Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rob Morgan, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchette, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothee Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Kid Cudi, Himesh Patel, Melanie Lynskey, Michael Chiklis, Paul Guilfoyle, Robert Joy
Distributor: Netflix
Runtime: 138 mins. Reviewed in Dec 2021
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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Scientists discover an asteroid hurtling towards Earth. From this serious opening, the movie devolves into parody and satire of American politics and American culture, especially TV and social media.
If we do look up, at the sky at night, we see many stars. And if we look at the cast list of this film, we see a lot of stars, including five Oscar winners. What are they are all doing in this offbeat film?
Perhaps the film could have had a subtitle, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad (incoming asteroid) World. And, with the prospect of asteroids hurtling towards earth, nine miles wide, due in just over six months, we remember the late 1990s space disaster films Deep Impact and Armageddon. Filmmakers and audiences alike will recall that two decades ago the movies were about those bravely going into space to destroy or deflect the asteroid, or, standing on the beach in face of a tidal wave, accepting fate. (And both of these are relevant to Don’t Look Up.)
The millennium year has come and gone, not quite as apocalyptic as we might have imagined (despite September 11, war in Afghanistan, invasion of Iraq…). The world has become quite blasé – but this film was made before and during the early months of COVID-19.
McKay used to make comedies with Will Ferrell and John C Reilly (such as Anchorman). More recently he has stayed with the funny but has been preoccupied with serious themes, American social and culture themes (the world of finance, The Big Short and into the Bush administration, Vice). It is hard to know whether to describe Don’t Look Up as serio-comic or comically serious.
Based on truly possible events.
It begins seriously. Lawrence plays Kate, a Michigan-based astrophysicist who discovers the previously unknown threatening asteroid. And her professor is Dr Randall Mindy (DiCaprio). They are in earnest and contact a professor, Dr Oglethorpe (Morgan) and decide that this devastating news with its imminent deadline, should be communicated to the US president. So far, so sensible.
However, after writing and directing Vice, and experiencing the Trump years, his view of the White House is dim, hyper-critical. The scientists are made to wait, not particularly believed, the White House deciding to sit on the information because of the impending mid-term elections. And the president is played by a bespectacled Streep (remembering that Donald Trump declared she couldn’t act), with her chief of staff, her son; played by Jonah Hill (remembering Jared Kushner).
So, the tone begins to turn comic, even farcical (as the military general charges the visitors for snacks – and then they discover that they are free). While the President and son go to the media with Trump-like professionalism, the scientists go to the media. And this is where the parody becomes serious, making us wonder what kind of world we live in, where the world of trivial gossip, celebrities and marital break-ups is more important than doomsday. Where nothing is taken more seriously than frivolous TV shows with sparring comperes (reinforced by top comic performances from Blanchette and Perry).
The world seems to go on. There is a presidential decision to commission an Armageddon-like confrontation of the asteroid (Bruce Willis being sent up by Ron Perlman). But, there is a sinister presence (should we be reminded of Elon Musk?), a billionaire with his own equivalent of NASA and space program, who discovers the mineral, rare-earth riches of the oncoming asteroid. Split the comet – and profits for all. He is played by British Shakespearean actor, Mark Rylance, white wig, almost falsetto whisper voice. Both comic and sinister.
Other characters include Ariana Grande and Kid Scudi as a showbiz glossy breaking up, and then proposing couple live on TV. In contrast, at Dr Mindy’s Michigan home, his wife June (Melanie Lynskey) is dismayed as her husband gets caught up in the ra-ra world and a relationship with the television presenter. Meanwhile, Kate is considered too aggressive and is told she needs media training. She becomes the butt of social media mockery, but then meets a young kind of drop-out, Yule (Chalamet in a role quite the opposite of Paul Atreides).
Ultimately, we are being asked, seriously as well as comically, how would we react as a destructive asteroid bears down on earth. Ignore it with drinks at a bar? Watch in dismay in the streets? Or, settle down at a quiet meal at home praying for grace and hope?
And don’t rush for the exit or the stop button as the credits roll, there is an even more than farcical epilogue with Streep and her body double seen as never before. Is this a glimpse of the future?
Streaming 24 Dec 2021
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