345. Don't Look Up; movie review

 

DON'T LOOK UP

Cert 15

138 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language

Christmas Day is usually reserved for classic films so it seems appropriate that we should have watched the best movie of 2021 so far after a lovely day with family.

Mrs W, Master W and his partner, joined me to take in Adam McKay's exceptional satire which takes a sharp knife to politics and the media.

Its stellar cast is head by Jennifer Lawrence as a PhD researcher who makes the astonishing discovery of a new comet.

Her delight is immediately tempered by calculations of her professor (Leonardo DiCaprio) that it is on a collision course with earth.

The pair immediately contact the relevant authorities and NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office head (Rob Morgan) refers their findings to the White House.

This is when Don't Look Up begins to come into its own because the reaction of the President (Meryl Streep) and her chief of staff (Jonah Hill) is simultaneously, hilarious, jaw-dropping and scary.

It prompts the scientists to take their revelation to TV and a Fox-esque morning show, hosted by smug pretty people (Cate Blanchett and Tyler Perry).

Once again, the news that the end of the world is literally nigh seems to bounce off them.

The indifference of the politicians and media to potential world extinction has very loud echoes of their response to climate change and the Covid pandemic, despite overwhelming evidence that they should take immediate action.

Indeed, the more the evidence is gathered, the more self-interest or just blatant ignorance takes over.

Both are magnified when global businessman (Mark Rylance) points out that much money can be made from the minerals on the asteroid which is threatening the extinction of man.

Aside of the crass media and political responses, Don't Look Up also explores the splits in society caused by the crisis. 

Streep's portrayal of a Trumpian president is genius as are the representations of her rallies and Hill as her son/advisor.

Rylance is fantastic as the businessman who claims to be interested in the environment but only cares about the lining of his back pocket.

But the stand-outs are DiCaprio as the scientist who is destabilised by the limelight, Lawrence as the only person speaking any sense and Blanchett who is unrecognisable as the hedonistic/drunken TV presenter.

Overall, it is a stunning piece of work.

Reasons to watch: Powerful satire of current politics and media

Reasons to avoid: Some may wonder at is exaggeration

Laughs: Three

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: Yes

Overall rating 10/10

Did you know? The Chicxulub asteroid hit Earth 66 million years ago in what is now Mexico. The estimated size of the asteroid was 10 km and resulted in 75% of all life on the planet dying. It left a crater estimated to be 150 kilometres (93 miles) wide and 20 kilometres (12 miles) deep.

The final word. Adam McKay: "It's been quite the experience to live in a society that still bombs along like everything is A-OK while the greatest threat to life and human history is before us. So it's - that's both horrifying, and if you think about it, kind of funny to..." NPR

Share this post