Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

2013 • 101 minutes

About this movie

Join Steve Carell (The 40 Year Old Virgin) and Keira Knightley (Pirates of the Caribbean) in a wild and hilarious journey against an epic backdrop of Earth's final days. Insurance salesman Dodge (Carell) is ditched by his wife following the news that an asteroid will destroy Earth in 21 days. While his friends are living up their last days at hedonistic parties and getting their rocks off with anything that moves, heartbroken Dodge remains unaffected by the panic... until he receives a letter from his high school sweetheart, Olivia. When a riot breaks out around his flat, Dodge escapes in the car of his eccentric neighbour, Penny (Knightley). Seizing the day, he convinces Penny to help him reunite with Olivia. These mismatched travel companions embark on a hysterical road trip where they will encounter every extreme of human behaviour along the way.

Ratings and reviews

Its a film that will speak to the converted. The film opens by explaining the world is about to end. The majority has realised that they no longer have any long term aims or higher interests and so go out and enjoy whatever it is they've been repressing. We are then indulged in various isolated layers of universal desire: lust; various addictions; self destruction; serotonin fluffy love; pride; enjoyment of strength and raw survival. However, the two protagonists travel past all of this indulgence with no desire at all; Dodge because he's depressed above lost childhood love, Penny because she's too stoned and disconnected to notice. Penny then follows dodge on a road trip due to her guilt for hurting his feelings. The film then develops the two main characters while leaving all other characters relatively under developed. This gives the impression that all other characters are shallow in their apocolyptic indulgence. Through out this, the two protagonists gradually discover that their personalities and situation fit well with the western christian message. As their friendship develops they are shown to enjoy connecting with distant family, forgiving people who've hurt them, watching a baptism on a surpringly clean US beach, and finally living smugly ever after into the oblivion of the American dream. Good look to them! I prefered the film "The Decline of an American Empire" which offers a different and possibly more sophisticated view of the same premise.

Thought this was such a nice film. It's stayed with me long after it finished. Not perfect,but it shouldn't be. Just wish there was a bit more too it. Cast,story and performances all fantastic. Ffo eternal sunshine.

A different take to end-of-the world type of movies. No one is saving the world, no one is being a hero, just people being people.. What would you do at the end of the world?