I think it’s time to carve out a new subgenre. When filmmakers and playwrights started tackling serious subjects, “comedy” became “dark comedy.” But writer/director Lorene Scafaria’s Seeking a Friend at the End of the World takes it to another level. The planet is on the brink of destruction, but when Steve Carrell and Keira Knightley’s characters cross paths, things brighten up a bit. So is it an “apocalyptic comedy?” Maybe that’s too negative.
Whatever genre/subgenre/random category Seeking a Friend ends up falling into, the talent involved—including Adam Brody (The O.C.), Rob Cordry (Hot Tub Time Machine), Gillian Jacobs (Community), Melanie Lynskey (Up in the Air), T.J. Miller (Cloverfield) and Patton Oswalt (Young Adult)—gives hope that it will be simply “great,” and that’s what matters above all, no? The first poster has debuted for the film, which hints at what to expect from the off-beat movie.
