Don’t Look Up is a 2021 science fiction comedy drama written and directed by Adam McKay, from a story by David Sirota. An extremely talented writer/director, McKay’s debut feature film was the 2008 hit Step Brothers, starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, followed by The Other Guys (2010). The original plan was to make the film for Paramount Pictures, but Netflix acquired the rights in April of 2020, just as the pandemic was rearing its head.

Astronomy student Kate Dibiasky discovers the existence of an unidentified comet. Her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy, calculates that the trajectory of the asteroid crosses that of the Earth and that an impact will take place in about six months, killing everyone on Earth in the process.

The star-studded cast includes five, yes five, Oscar winners, in Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, and Mark Rylance. Oscar-nominees include Jonah Hill and Timothée Chalamet. The remaining supporting cast is rounded out by Tyler Perry, Rob Morgan, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Michael Chiklis, Melanie Lynskey, Himesh Patel, Tomer Sisley, Paul Guilfoyle, Robert Joy, and Kid Cudi.

Don’t Look Up arrived in select theaters December 10th, and will debut on Netflix December 24th.

THE GOOD

First and foremost, I LOVE me some Jennifer Lawrence. I’ve been a massive fan since she crushed her performance in the 2010 drama The Winter’s Bone which was a breakout film for her in my opinion. I’d also argue that her best performance was David O. Russel’s 2013 crime drama, American Hustle. Team her up with one of the greatest actors ever in Leonardo DiCaprio and the talented Adam McKay at the helm, and you have something to work with. When I watched the first trailer for Don’t Look Up, I couldn’t wait for it to release which is why I made the trek to the theater in 20 degree weather prior to the Netflix release date. So, was it worth it?

Yes, it absolutely was. Initial reactions have been quite mixed so I was hesitant going in figuring McKay bit off more than he could chew, but that was not the case at all. Don’t Look Up is uniquely entertaining, very relevant, and just downright hilarious for the majority of the time. Sure much of the comedy is dry humor which is fine by me especially when you have such a talented cast. The film includes a ridiculous amount of great one-liners, and it takes jab after jab at our obsession with pop culture, social media, and the missteps of our government. If we can’t laugh at our own stupidity, what are we doing with our lives?! Don’t Look Up is one of those movies that will weed out the people that fall into the “if you aren’t part of the solution, you’re part of the problem” category. Now trust me I am not on my high horse and I am guilty of plenty that the film rips on, but at least I can admit it. Full disclosure, I can’t stand politics and that certainly helped me enjoy Don’t Look Up.

It’s like the classic Ron Burgundy line, but instead of saying “everybody come and see how good I look!” it’s “everybody come and see how stupid WE look”. But in all seriousness, this film is supposed to be a self-reflection, a reminder that as a society our collective IQ is plummeting. We bury our faces in our phones and let social media run our lives. If the Wi-Fi goes out for an hour we go into a panic, it’s pathetic if you really think about it. The negative reviews for Don’t Look Up are telling in the sense that they expose the politically driven critics, those so out of touch with their own inadequacies they lash out at the Adam McKay’s of the world. I’ll bottom line it for you, whether you want to focus on the issue with climate change, our disgusting reliance on technology, or the fact that our government is often a real-life SNL skit, this movie is an accurate albeit slightly exaggerated portrayal of the current state of affairs. To be honest, I applaud McKay for keeping it light while getting his point across. What should scare us is just how close to reality this film really is.

I thought the writing for Don’t Look Up was fantastic. It is one of those movies that includes so many little things that you will have to see it two or three times to fully appreciate the finer details. A great example is something that happens involving snacks at the White House early in the movie, and it ends up becoming something that Jennifer Lawrence’s character can’t seem to let go for the entire movie. It seemed like something simple on the surface, but with this movie everything has a deeper meaning. Adam McKay and David Sirota find a way to intertwine humor and impending doom, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Okay so the meat and potatoes of Don’t Look Up is the cast, and boy is it stacked. I touched on my girl Jennifer Lawrence early on in the review and she did not disappoint. Her chemistry with Leonardo DiCaprio was just awesome, and I really enjoyed the screen-time these two shared. Lawrence is always entertaining as the outspoken and rough around the edges Astronomy student Kate Dibiasky. DiCaprio is one of the most versatile actors working today, and his transformation into this character Dr. Randall Mindy was fun to watch. He is such a wholesome and likable guy who proves that we all sometimes fall victim to our desires especially when fame comes into play. I am a big Jonah Hill fan as far as his abilities as an actor (he seems a bit odd in real-life), and I loved his character. His troubling relationship with Meryl Streep is just hilarious, and you will love disliking them during this movie. The tension between Hill and Lawrence is hilarious as they both fight like brother and sister for most of the film.

Mark Rylance was the dark horse for me as he took on what felt like a role crafted after Elon Musk. His delivery and mannerisms are very unique, and he is definitely a character that stands out. Who doesn’t love Timothée Chalamet?! The chisel jawed actor who crushed his role in the blockbuster film Dune, which Andrew reviewed recently (full review here), is quickly becoming one of the top actors working today. I was hoping he had more than just a cameo type role in Don’t Look Up, and was very pleased with how he fit into the storyline. Tyler Perry and Cate Blanchett are fantastic as the egotistical talk show hosts who love to keep things light, even when their segment involved an asteroid that will surely destroy all life on Earth.

I have to recognize pop superstar Ariana Grande because I really liked her performance as she played a fictional version of herself. She and Kid Cudi add a nice wrinkle to the film, and she had one specific interaction with DiCaprio that completely caught me by surprise and had me laughing hysterically. She also has a chance to bless us with her amazing voice, which is always appreciated. Ron Perlman was offensive and hilarious in his extremely politically incorrect Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino sort of role, as his character embodies the saying “it was a different generation”, which is repeated several times following a scene with his character.

From a technical standpoint Don’t Look Up is extremely well done in my opinion. Whether it be the cinematography, the score/soundtrack, or the various clips that play throughout the film, the creativity is next level. I was constantly impressed with what at times felt like a documentary style as the pieces fell into place, and we are also treated with a fair amount of quality CGI as well. The soundtrack has some great moments thanks to Ariana Grande’s involvement in the film. This is Adam McKay’s 4th collaboration with composer Nicholas Britell, and I think the two have built a great working relationship and have similar styles. They previously worked together on The Big Short, Vice, and Succession. A film like Don’t Look Up benefits greatly when the score and soundtrack can match up with the overall feel of the film, and that was definitely the case here.

THE BAD

I really enjoyed Don’t Look Up, and my immediate reaction was that it is getting unfairly criticized. I mean sure, it can be slow at times particularly towards the middle of the film, and some of the jokes don’t quite land, but discrediting what Adam McKay did with this film is just ignorant in my opinion. With that being said, the issue here is pretty obvious. You cannot release a film that takes as many shots at the political landscape and the social media generation without ruffling a few feathers. I thought McKay and David Sirota crafted a unique and relevant story, and these sensitive so-called critics are feeling a little offended so they decided to criticize the film as retaliation. It’s fine though, I can laugh at our stupidity, but clearly those who are part of the problem struggle with that.

THE VERDICT

A well-crafted satirical comedy packed with plenty of laugh out loud moments and a bit more heart than expected, Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up is an entertaining yet fairly harsh reminder of the running joke that is our current state of affairs. Sure, this is one of those “lets laugh at how stupid we are” movies, but that is honestly part of why it works so well. As a country in the past year and a half or so, we have been serving up an endless amount of bulletin board material for people to criticize us. To say that it has been bad would be a severe understatement. It has gone from people wanting to be like us, to them closing their borders to us. I mean, I’d love to visit New Zealand one of these days so I am really hoping we can avoid a lifetime ban. More than anything else, Don’t Look Up is an opportunity to lighten up and all laugh together, but it will leave you with the realization that we need to do better. I hate to say it but if you’re offended by Don’t Look Up, you might want to take a long look in the mirror and begin the journey to self-reflection. Just sayin’.