
Deservedly or not, Don’t Look Up has earned a significant place in contemporary pop culture.
With a stacked, high-profile cast and comedic tone, the Netflix original depicts a reality where a devastation-level comet is headed toward the Earth.
The film is written and directed by Adam McKay, who is known for comedies including The Big Short and Step Brothers. Since its December release, it has received intense media buzz because of its key, somewhat controversial messaging.
Much to the dismay of scientists played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, everyone from the self-obsessed American politicians to the meme-consumed public refuse to take the threat of mass extinction seriously.
Upon pressing play, I was simultaneously amused and maddened to watch as the characters in power were unable to grasp the gravity of the comet’s threat.
This ignorance is most prominently highlighted by Meryl Streep’s egotistical and money-hungry representation of the president of the United States accompanied by Jonah Hill, who snobbishly plays her son and chief of staff. Together, they make a Trump-esque duo, mirroring his nationalist rallies, his disregard for science—and his inappropriately sexual remarks about family members.
Don’t Look Up satirically exagerrates a scientific fact being denied and then highly politicized by world leaders, who make their decisions to benefit only the upper class.
The climate crisis and the pandemic are the two most obvious metaphors for the film’s comet. Through Don’t Look Up, McKay points out that we live in a society that allows us to bypass scientific fact and ignore the threat of our own self-destruction for rich people’s short-term gain.
The star-studded cast list was what drew me to watch this film, and they were just funny enough for me to get through it. Timothée Chalamet fans will be happy to know that the actor makes a brief appearance—and has two lines about fingerling potatoes and Twitch streaming.
But what stood out most about this film was its strong warning message. A message so strong, in fact, that the film was almost all message and no movie.
I developed a deep sense of apathy for Don’t Look Up’s mostly unlikable roster of characters, and I began to think they deserved their fate. Perhaps this was the intention of the filmmaker: the point of this film wasn’t to make the best new comedy, but to blatantly reveal that something is deeply wrong with our society.
In Don’t Look Up, we enter a reality in which people close their ears to scientific truths and politicians are reluctant to put in place any legislation that will negatively affect their exponentially wealthy backers. This film shines a light on how detrimental we and our leaders have become to the world.
All in all, watching Don’t Look Up was a Christmas Eve spent okay with my family.
Though I had to split my attention and watch a few TikToks so as not to lose interest in the film, I can appreciate it for what it was: a hyped-up comedy with a lot of big names and big messages.
Tags
Climate change, Film, movie review
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pv
I really hope you are being snarky in writing this piece, and sorry if that’s exactly as you intended.
Your title sums up the exact point of this film.
We are only concerned with our immediate satisfaction.
We concern ourselves with trivial things such being entertained but look pay little importance to the things that really matter.
“The Netflix comedy has an apocalyptic warning—but that’s about it” is there anything else that is of more importance?
I just hope that people actually see that your article is written in such a way that proves exactly the movies point. Too much credit is given to people for whom this movie was actually intended.
This is intended for climate deniers and people too worried about getting more stuff to think about the planet. Unfortunately those same people will just look at this movie and see it as funny or not funny and the actual points will go right over their head.
Sabine Flury
Yes, I agree with pv’s comment. The author of the review only seemingly understood the movie. “Though I had to split my attention and watch a few TikToks so as not to lose interest in the film…” snark indicates that he may be just as oblivious as the general public and officials depicted in the movie.
PS As a retired federal government scientist myself, I fear that the movie accurately shows what might happen.
DominionCinemas
This film review perfectly captures my thoughts on “Don’t Look Up”. It’s refreshing to see a critique that acknowledges the film’s powerful message without neglecting its flaws. The author skillfully highlights the importance of striking a balance between message and execution. Kudos to the writer for their insightful analysis! DominionCinemas