Dont Look Up
RATING
Introduction
After a small break yesterday on the occassion of my birthday, I am back with another review. And I finished watching the new English film Don’t Look Up on Netflix. Directed by the Oscar Winning Director Adam Mckay(who had won for The Big Short), here us another satirical comedy from him. The thing with satirical comedies is that you always ask the question “How Much”. How Much are you filling to push the envelope in order to extract the humour. Not only does the writing have to be sharp but it should also potentially deliver blows in order to extract humour. And you would also need to battle with a section of the audience who may not enjoy satires. That said, is Dont Look Up worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Don’t Look Up follows the story of a group of scientists who discover a comet heading towards earth which would possibly destroy it. The only problem is NO ONE CARES. The story is a satirical comedy but if you look closely, you may find an uncanny resemblance to today’s times. The concepts of fascism and capitalism are also explored efficiently here. In other words, the story is relevant yet told in a comic manner. The screenplay also is sharp and keep you on your toes. Despite it being slightly long standing at just under 150 minutes, the drama unfolds like a breeze. For starters, it does not waste any time on a buildup and gets straight to the point. The writing here is smart and some of the most controversial sequences are written with a high dose of humour. There are several sequences which will tickle your funny bone to a point where you will find yourself laughing hysterically. The proceedings and the twists and turns are interesting although a few of them are repeated and the drama could have done without them. The end is quite dark and it is something that might be talked about for days to come. It worked brilliantly for me as in a way this was a mirror to the society for taking everything at face value. Overall, a brilliantly penned screenplay!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are witty and it is upto the intellect of the audience to latch on a few of them and find humour in them. The BGM is jazzy and a pretty interesting choice for a satire. Director Adam Mckay does a fantastic job once again and meticulously extracts the humour throughout. The humour isn’t diluted, rather the direction is such that it ensures that the humour packs a punch.
Performances
The performance comprises of a stellar cast who do a fabulous job here. Ariana Grande as Riley and Timothee Chalamet as Yule shine in cameos. Mark Rylance as Peter may not be conventionally funny but he tickles your funny bone like no one else. Cate Blanchett as Brie is first rate. It is always a pleasure watching and studying Meryl Streep and as President Orlean she does a brilliant job. Jonah Hill as Jason has an impeccable sense of comedy and he does a fabulous job here. Jennifer Lawrence as Kate looks pretty and performs her part with a lot of despair and ambuish. Leonardo DiCaprio as Dr. Mindy is a treat to watch. His performance comprises of some over the top antics yet there is a restraint in him that gives him a human touch.
Conclusion
Dont Look Up is one of the best satires of the year. Available on Netflix and Highly Recommended!