Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Did you know that up until the 17th century, barbers were allowed to perform surgery? I'm not surprised, seeing as they just totally butchered me. You know you're in trouble when the person cutting your hair has a Flock of Seagulls haircut with dye the color of cat puke.

But let's set that aside for now. I just saw Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, the most long-winded title for a movie since Rise of the Planet of the Apes. And I have to say, I was shocked. This thing was not at all what I expected, first off. If you go to see this movie expecting a raunchy, funny, somewhat forgettable Steve Carell movie, YOU'RE WRONG. This was f***ing depressing. In its own way, it was eerily reminiscent of Coen Brothers movies, in the sense that it had no problem making comedy out of some of the least funny stuff there is out there: Armageddon.

The movie played to its strengths, though, namely Steve Carell in his best role in years. If this is what it takes for him to pull his career away from movies like Dinner For Schmucks, it's totally worth it. Also (SPOILER ALERT), it is the first apocalypse movie where there is no hope at all. The film begins with a radio report revealing that the last hope for mankind (the spaceship with the small group of racially diverse, quirky characters who would save the day in most movies) has blown up upon contact with the meteorite headed for Earth. So there isn't much reason to get attached to the characters at all. Unfortunately, with the lead actors so well mismatched, it's hard not to.

The problems, unfortunately, almost balance the positive elements. First off, this is (and it kills me to type these words) the first so-called 'romantic comedy' I have ever seen in my life. Just the two words together make me sick. That is a phrase which should only be uttered by lonely 20-something year olds on Valentine's Day when they need a pick-me-up from the video store. But this movie was, sadly, one of them. Which pretty much killed it for me. Steve Carell should never be put in a situation like that. It's not good.

Fortunately, it seems like the romantic comedy for people who hate romantic comedies (like me!). Everyone on the planet, including the stars, die at the end when the asteroid hits a week ahead of time. But for those of you who truly detest emotional movies, you may be looking forward to the end.

Final score? I really wish it were two different movies, so that I could give one 10 and the other a big fat zero. But I have to meet in the middle, so... 5/10 stars. It kills me to do that, because I really appreciate what the movie is trying to do, and I was looking forward to it a lot, but I really couldn't take a two-hour Steve Carell movie without any jokes not seen already in the trailers. It's a real shame.

Bye!