Review of 'Don't Look Up'

dont_look_up.jpg Astronomy student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) discovers the existence of an unidentified comet. Her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio), calculates that the trajectory of the comet crosses that of the Earth and that an impact will take place in about six months, killing all life in the process. Presenting their findings to the president Janie Orlean (Meryl Streep) they are surprised at her apathy and are dismissed. Kate and Randall present their information on a light morning news program but their warnings are again ignored. When the president is involved in a sex scandal she attempts to divert public attention by bringing up the threat of the comet. Plans to build a spaceship to destroy the advancing comet are cancelled when tech billionaire Peter Isherwell (Mark Rylance) discovers the comet may contain trillions of dollars worth of precious minerals. A new mission is created that will smash the comet into pieces so they can be commercially exploited…what can go wrong with that?

Though marketed as a comedy this is more of a farce that really stretches believability and drags on for a very long time in doing so. Though played straight by amazing A-list acting talent it really falls flat including an oddly out of place cartoon-y (!) conclusion. It is very much an “American film” which may annoy many, playing deeply on the foibles of American politics that other countries would like to believe do not apply to them. If there were obvious, ironic jokes it might make it more clear what type of film this is but it very much feels like it has absolutely no idea what it is with serious characters doing absurdist things with little sense of irony and everyone around them seeming to have little brains effectively a slap in the face for every viewer. Not sure viewers will appreciate such an affront. This is all a huge shame as the acting talent really is quite impressive but they are given such blatantly one-dimensional roles they have little to work with.

An interesting premise but is confusing making it difficult and tedious to watch. A huge disappointment.

Rating: “Average, but who wants to be average?”

Review Date: 2022-06-11


Directed by: Adam McKay

Studio: Hyperobject Industries

Year: 2021

Length: 138 minutes

Genre: Science Fiction

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11286314/