Movie Review: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

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Courtesy of Focus Features

Question: What would you do if you knew the world was ending in less than a month? Think about it. If the world was ending, really, what would you do?  What’s on your bucket list? Who would want to contact, get away from, or would you want to be alone? Well, Seeking a Friend for the End of World tackles this subject matter, and brilliantly, I must say.

I went into this film this week knowing not a stitch of information about it except who starred in it: Steve Carell and Keira Knightley. An odd pairing but I am always open to see something different and unique; and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World was just that. A story that has never been quite told this way. Perhaps that is why it’s not more popular or getting much press, but I am still confused. It seems that people bitch and moan about films not being different enough or that there are too many remakes being made (I am one of those people bitching about that one.), and finally a film comes out that is special and not many appear to be seeing it.

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World was touching, funny and inspirational. I found myself laughing at parts that almost shocked me because of my initial reactions of what happened in the story, but then I quickly realized what the filmmaker was trying to say. Maybe some wouldn’t find humor in these scenes but when someone’s point of view is sarcastic, you find a fan in me. It’s my favorite type of sense of humor.

I also found tears streaming down my face during several scenes because I’m a bit of a sensitive soul and found beauty in the closeness that people shared in the story. There were moments of such extreme truth, loveliness in humanity and friendship that I found myself really connecting to this film and looking at my own life. That’s what art is supposed to do: hold a mirror up to your face. Some may like that, some may not.

I suppose I should give a little background on the film: Literally, it is about the last few weeks of the world since a huge asteroid is heading towards earth. The film focuses on Steve Carell’s character, Dodge, and his life at the end of time. He’s a man who has grown accustomed to people leaving him. In fact, that is how it starts but I will keep the details secret as the opening scene was unexpected and rare. Later he befriends a neighbor, Kiera Knightley’s character, Penny.  She is the opposite – always leaving people. Both have their reasons for their certain character attributes and it lands on how they were raised. They connect despite their differences and begin looking for what they want to do before the world ends, and we follow along with their final adventure.

There were scenes that might offend many, but I thought they were brilliantly true and wasn’t offended at all. People’s choices of how to live their lives in this film is exactly how I feel some would act when they only had a few days left on earth. Why not show it? Some of it’s funny, disturbing and downright sad. Other parts are so inspirational it made me melt with such gratitude for certain people I have in my life. I wanted to hug them right then and there.

My emotions kept going up and down during the film because I kept thinking, “What would I do? How would I react if the world were really ending? What regrets would I have?” And there it was, that word: regret. It’s a powerful word that encapsulates everyone’s fears when they come to the end of their life. No one will leave this world without a certain amount of regret; that is just human nature. But your regrets shouldn’t define you and that was the point in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.

There is one question left I have to put forth because this film kept asking: Who do you want to be with when you die? I know some say we are always alone when we die. I don’t particularly subscribe to that notion. Sometimes you might be the only one dying, but no one ever has to be alone when it’s their time. So, I ask again, do you want to be alone when the world ends or with friends or the love of your life. And is there really a difference between your greatest friendship and the love of your life?

Sorry to leave you all with so many questions but Seeking a Friend for the End of the World just stirred something up; and I dearly hope you see this film and are able to answer these questions.

Directed (and written) by Lorene Scafaria, Anonymous Content, 2012

Starring Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Adam Brody, Tonita Castro, Connie Britton, Rob Corddry, Melanie Lynskey, Patton Oswalt, William Petersen, Derek Luke and Martin Sheen

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

My favorite thing: A unique story that had my emotions up and down and thinking about my own life.

My least favorite thing: Nothing to pinpoint at the moment. I really enjoyed this one.

Rating: R

Length: 101 minutes

Review: 9 out of 10

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Katy Kern (75 Posts)

Movie reviews that won’t spoil the story with the critique. Movies are my passion and I want to share my opinion on the movies I see to give you more insight on what to see next.
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