‘Don't Look Up' Test Screens

What we know about Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up,” (Fall 2021) his upcoming return to comedy, is that it’s the story of two low-level astronomers who must go on a giant media tour to warn mankind of an approaching asteroid that will destroy Earth.

It sounds politically-charged and it probably will be. Just look at what McKay told Rolling Stone earlier in the year, describing his film as being about “a global catastrophe and a bumbling U.S. President who refuses to listen to his White House scientists advice”.

A thespian who has seen the film at a recent test screening told me that it was a global warming satire with a lot of the same meta-editing McKay brought to his last two films (“The Big Short” “Vice”). This person also mentioned Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Rylance (playing a Bill Gates/Warren Buffet-type) as the most likely to receive awards attention.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Lawrence’s lead scientist isn’t much of a chewy role for the actress as she is mostly used as a narrative device for the audience. Timothee Chalamet, and Cate Blanchett have limited supporting roles. The version that was screened runs a whopping 2 hours and 35 minutes in length and is said to be very “Brecht-ian.”

The film garnered glowing reactions from those I’ve spoken to. Another L.A. test screening is set for this coming week.