The End We Start From movie review

MOVIE TITLE: The End We Start From

This dramatic thriller is now available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 42 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B

IN A NUTSHELL:

Are the “powers that be” trying to tell us something with all of these disaster and end-of-the-world movies lately?

The story is about a woman who tries to find her way home with her newborn baby while an environmental crisis submerges London in floodwaters. It’s based on the novel by Megan Hunter.

The film was directed by Mahalia Belo. Writing credits go to Alice Birch.

Already, the movie has been nominated for 9 awards such as Best Lead Performance for Jodie Comer, Best Supporting Performance by Katherine Waterston, Best Cinematography and more.

THINGS I LIKED:

Jodie Comer offers a fantastic performance. She first flew onto my radar in the movie Free Guy (https://moviereviewmom.com/free-guy-movie-review-2021/ ) While the prosthetic belly looked a bit fake to me since I’ve had a few real ones myself, I thought she carried herself very realistically as a pregnant woman in Act 1. Jodie also worked as one of the Executive Producers with Benedict Cumberbatch, and Mark Strong, among others.
Add Benedict Cumberbatch, Katherine Waterston, Mark Strong, Joel Fry, Gina McKee, Nina Sosanya, and more.
Noticeably great cinematography by Suzie Lavelle. So many of the camera shots were truly terrific.
The movie was filmed mostly in and around London.
The many moments without dialogue are powerful.
Due to rules about filming with babies, there were actually 15 babies and toddlers used in the movie. Jodie Comer admitted she was terrified about working with babies. She explained that she grew more and more comfortable with the babies, just as a new mother would. She’s not a mother in real life but hoped mothers would find her performance to be authentic and truthful. By the way, her character’s name is “Woman.”
It’s the lowering of Jodie’s after-birth belly that shows us the passage of time as the baby slowly grows.
Hopefully, this movie will spur you to get better prepared for future disasters that might strike your area. We live in a crazy world where anything can happen. Start with basic food supplies and then add other types of supplies for communication, sanitation, personal protection, heating, etc.
The film ends with some ambiguity, which I always like because it provides great fodder for conversations after watching it. What do YOU think happened next?

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

We don’t get all of the details we want but are shown things we need to piece together.
One of the mistakes the couple makes is going to a shelter with tons of other desperate people who become quickly unhinged. They had a safe home and could have made things work there if they had been a little more prepared. Separating is a terrible decision too. That husband was a coward to leave his wife and baby.
If you’re expecting to see a lot of the actors, like Benedict Cumberbatch, you’ll be disappointed. All of the actors have very small parts except for Jodie Comer.
It’s a very slow burn that leaves you thinking, “Huh.”
What do you think the writer and director were trying to say?

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

We see a pregnant belly popping out of the water in a bathtub.
We see a topless, pregnant woman several times, as well as her “hoohah” while giving birth.
Profanity, including F-bombs.
We see a married couple going for it in bed (with clothes on).
We see some blood.

THEMES:

Climate change
Emergency Preparedness
Crisis
Motherhood
Humanity
Loneliness

FUNNY LINES:

“I’m not going to throw her out of a window but she has to stay cute.” – (Katherine Waterston)

INTERESTING LINES:

We stay together. We’re a family.” – Woman (Jodie Comer)
“I don’t think anyone has a baby for altruistic reasons.” – (Katherine Waterston)
“What you miss doesn’t exist.” – F (Gina McKee)