2022 * Not Rated * 1h 46m I love a good buddy road trip flick. Well, this isn't your typical one. Not by a long shot. It's the sci-fi debut for writer/director Mali Elfman, and what a terrific first outing it is. The film takes place in the very near future, where a scientist is doing controversial experiments with sending people into the afterlife, with the hope of taking humans to the next stage of evolution. A pretty dark premise.
Well two New Yorkers volunteer to participate. They're strangers, but they end up sharing a ride out west, where the project is taking place. The couple, Rose (Katie Parker) and Teddy (Rahul Kohli) are at each other's throats right from the get-go. They fight about everything, and it's amusing yet uncomfortable at the same time. They both have troubled pasts, which they eventually open up about. Like most good road-trip movies, they meet plenty of characters along the way, which makes the adventure that much more interesting.
Naturally, since opposites attract, especially in the movies, they end up reluctantly falling for each other. However, this could be problematic since at the end of their trip, they've volunteered to commit suicide as part of the research. I won't say anything more about the outcome of the film, you'll just have to watch it to see what happens. Overall, I really enjoyed the film. The two leads were terrific, the story was very engaging, and the cinematography was spot on. My only complaint was the soundtrack. I thought it was petty annoying at times. It reminded me a bit of the sounds Yorgos Lanthimos incorporates into his films.
4 out of 5 stars
Currently streaming for free with your library card on Kanopy. Also on Hulu and to rent on Prime Video.
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