Don't Look Up (2021) - SPOILER-FREE Review
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Directed by: Adam McKay
Written by: Adam McKay
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Ron Perlman, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Himesh Patel, Melanie Lynskey, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep
Runtime: 138 min
Synopsis: Two low-level astronomers must go on a giant media tour to warn mankind of an approaching comet that will destroy planet Earth.
As soon as the awards season kicks off, cinephiles know that Oscar-baits with A-list casts will be released almost every single week until the end of the year. That's simply how Hollywood works, and to be fair, "recency effect" is a real thing (google it if you must). Following this train of thought, Don't Look Up ticks all of the standard checkboxes by filling up its cast and crew with award-winning people. Adam McKay (Vice) ventures back into satirical comedy, hiring a jaw-dropping mountain of exceptional actors to elevate an utterly surreal story. I have to admit that I'm very particular about satires. Either these really nail the themes addressed or genuinely turn the movie into an uncomfortable viewing for me.
Fortunately, Netflix got itself a worthy contender for the important upcoming months. By mixing a conventional end-of-the-world comet with highly debated topics, such as politics, economy, religion, environmental issues, and much more, Don't Look Up is incredibly silly until the viewers realize how much of it would actually happen in real life. McKay fully commits to every joke and reference, trying to demonstrate in an exaggerated manner how each type of media, person, country, etc., would react to an extinction-level event. Some are brilliantly and hilariously executed, getting strong laughs from my audience and myself. Others miss the mark, leaving everyone underwhelmed.
Obviously, what works or not heavily depends on what the viewer finds interesting. Personally, politics and religion are two of the most meaningless things in my life, but some of my biggest laughs come from jokes situated around these topics. In the case of the successful satire attempts, McKay's screenplay shines when the story delves into the Internet. From the spontaneous creation of random hashtags to the insanely absurd reactions in the different social networks, it's honestly quite accurate to what would probably happen. In addition to this, being an engineer and a man of science myself, some preconceived notions and stereotypes about this area of work are beautifully handled, which left me both happy and amused.
On the other hand, my main issue is not only inherent to my Portuguese nationality but also to the fact that I don't possess enough knowledge about USA's politics and economy. Besides finding these matters frustratingly dull, repetitive, and often manipulated, the sequences with Meryl Streep (Little Women) and Jonah Hill (Richard Jewell) - who portray the POTUS and Chief of Staff, respectively - feel a bit too surreal and dumb for my taste. Definitely, the least efficient caricature from my viewpoint, which I have to admit isn't exactly a trustworthy perspective for my American readers. Mark Rylance (The Trial of the Chicago 7) partially compensates this problem of mine since his portrayal of Peter Isherwell, a representation of all the Elon Muskes / Steve Jobses / Bill Gateses of this world, originates a couple of funny moments within the White House.
Who really shines in this movie are Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Jennifer Lawrence (Dark Phoenix) as Dr. Randall Mindy and Kate Dibiasky, respectively. Their character arcs demonstrate how people can drastically change when faced with difficult situations. Dr. Mindy is a very knowledgeable, polite astronomer who has intense stress levels that DiCaprio plays with beautifully. Dibiasky is a Ph.D. student who believes she's the only sane person on the planet, but her expressive vocabulary and assertive posture make her sound and look insane to the general public. The actors totally carry this film, especially DiCaprio, who is absolutely outstanding. Cate Blanchett (Thor: Ragnarok), Tyler Perry (Those Who Wish Me Dead), and Rob Morgan (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) are also exceptional.
Overall, I found Don't Look Up quite enjoyable, and its numerous cameos - one actor in particular is having a blast this year with this type of appearance - are surely going to leave audiences delighted. However, I won't be surprised if people react either extremely negatively or extremely positively. McKay goes all out, so it will either leave you crying from laughter or crying from frustration. Finally, I must mention Ariana Grande's phenomenal vocals in her amazing original song "Just Look Up", collaborating with Nicholas Britell (Cruella), who scores the movie. I couldn't have wished more from the perfect ending, which by the way, holds two important post-credits scenes.
Final Thoughts
Don't Look Up hilariously approaches almost every theme worthy of discussion through Adam McKay's satirical screenplay that will undoubtedly leave viewers either incredibly satisfied or extremely triggered, depending on their opinion about certain subject matters. Boasting an absolutely stellar cast, Netflix grabs a bold, divisive awards contender. Packed with allegories, references, and direct jokes surrounding all kinds of media, governments, socio-political topics, and environmental issues, McKay doesn't hold back, which might be a decisive factor in the audience's response. The cast offers unbelievably great performances, but without the protagonists Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, viewers would definitely look down to their phones instead of paying attention to the film. A fun flick to watch during the Christmas season.
