DON’T LOOK UP

2021, 138 minutes, Colour.

Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rob Morgan, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchette, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothee Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Kid Cudi, Himesh Patel, Melanie Lynskey, Michael Chiklis, Paul Guilfoyle, Robert Joy.

Directed by Adam Mackay.

If we do look up, at the sky at night, we see many stars. And if we do look at the cast list of this film, we see quite a lot of stars, including five Oscar winners. What are they are all doing in this offbeat film?

Perhaps the film could have had a subtitle, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad (incoming asteroid) World. And, with the prospect of asteroids hurtling towards earth, 9 miles wide, due in just over six months, we remember the late 90s, Deep Impact, Armageddon. And filmmakers and audiences alike recall very seriously those decades ago, bravely going into space to destroy or deflect the asteroid, or, standing on the beach in face of a tidal wave, accepting fate. (And both of these are relevant to Don’t Look Up.)

But, the millennium year has come and gone, not quite as apocalyptic as we might have imagined (though 9/11 soon to come, war in Afghanistan, invasion of Iraq…). The world has become quite blasé – but this film was made before and during the early months of covert.

Adam Mackay used to make funny films with Will Ferrell and John C Reilly (like Anchorman). More recently he has stayed with the funny but has been preoccupied with serious themes, American social and culture themes (the world of finance, The Big Short and into the Bush administration White House, Vice). It is hard to know whether to describe Don’t Look Up as serio-comic or comically serious.

It begins seriously. Jennifer Lawrence plays Kate, a Michigan-based astrophysicist who discovers the previously unknown threatening asteroid. And her professor is Randall, Leonardo DiCaprio. They are in earnest and contact a professor, Dr Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan) and decide that this devastating news with its imminent deadline, should be communicated to the US president. So far, so sensible.

However, after writing and directing Vice, and experiencing the Trump years, his view of the White House is dim, hyper- critical. The scientists are made to wait, not particularly well believed, the White House deciding to sit on it because of the impending midterm elections. And the president is played by a bespectacled Meryl Streep (remembering that Donald Trump declared she couldn’t act), with her chief of staff, her son, played by Jonah Hill (remembering Jared Kushner).

So, we see the tone begins to turn comic, even farcical (as the military general charges the visitors for snacks – and then they discover that they are free!). While the President and son go to the media with Trump-like professionalism, the scientists go to the media. And this is where the parody becomes very serious, making us wonder what kind of world we live in, the world of trivial gossip, celebrities and marital breakups which are more important than doomsday, frivolous TV shows with sparring comperes, it is not dawning on them to take anything really seriously (reinforced by top comic performances from Cate Blanchette and Tyler Perry).

And, the world seems to go on. There is a presidential decision to commission an Armageddon-like confrontation of the asteroid, Bruce Willis being sent up by Ron Perlman. But, there is a sinister presence (should we be reminded of Elon Musk?), a media magnate, a billionaire with his own equivalent of NASA and space program, who discovers the mineral, re-earth riches of the oncoming asteroid. Split the comet – and profits for all. He is played by British Shakespearean actor, Mark Rylance, white wig, almost falsetto whisper voice. Both comic and sinister.

Lots of other characters throughout the film, Ariana Grande and Kid Scudi as a showbiz glossy breaking up and then proposing couple live on TV. There is a contrasting quiet background, the professor’s family at home in Michigan, Melanie Lynskey as his wife, dismayed as her husband gets caught up in the ra-ra world and a relationship with the television presenter. Meanwhile, Kate is aggressive, told she needs media training, bursts out, is the butt of social media mockery – and then meets a young kind of drop-out, played by Timothee Chalamet (quite the opposite of Paul Atreides).

Ultimately, we are being asked, seriously as well as comically, how would we react as the asteroid bears down on earth to destroy it. Ignore it with drinks at a bar? Watch in dismay in the streets? Or, settle down at a quiet meal at home praying for grace and hope?

And don’t rush for the exit or the stop button as the credits roll, there is an even more than farcical epilogue with Meryl Streep and her body double seen as never before! Is this a glimpse of the future?

1. The title, the advancing comet, the response of scientists, of the media, of government?
2. The film as satire, on climate change and its being ignored, government tactics, public opinion?
3. The realistic setting, the University, astronomy research, the comet? NASA and the authorities? The White House, the president and adviser? Television stations? Homes, the city streets, the impending doom? The musical score?
4. Echoes of Deep Impact, Armageddon, the disaster films at the end of the 20^th century, the millennium?
5. Katie, her studies, research, the discovery of the impending comet, the discussions with Randall Mindy? Their agreement, the time limit? Contact with Teddy Oglethorpe, his support? Their personalities?
6. Discussions of strategies, going to the White House, the general and his charging them for snacks, the long wait, the introduction to the President, her careless style, meetings, publicity, campaigning? Her son as her adviser? His Wheeler dealing and tactics? Loyalty to his mother? Her personal tangles and liaisons and appointments? Eventually meeting the scientists? Disregard?
7. The satire on television talk shows, the comperes, their personalities, banter, not wanting serious subjects, Katie and Randall, the small amount of attention, Katie’s rant and the media turning against her, destroying her credibility? Randall, good looks, popular? The encounter with Brie, her personality, casual, exploitative, beginning the relationship, the effect on Randall?
8. The president, the satire on presidential behaviour (and the film made at the end of the Trump presidency)? Whims, policies, decisions to accept the situation, the employment of the astronaut to destroy the comet, his failure?
9. Peter Isherwell, his presence, voice, millionaire, the discovery of the rare earths in the comet, the plan to exploit them, not to destroy the comet but to break it up and salvage the parts and exploit them? US greed, and the exclusion of other countries?
10. Randall, alienation from his wife, her coming to visit him, his being caught up in the publicity, disillusioned with Brie, going on television, campaign, telling the truth, his not being listened to? Returning home, reconciled with Katie, with his family, the finale with the destruction of the world and their quietly having the meal at home, saying grace, comfortable with each others’ company?
11. Katie, a bad reputation, her boyfriend publicly denouncing her after his support, intense, the encounter with Yule, shoplifter, his personality, sharing with him, the reconciliation with Randall, you will and Katie going for the final meal with the family?
12. The satirical interlude, with the star on the television program, Randall and Katie relegated to the background, the star, her reputation, her boyfriend, the break, contacting him on screen, the discussions, the reconciliation on screen, the comperes’ delight in this coup?
13. The decision to leave earth, the spacecraft, the President, Peter Isherwell, inadvertently leaving Jason behind?
14. The future, the arrival of the spacecraft, the naked survivors, the monsters, the death of the president? And her son coming out of the rubble and trying to connect with social media?
15. Some commented on the satire as deft, others are smug – true or not? And how effective (and funny) as satire?