Don’t Look Up, one of the highly anticipated movies of 2021, turned out to be the scariest and most pessimistic film of the year. Despite featuring a rich cast, the movie ultimately fails to meet expectations
Don’t Look Up revolves around Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), who discovers a comet on a collision course with Earth, causing alarm for her and her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio). Their concern drives them to the highest levels of government, eventually leading them to the White House. Faced with an impending extinction-level event in just six months and 14 days, the duo, as experts, must meet with the President (Meryl Streep). However, the President is preoccupied with her own political agenda, placing the priority of saving the planet low on her list. Disturbingly low. Dismissed by the President, they opt for a media approach and end up on a morning news show that downplays serious news, catering to an audience that prefers to keep things light and fun. If they had approached a serious journalistic entity, the results would have surely been better. The remainder of the story unfolds, getting progressively worse based on the decisions made by various self-centered and foolish characters in the movie.
During their morning show appearance, Kate loses her composure witnessing the showrunners’ casual attitude towards the situation. She freaks out but rather than looking at her weak moment captured on TV objectively, the world makes a joke out of her. Yes, the whole world. I mean, the genuine thinkers and intellectuals are so fringe in the world this movie is set in, I’m surprised humanity managed to survive as long as it did. Regrettably, the movie takes on the vibe of a poorly directed “Black Mirror” episode, presenting events as plausible. This form of storytelling distances the audience from finding humour in the actors’ comedic shenanigans.
Jennifer Lawrence shines as Kate, portraying a character who transitions from despair about the end of the world to a state of apathy. This is a stand-out performance in a movie filled with acting heavyweights. Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr Mindy, displays never before seen soft spots in a 30-year acting career—a mild-mannered, flawed man trying his best to save the world. Meryl Streep on the other hand, shouldn’t have been in this movie. The role of the President doesn’t deserve an actor of her calibre. Jonah Hill and Mark Rylance deliver go-for-broke comedic performances as the President’s chief advisor and son Jason and an eccentric billionaire (played as a cross between Steve Jobs and Sean Penn from I Am Sam) respectively. Cate Blanchett also stands out as the morning show host engaged in a not-so-secret affair with Dr Mindy.
Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up, lacks the wit and beauty of ‘Dr. Strangelove,’ but it is still worth watching as a cautionary comedic film. It prompts reflection on the selection of leaders for our respective countries, asking the question: Is this candidate capable of saving us from a comet crashing down or a deadly virus killing millions across the globe?