Wednesday, March 5, 2014

March 5 - Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Today’s movie is a dramedy with a scene that happens on March 5. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

A 70-mile wide asteroid nicknamed “Matilda” is headed for Earth and the Space Shuttle Deliverance has failed in its mission to divert the asteroid, meaning the Earth will be destroyed in 21 days. When Dodge Petersen makes an inane comment in reaction to this news his wife immediately leaves him, without another word. Dodge carries on with his life as usual, continuing to do his insurance job until a co-worker leaps to his death and crashes into Dodge’s car. Dodge goes to a party but does not use drugs or have sex. He goes home and finds his neighbor Penny crying on his fire escape. She left her boyfriend after he caused her to miss the last plane to England, so she won’t get to see her family. The next day she goes back to her apartment and gives Dodge his mail that had been accidentally put in her box over the last three years and unintentionally revels his wife had been having an affair. Dodge tries to kill himself, but wakes up in a park with a dog tied to his foot. Back at his apartment, looking through the mail he finds a three month old letter from his high school sweetheart, Olivia, saying he was the love of her life. That night when riots break out Dodge hustles Penny out of her apartment, but her boyfriend Owen gets left behind. Dodge tells her he might know someone who can fly her to England if she helps him reach Olivia. They hitch hike with a trucker who is later killed by the hitman he hired when he learned of a fatal cancer diagnosis. Dodge and Penny stop at a restaurant and later have sex, but are arrested by a hard nose cop. When released they are driven to the home of Penny’s ex-boyfriend Kames Speck. He has a satellite phone she uses to call her family. The next day March 5, 2012 [1:13:09 to  1:25:21] Dodge leaves at letter at Olivia’s house, but does not meet her. They stop at the beach and then travel on to the home of Dodge’s estranged father Frank. The two reconcile and after Penny falls asleep Dodge places her in Frank’s Cessna. He was the pilot Dodge knew. The plane takes off for England and Dodge returns to New York. Dodge learns that the asteroid will impact sooner than predicted. Penny returns and they spend their last moments together.

A disquieting film. A metaphor for life, as we’re all going to die, but the characters in this film know exactly when. Practically the only film to have any scenes set in Delaware.     

At 1:27:17 the anchor reminds people to set their clocks ahead, meaning it’s March 10, 2012. At 1:26:24 Dodge’s maid says it’s Thursday and she comes weekly. At 21:13 we see the maid vacuuming while Penny sleeps, so that day is Thursday, March 1.  Counting the days that follow, March 5th must be the day they visit his father. 

Producers - Steve Golin, Joy Gorman, Mark Roybal and Steven M. Rales

Director - Lorene Scafaria

Screenplay - Lorene Scafaria

Runtime – 1 hour 41 minutes

Released –June 22, 2012

Starring –

Steve Carell as Dodge Petersen
Keira Knightley as Penelope "Penny" Lockhart
William Petersen as Glenn
Melanie Lynskey as Karen Amalfi
Adam Brody as Owen
Tonita Castro as Elsa
Mark Moses as Anchorman
Derek Luke as Alan Speck
Connie Britton as Diane
Patton Oswalt as Roache
Rob Corddry as Warren
Rob Huebel as Jeremy
Gillian Jacobs as Katie
T.J. Miller as Darcy
Amy Schumer as Lacey
Jim O'Heir as Sheriff
Martin Sheen as Frank Petersen
Nancy Carell as Linda Petersen

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.





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