Surprisingly powerful and somewhat profound, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a story about the condition of humanity on the edge of an apocalypse.
As an asteroid heads towards earth, the population comes to terms with their soon-to-be end. As parties, riots and homicides ensue, the film delves into the desperation and darkness that quickly consumes a powerless society. Focussing on the story of two people caught in the midst of this chaos, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World takes a refreshing step back from a global story, producing an intimate exploration of the emotional repercussions of losing everything.
Steve Carell plays the likeable loner, who ploughs about his everyday business in the false security produced by routine. His character evokes something identifiable: that sense of despair that you feel when a deadline is rapidly approaching and you realise how much you have yet to achieve. While his determination to continue life as normal may be construed as frustrating, it offers a sense of steadiness in a quickly unravelling world. Keira Knightley, meanwhile, stars as an impulsive and nostalgic british girl, lost from home and filled with regret: desperate to see her family one last time. Although I am not particularly a fan of Knightley in some of her other work, I felt that she was well-suited to the role and made for the perfect contrasting lead beside Carell. Look out too for a small cameo by the lovely Adam Brody.
Accompanied by a bright-eyed, adorable dog named Sorry (who is impossible not to fall in love with!), they embark on a journey of memory and discovery, as they try desperately to hold onto the past while facing their ominous future. The story was engaging and provoking, questioning mankind's decisions and illustrating how precious time is. However, the sudden change in the film's pacing towards the end felt a little rushed and threatened to undermine the plausibility of the story. A bittersweet story to the end.
Heartbreaking and yet hopeful, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is an interesting exploration of how humanity handles their knowing fate.
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