As far as "end of the world" movies go... I'd have to say that this is my top pick! Seeking a Friend for the End of the World felt genuine and personal. I always love Steve Carell when he plays these thoughtful down to earth characters. Keira Knightley, on the other hand, tends to leave me disappointed, but then I realized... I only feel this way when she plays the dramatic, serious girl. Luckily, in this movie, she's the slightly kooky, slightly weird girl that I enjoy watching. These out-of-the-box characters work well for her, like in the movies Bend it Like Beckham and Love Actually. In the beginning of the movie there's an announcement that the end of the world is near and will be caused by Matilda, an asteroid headed for Earth. Dodge's (Carell) wife literally runs away from him never to be seen again, leaving Dodge alone in his apartment and alone in his life. Somewhere along the way Dodge picks up an abandoned dog and his helpless young neighbor Penny (Knightley). They set off on a journey to find Dodge's long lost love and to find Penny a flight home to England. The twists and turns of the journey as well as the growth and evolution of the characters are engaging to follow. I'm surprised to find such depth in human connection and I'm touched by the things that matter in the end.
It's funny that I don't like the notion of an actor being typecast or cast against type if you prefer. But, whenever I see Steve Carell(and Jim Carrey) I always expect the film they're appearing in to be a comedy.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Carell has got "the chops" to be an A-list leading man/straight actor.
Well, i guess it depends on if how you feel about his funny characters? If you're a die hard comedy fan expecting something silly and crazy then yes... I guess you'd be disappointed by a more somber serious character from Carell or Carrey, but I actually like both of them much more in the more thoughtful roles. I loved Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and adore Carell in this more believable but still very clever roles in Little Miss Sunshine, Crazy Stupid Love, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, and Dan in Real Life. So, i guess it just depends on what your looking for as a viewer. I understand what you mean though of expecting one thing and getting another.
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