Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up” test-screened to more positive notices the other day, with a reader signalling Mark Rylance as a particular standout.
What we know about “Don’t Look Up,” (12.10.21) 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 reader who saw the film at a recent test screening in June 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 came the following week with the audience, supposedly, giving the film an ovation as the credits rolled. The words “crowdpleaser” keeps creeping in with these reactions. So does the word “Oscar.” At this point, based on the overwhelmingly positive receptions it’s been getting, it would be silly to bet against “Don’t Look Up” getting a bunch of Oscar nominations.
Still no distributor for "Bucking Fastard," "Alpha Gang," "The Last Photograph," "Closing Night," and "The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd." The issue seems to be quality more than a lack of willingness to buy.