MOVIE REVIEW - Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World

Okay, this has the longest title of the year.   So from here on in we will refer to it as "Seeking."

Seeking is a small Indy pic that for me had more than a few things going against it as I walked in.  It stars Steve Carell, and Kiera Knightley, both of whom I am not a gigantic fan of over all.   But Seeking shows you what can be done when you have a good story, and the right people behind the camera who generally turn out to be way more important than those in front of it.   Seeking is a very nice surprise and a real nice movie. 

It takes place in modern day New York.   There is a  7 mile wide asteroid headed towards Earth and nothing can be done to stop it.  So basically this is a comedy, drama pic about what people would do if they knew the end was near.   Meet Dodge (Carell.)   He is a terribly boring insurance salesman whose wife has just left him, and his life has essentially been wasted at about 40 years old.   He meets Penny (Knightley) a 28 year-old, older souled British girl who lives in the apartment below Dodge.  They meet with about 2 weeks to go before doomsday.   Both of them are lost people who find themselves alone as the end of days approaches.

They decide to be unselfish and try to get each other to the place each individually want to be when the world ends. But as it turns out, with each other is where they need to be.   How will this all play out, and will the end of days really mean the end?  That's Seeking.

This is a strange story to be sure, and despite a few draggy parts I really liked this little movie.  This turns out to be a highly romantic movie that is very emotional.   Carell can be so good when coached right and presented  with a worthy project.  This is the actor Carell, not the Jim Carrey impersonator he can turn into.  Knighltey is all grown up now, and for me stole the show as the eccentric, flower child Penny.   The character they wrote for her is great.  Penny is so interesting, you never stop getting to know her, and that really works.  A terrific contrast between our two principles and fine performances really push this along.

I love being surprised at the movies.  And this is a major surprise.  A wonderfully used musical soundtrack adds to this immnelsely as well.  This is not a big movie, but a little one, with a simple story that is told beautifully through our two characters.  This is also a movie-goers movie.   This is small, simple, not loud or special effect laden, and it's a strange summer release.  Seems Fall would have been more apt, I hope this does not  get completely lost.

Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World.  Really interesting, fun, funny, and heartfelt.  Well done.