© Universal Pictures International Germany GmbH 

Auf der Suche nach einem Freund fürs Ende der Welt (Seeking A Friend For the End of the World)
U.S.A./Singapore/Malaysia/Indonesia 2012

Opening 20 Sep 2012

Directed by: Lorene Scafaria
Writing credits: Lorene Scafaria
Principal actors: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Melanie Lynskey

Mankind counts down the last 21 days to the day an asteroid will hit and destroy the world. This isn’t the usual action-packed drama with heroes scrambling for a last-minute way out, “this isn’t Noah’s Ark, it’s the Titanic” – to quote from the movie. Scriptwriter / director Lorene Scafaria imagined what last-minute choices and use of their time people would make when faced with certain catastrophe – and finds humor in it, be it “business as usual”, suicide, or anything else. Forty-something Dodge (Steve Carell) and his 28-year old neighbor Penny (Keira Knightly) take the more conventional approaches: he wants to declare his love to his high-school flame; she wants to go home to join her family. To accomplish this they team up for a not-so-conventional road trip.

In difference to Steve Carell’s Dodge, Knightley’s Penny is ill-conceived and misdirected. Except for the predictably ensuing romance, one kept wondering where the director was going with this – and finally just wished someone would speed up the countdown. (Carola A)

 
 
 
The theaters below show films in their original language; click on the links for showtimes and ticket information.
 
Interviews with the stars, general film articles, and reports on press conferences and film festivals.
 
Subscribe to the free KinoCritics monthly email newsletter here.