SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

US, 2012, 101 minutes, Colour.
Steve Carell, Keira Knightly, Martin Sheen, Rob Corddrey, Connie Britton, William Petersen, Patton Oswalt, Derek Luke, Adam Brody, Melanie Lynskey.
Directed by Lorene Scafaria.

With such a title, it might not be a surprise that this film is not what audiences might have anticipated.
This is an apocalyptic film, but explores the response of affluent and middle-class people without the overtones of a disaster film. An asteroid is approaching earth and humans have only three more weeks of life. What are they to do?
The film focuses on Dodge, played by Steve Carell, in a variation on his screen persona. On hearing the news of the end of the world, his wife leaves him. He calmly contemplates what he should do for the rest of his life, decides to visit a girlfriend from his college days.
Some people indulge in sensuality and compensating for the past. Some people commit suicide or wish to die with dignity.
Dodge’s neighbour, a young British girl, Keira Knightly, wants to go back home to see her parents but is too late. She accompanies him on the road trip which includes a visit to his estranged father, Martin Sheen. To get to know each other, they talk and quietly prepare for the end of the world.
An offbeat addition to the apocalyptic genre, mild compared with deep impact and Armageddon. The
1. The title? Expectations from the title, tone, comic, serious? The strong cast?
2. Middle America, the range of people, ordinary people, homes, the cities, the road?
3. The situation, the asteroid, three weeks to the end? Familiar from disaster films? The difference here?
4. Dodge, Steve Carell, his screen persona, comic style? His life, work, marriage, the news and his wife leaving him in panic? His reaction? Staying come?
5. The three weeks, people making decisions, Dodge and his meeting Penny, the photo from his high school sweetheart, a destination, fulfilling hopes? Regrets?
6. People’s behavior, panic, some serene, the role of the media, the repetition of news and warnings? Chaos, suicide, dying with dignity, drugs, sexual indulgence, denial? Fear?
7. The neighbor and drugs, giving them to children? His wife and her behavior? The strange trucker and his identifying Dodge and Penny as assassins, the cleaner continuing with her work?
8. Penny, the next door neighbor, her character, clashes with her boyfriend, her dithering, being late, her British background, unable to fly back, phoning her parents, her regrets at not being with them again? The discussions with Dodge? Helping him make a decision? The photo of the sweetheart, the possibility of getting a plane?
9. The riot outside, their leaving, time on the road, the trip, the discussions, getting to know each other, self-reflection, going to the house, occupying it, the eerie feeling of people disappearing? The work under the walk on the sand?
10. Dodge’s father, the visit, the past, discussion, the reconciliation?
11. The strength of the dialogue, humorous, serious, a sense of peace, of bonding, of love?
12. The ultimate aim of the film? Audience response, identifying with the situation and reflecting on personal responses?