veteran actor his first Academy
Award nomination.
Seeking is a great film not so much for what it is, but more so what it isn't - it's not over-the-top, it's not self-indulgent, it's not sugary sweet nor extremely predictable, etc. When Dodge and Penny have a funny moment, it's funny because the moment itself is natural. With each twist and turn Dodge and Penny encounter along their journey, you feel their relationship deepen to the point you are fully invested in their lives (or at least, what they may have left of them).
The film's supporting cast likewise does an excellent job at helping build the film's emotional content by reflecting the (likely) attitudes of people at various points in life realizing they may not be long for this world. Thus, whereas some are emotional messes and others embrace the chaos, you get to see a full range of emotions and how they do/don't affect Penny and Dodge.
This is all to the credit of first-time director (and Seeking screenwriter) Lorene Scafaria. The film is not morose, it's not sappy, it's not wacky, it's just ... Simple and well-crafted. And given some of the other apocalyptic tales we've been offered recently by Hollywood, that's not small achievement to say the least.
PARTING SHOT: If you enjoy well-done romantic comedies, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World should be on your bucket list before you leave this one.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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