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While only 5% of films receive my lowest rating, unfortunately, I cannot recommend wasting money on this movie.  Why?  Well, the acting is superb.  The cast is excellent: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainbourg, Keifer Sutherland, John Hurt, etc.  The cinematography is similarly excellent.  Simply stated, the plot intends to be philosophically provocative, and it fails miserably. 

The general plot, which is described in every review, is the end of the earth by an asteroid collision from the vantage point of an extremely dysfunctional family.  The film is humorless.  And at 2 ½ hours, it becomes tedious.  Dunst’s character has some undiagnosed severe mental illness.  The entire first act revolves around her unconsummated wedding, although she has intercourse with a minor character.  There is a disjointed subplot with her boss at a PR firm, which does not seem to fit at all.  The minor character is a newly hired lackey at the firm.  In the second act, as the asteroid approaches, Dunst demonstrates sanity in the face of death of her family, as the rest of them come unglued.

Why the other critics adored this movie may be due to the excellent acting, especially by Dunst, but it is not worth the price of admission for such. 

Spend your money on something fun…


Kind regards,

Steve

G. Stephen DeCherney, MD, MPH
Clinical Professor of Medicine
Division of Endocrinology
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Chapel Hill, North Carolina