Movie Reviews

‘Don’t Look Up’ is a wild disaster comedy that packs a punch

Wild disaster comedy.

December 28, 2021

I’ve been looking forward to this ensemble disaster comedy for quite some time now. When I heard who all was involved plus who the director was, I was hooked. Don’t Look Up greatly benefits from having such a talented seasoned cast and a writer/director who’s willing to really go for it. While this isn’t a 10, it’s still very entertaining and important in multiple ways. This is a film that has very clear social and political messages wrapped up in a funny package and it works. I really hope people watch this because not only is it a lot of fun but it’s also smart.

'Don't Look Up' is a wild disaster comedy that packs a punch

There are so many spectacular performances here. As someone who adores the great Meryl Streep, seeing her tackle this kind of a role was spectacular. She is basically a female President Trump and she plays it just right. She owns every scene she’s in with her dry comedic delivery and her shamelessly crass attitude. Streep’s famous opposition to Trump and his terrible agenda makes her playing this role all the more entertaining.

Cate Blanchett is also really great as a famous news personality that anchors a show with Tyler Perry that feels like it’s spoofing Morning Joe. Blanchett is just so casually awful and has a lot of funny moments.

It’s great to see Jennifer Lawrence back in films! Lawrence does a great job playing one of the few decent human beings in Don’t Look Up. She is the main moral compass here. And yes, DiCaprio is of course very good; he has a few really intense moments where he’s able to shine. The cast members all work so well with one another too, there’s a lot of chemistry here.

Having a talented cast is of course something every film needs but there also must be a capable captain to steer the ship and Adam McKay is more than capable. I’m a big fan of McKay’s style and his biting wit. The screenplay for Don’t Look Up really doesn’t hold back and that’s what makes it work. The satire is brutal and the comedy lands the vast majority of the time. And on top of all that, the messages that are embedded within are important and crucial. The ways they spoof modern day politics and media really work and elicited a good number of laughs from me.

'Don't Look Up' is a wild disaster comedy that packs a punch

Politics and media are not the only things commented on, there’s also some very funny commentary on excuses people make for bigotry. “He’s just from another generation” is something that keeps being said about Ron Pearlman’s horrendous racism and homophobia and it’s funny because it is so true that things like that keep being said in order to justify. The only critique I have regarding the script is that it lags just a tad right in the middle. Luckily though, it finds its way again pretty quickly. Of course, you wonder throughout a disaster film what the end result will be and whether or not things will be turned around. I was pleased with the way in which McKay chose to wrap this up. The ending is smart, fitting, and has some really funny details.

There’s also a very sleek polished look to the film overall that I liked, it just looks high quality. The costume design and hair/makeup is also well done and adds to the high quality visuals. Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett look especially great in this. The folks responsible for their hair and makeup deserve an award because wow they both look better than ever! This probably isn’t something that most people pay much attention to but I thought the opening credit style was interesting. The way they did that sequence was creative and it very much fit the film. Style can’t be overlooked. Yes it’s true that style can’t take the place of quality writing and acting but proper style is a strong asset a film needs.

Don’t Look Up is a smart funny well acted and written satire that works. Log onto your Netflix or make a trip to the theater to check this one out!