Seeking A Friend For The End of the World - Review Thread

MovieBuff801 · 07-01-2012, 08:34 PM

For me, this movie is the biggest surprise so far this year. The previews sell it as a comedy, but it is really a character drama before it's a comedy, and I found it to work surprisingly well. It's surprisingly touching and has a big heart. The two leads are easily likable, so you can really root for them. Steve Carell is excellent in this film and proves himself as one of those comedians that can step out of their comfort zone and sell a dramatic role. Keira Knightley is also incredibly charming in this film, and the two of them make for one of the best on-screen pairings I've seen in a while.

Without going TOO much into the ending, I'll just say it was one of the things I admired most about the film.

Oh, and I REALLY liked the decidedly darker comedy than you see in most films today. Save for parts of the beginning, I don't recall any raunchy humor.

***1/2 /****

**JBond** · 07-01-2012, 08:49 PM

Good premise, I just haven't seen anything in trailers that excite me yet. I'm getting tired of this Carell typecast. But I'll keep an eye on it.

Justin · 07-01-2012, 08:50 PM

This and Safety Not Guaranteed are on my must-see list.

MovieBuff801 · 07-01-2012, 08:53 PM

Carell really isn't his usual quirky, weird self in this. He plays it quite restrained, and it works. It's more comparable to his performance in Dan In Real Life.

**JBond** · 07-01-2012, 09:01 PM

Dan in Real Life, Crazy, Stupid, Love., 40 Year Old Virgin. I know what I said.

MovieBuff801 · 07-01-2012, 09:04 PM

Well, I like him more when he plays characters this way.

And hey, at least he wasn't tapping into his Michael Scott for this role.

Hollywood · 07-01-2012, 11:28 PM

Im catching to see this movie possibly Wednesday. Looks interesting.

IanTheCool · 11-19-2012, 05:42 PM

End of the World movies have been done to death. This is a common fact. And yet usually filmmakers are able to bring something new to the table. (Unless its zombies. Newsflash: Zombies may be the most unoriginal idea going in popular entertainment today!) Seeking a Friend approaches the subject from a downcast comedic standpoint from the point of view of two normal people after any hope of human survival is extinguished. I'm not entirely ure it works, but it is a fresh approach at the least.

Apparently Steve Carrell is still worried about Michael Scott typecasting since he is playing the same underscored performance he has in almost every feature role he's been given. He plays opposite the more eccentric Keira Knightly and together they definitely have some chemsitry, though not quite as much as the film tries to convince you they do near the end of the film.

Parts of this movie are very enjoyable, particularly in the way we are able to see all of the varying behaviours of people as they spend their few last weeks. We see riots, wild parties, a restaurant centered around hedonism, and some people who just go along with their normal lawn-mowing routines.

However as the movie pressed on, it began to lose me in its increasingly darkening tone. The film certainly moves to a really somber, melancholy place by the end which I felt was unbalanced with the previous half of the run time. And while that shift it tone may work for some, it didn't work for me, to the point where I was rolling my eyes at the last scene. 6/10

**JBond** · 11-19-2012, 06:51 PM

It's funny how he's being typecast as the 40 Year-Old Virgin type.

I felt the same way about the first half not meshing well with the second half. I wrote a small review in the Film Club thread.

MovieBuff801 · 11-19-2012, 07:05 PM

I can understand why some would have a problem with the shifting tones, but it worked for me because I was so invested in the characters by that point. In fact, since my first viewing, I've bumped up my rating for it by half a star after thinking more about the movie

Justin · 11-19-2012, 07:37 PM

This seemed like something right up my alley, but I came away disappointed. While I loved the ending, the 2nd act was really....unbalanced, like Ian said. Carrell plays the role well, but Keira Knightley was really flat. They didn't work at all together, for me. If they had had more chemistry, this would've brought the rating up substantially.

***/*****

IanTheCool · 11-19-2012, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBond

It's funny how he's being typecast as the 40 Year-Old Virgin type.

Yeah, he's not being fully utilized.

Dhamon22 · 11-20-2012, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

but Keira Knightley was really flat.

Hadn't you seen pictures of her? You really shouldn't be surprised...

I want to check this out eventually.

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07-01-2012, 08:34 PM	#1
MovieBuff801 Fringe Division Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Walter's Lab Posts: 10,882	Seeking A Friend For The End of the World - Review Thread For me, this movie is the biggest surprise so far this year. The previews sell it as a comedy, but it is really a character drama before it's a comedy, and I found it to work surprisingly well. It's surprisingly touching and has a big heart. The two leads are easily likable, so you can really root for them. Steve Carell is excellent in this film and proves himself as one of those comedians that can step out of their comfort zone and sell a dramatic role. Keira Knightley is also incredibly charming in this film, and the two of them make for one of the best on-screen pairings I've seen in a while. Without going TOO much into the ending, I'll just say it was one of the things I admired most about the film. Oh, and I REALLY liked the decidedly darker comedy than you see in most films today. Save for parts of the beginning, I don't recall any raunchy humor. *1/2 / __________________ AFI Top 100 Movies (1998) Seen: 67 out of 100**

07-01-2012, 08:49 PM	#2
JBond Feed me Join Date: May 2000 Location: SR388 Posts: 67,495	Good premise, I just haven't seen anything in trailers that excite me yet. I'm getting tired of this Carell typecast. But I'll keep an eye on it. __________________ The due date for Round 135 of the CS Film Club is Monday, May 20th, 2013. 59 out of 64 Hugo Award winners completed. "Die Hard 5 makes Die Hard 4 look like Die Hard 1" - Doomsday

07-01-2012, 08:53 PM	#4
MovieBuff801 Fringe Division Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Walter's Lab Posts: 10,882	Carell really isn't his usual quirky, weird self in this. He plays it quite restrained, and it works. It's more comparable to his performance in Dan In Real Life. __________________ AFI Top 100 Movies (1998) Seen: 67 out of 100

07-01-2012, 09:01 PM	#5
JBond Feed me Join Date: May 2000 Location: SR388 Posts: 67,495	Dan in Real Life, Crazy, Stupid, Love., 40 Year Old Virgin. I know what I said. __________________ The due date for Round 135 of the CS Film Club is Monday, May 20th, 2013. 59 out of 64 Hugo Award winners completed. "Die Hard 5 makes Die Hard 4 look like Die Hard 1" - Doomsday

07-01-2012, 08:50 PM	#3
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,896	This and Safety Not Guaranteed are on my must-see list.

07-01-2012, 09:04 PM	#6
MovieBuff801 Fringe Division Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Walter's Lab Posts: 10,882	Well, I like him more when he plays characters this way. And hey, at least he wasn't tapping into his Michael Scott for this role. __________________ AFI Top 100 Movies (1998) Seen: 67 out of 100

07-01-2012, 11:28 PM	#7
Hollywood Executive Producer Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 1,481	Im catching to see this movie possibly Wednesday. Looks interesting. __________________ Best CS Film Recommendations To Me Schindlers List, Trust, Full Metal Jacket, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Unforgiven, Heat, No Country For Old Men, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

11-19-2012, 05:42 PM	#8
IanTheCool Executive Lego Producer Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 13,387	End of the World movies have been done to death. This is a common fact. And yet usually filmmakers are able to bring something new to the table. (Unless its zombies. Newsflash: Zombies may be the most unoriginal idea going in popular entertainment today!) Seeking a Friend approaches the subject from a downcast comedic standpoint from the point of view of two normal people after any hope of human survival is extinguished. I'm not entirely ure it works, but it is a fresh approach at the least. Apparently Steve Carrell is still worried about Michael Scott typecasting since he is playing the same underscored performance he has in almost every feature role he's been given. He plays opposite the more eccentric Keira Knightly and together they definitely have some chemsitry, though not quite as much as the film tries to convince you they do near the end of the film. Parts of this movie are very enjoyable, particularly in the way we are able to see all of the varying behaviours of people as they spend their few last weeks. We see riots, wild parties, a restaurant centered around hedonism, and some people who just go along with their normal lawn-mowing routines. However as the movie pressed on, it began to lose me in its increasingly darkening tone. The film certainly moves to a really somber, melancholy place by the end which I felt was unbalanced with the previous half of the run time. And while that shift it tone may work for some, it didn't work for me, to the point where I was rolling my eyes at the last scene. 6/10

11-19-2012, 06:51 PM	#9
JBond Feed me Join Date: May 2000 Location: SR388 Posts: 67,495	It's funny how he's being typecast as the 40 Year-Old Virgin type. I felt the same way about the first half not meshing well with the second half. I wrote a small review in the Film Club thread. __________________ The due date for Round 135 of the CS Film Club is Monday, May 20th, 2013. 59 out of 64 Hugo Award winners completed. "Die Hard 5 makes Die Hard 4 look like Die Hard 1" - Doomsday

11-19-2012, 07:05 PM	#10
MovieBuff801 Fringe Division Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Walter's Lab Posts: 10,882	I can understand why some would have a problem with the shifting tones, but it worked for me because I was so invested in the characters by that point. In fact, since my first viewing, I've bumped up my rating for it by half a star after thinking more about the movie __________________ AFI Top 100 Movies (1998) Seen: 67 out of 100

11-19-2012, 07:37 PM	#11
Justin Executive Producer Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 11,896	This seemed like something right up my alley, but I came away disappointed. While I loved the ending, the 2nd act was really....unbalanced, like Ian said. Carrell plays the role well, but Keira Knightley was really flat. They didn't work at all together, for me. If they had had more chemistry, this would've brought the rating up substantially. */***