RBR:Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

While few people saw it in theaters, many critics seemed to be charmed by this apocalyptic romantic comedy starring Steve Carrell and Keira Knightly as two lost souls who bond in the planet's last few days. While both leads can be very likeable, I failed to see what enchanted so many other reviewers. The opening part of the film is its strongest. While disturbing at times, it gives a bleak, yet fascinating look at how people would react if there was definitive proof that the planet would be gone in a matter of weeks. Once the main protagonists are suitably introduced the film veers off track as it struggles to find a tonal balance. You get scenes featuring cameos from people like Patton Oswalt and Rob Corddry that are meant for laughs but fall flat. But then you're also supposed to buy into a relationship between Carrell and Knightly that just never worked for me. Sitting through their journey, I was actively wishing for the asteroid to just hit already and put everyone out of their misery. I can appreciate attempts to blend genres, but this is an experiment that just goes horribly wrong. Given that it was written by the same person who wrote the insufferable Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, it's not that surprising that I didn't care for this. If our world is going to end, I wholeheartedly recommend that you don't waste your precious last few hours watching this. Rating: * 1/2