Review: Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

I wanted to see this at the cinema but unfortunately, I missed it.  Luckily, it's now on Sky Movies and although it was enjoyable, I'm ultimately glad I didn't buy the DVD straight off.

Funnily enough I started watching this nearly a year ago and had a power cut (weird!) half way through, and it was only Jenna's review that reminded me I never watched the rest!

Three weeks before an asteroid is due to hit Earth and kill all of humanity.  Dodge meets Penny and they embark on a a road trip to find her family and his long lost love before its too late.  Their journey teaches them a lot about themselves, but is also pretty funny in places.  (The Friendsy's scene had me laughing my head off!)

This is seeing the end of the world from the other side of the coin, there are no rescue missions, no chance of survival, no one even trying to run just two characters and their response to the end of everything.  It is the ultimate 'What would you do?' movie.  Steve Carell's lonely and lost Dodge is painfully believable and heartbreaking to watch.  He has nothing to 'do' at the end of the world, he just carries on with his life as normal, going to work everyday.  It's only when he meets Penny that he is willing to try to do something daring and different in the countdown to his death.  

This is actually a terrifying movie, not in a horror movie kind of way obviously, but it makes you think about what you would do if you had 3 weeks to live and would you be alone.  Is that not the scariest idea ever? Spending the rest of your life completely alone!  

I couldn't understand what this film was trying to be. Is it an end of the world comedy like Zombieland? Or is it just a heartbreaking, no hope film? For me, the characters weren't interesting enough for me to feel sorry for them, and there wasn't enough comic relief to make it a comedy. 

There were a few moments that just didn't make much sense, like when Dodge and Penny visited Speck in his fully stocked titanium bunker. They asked to borrow 'one from the fleet' and from the walls of weaponry, stocks of red bull and displays of games consoles, I expected to see a row of BMWs or huge 4X4s. Instead was a set of Smart cars in every colour possible. What? I'm going to guess that was meant to be funny? I just didn't get it!

Thank god for Penny, played by Keira Knightley, who gives Dodge the kick up the arse he needs to take a chance on his first love, what has he got to lose.  The development of their friendship is lovely to watch and the actors actually have great chemistry (which I wouldn't have thought before I this) but for me the ending (there will be no spoilers here!) ruined the whole film for me.  It suddenly became much less believable, which up until that point had not been an issue and that spoilt it a little for me.

I didn't have a problem with the ending to be honest, I thought that was the only way it could really end. However I'm a real fan of Steve Carell and Keira Knightley and they both disappointed me in this. I don't think it was their acting, perhaps the writing and the direction instead, but not even they could save it for me.

Don't let my opinion of the ending put you off this as you may love it, the rest of the film is entertaining to watch, albeit a little depressing.

Sorry for sounding like a negative Nelly but I just didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped I would!