Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World follows Steve Carell’s Dodge as he attempts to cope with the impending apocalypse by embarking on a road trip with an off-kilter neighbor (Keira Knightley’s Penny). Scafaria has infused the early part of Seeking a Friend for the End of the World with a comedically-charged (yet appropriately downbeat) vibe that’s reflected in Dodge’s encounters with various supporting characters (eg Rob Corddry’s hedonistic Warren, Melanie Lynskey’s sweet yet simpleminded Karen, etc), with the meandering atmosphere affording the early part of the proceedings the feel of a low-key character study. It’s just as clear, though, that the movie demonstrably stumbles as it enters its episodic midsection, with the proliferation of less-than-stellar segments – eg Dodge and Penny stumble into a restaurant populated by drugged-out waiters and patrons, encounter a house full of survivalists, are arrested by an unreasonably rigid police officer, etc, etc – ensuring that one’s interest palpably begins to flag during this stretch. There reaches a very specific point, however, at which Seeking a Friend for the End of the World finally morphs into the affecting drama promised by the setup, and the movie subsequently becomes more and more engrossing in the build-up to its emotionally-wrenching finale – with the irresistibly romantic bent of Dodge and Penny’s relationship ensuring that the film, in the end, makes a far more pronounced impact on the viewer than one might’ve reasonably expected.

***1/2 out of ****