Don't Look Up

Netflix's annual bid for the Oscars are already out on the platform hoping , as they rise subscription prices while cancelling shows as their stock drops, to prove they're still capable of running in the big leagues and one of the latest contenders is the satirical drama Don't Look Up from director Adam McKay. McKay is best known for his comedies in the early 2000s with the likes of the Anchorman films, Tallageda Nights and Step Brothers but since The Other Guys, he taken a greater satirical/critical approach at the world of today with The Big Short and Vice which he does so again here as a pair of astronomers try to warn an willing president that the world is set to be hit by a planet destroying comet.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence star as the astronomers trying to convince Meryl Streep's president, while also running into problems with Tyler Perry and Cate Blanchett's chat show hosts, that the world is doomed unless action is taken immediately in this film that has split audiences while not knowing if it's a drama or a comedy with its sillier moments. 

Arguments and debates have been thrown around for this film which is a great way to generate publicity but is it any good? Behind the subtext and allegories, McKay has made an uneven experience that shines in places when geared towards being a serious drama that aims to reach the likes of Sidney Lumet's Network but struggles to balance its tone in the comedic/satirical areas that prevent this film from delivering on its potential. Not to forget, the film runs too far over the two running time with a story that could have benefited from tighter editing for a neater experience where less could be better.

Thankfully for McKay, the cast which also includes Jonah Hill, Timothée Chalamet, Rob Morgan and Ron Perlman are all very good and keep the film together but the surprise hit of the film for was Mark Rylance's unhinged tech billionaire. His scenes are firmly placed in the comedic grounds of the story which I consider to be the weakest and I was worried we'd see another version of his performance from the average Ready Player One but thankfully not; he stole every scene of his and was the highlight of the film for me. 

Don't Look Up does provide moments of great drama and entertainment but amongst that all is story that needed some tuning before it was greenlit to really satisfy audiences with its lengthy running time. Thankfully with it being on Netflix, it is to put on and consume without too much trouble so I'd say it's worth watching if the story appeals to you but I can't see this bagging many awards come Oscar season.