Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan.

Director:

Lorene Scafaria

Writer:

Lorene Scafaria

Stars:

Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Melanie Lynskey

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Carell	...	Dodge
Keira Knightley	...	Penny
Adam Brody	...	Owen
Connie Britton	...	Diane
Roger Aaron Brown	...	Alfred
Rob Huebel	...	Jeremy
Trisha Gorman	...	Crying Woman
Nancy Carell	...	Linda
Mark Moses	...	Anchorman
Tonita Castro	...	Elsa
Leslie Murphy	...	Amy
Rob Corddry	...	Warren
Kasey Campbell	...	Danny
Melanie Lynskey	...	Karen
Vince Grant	...	Man #1 / Chip

Storyline

An asteroid named "Matilda" is on a collision course towards Earth and in three weeks the world will come to an absolute end. What would you do if your life and the world were doomed? One man decides to spend his time searching for his long lost love from high school during the coming catastrophe.

---

Plot Keywords:

end of the world | road trip | human extinction | apocalypse | reunited lovers | 

---

Taglines:

Nice knowing you.

---

Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language including sexual references, some drug use and brief violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 June 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Buscando un amigo para el fin del mundo

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,822,803, 24 June 2012, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$6,619,173, 1 July 2012

Company Credits

Production Co:

Focus Features, Mandate Pictures, Indian Paintbrush

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Datasat Dolby Digital Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steve Carell and Nancy Carell, who play husband and wife briefly in this film, are husband and wife in real life.

---

Goofs

Dodge pulls out the vinyl album "Scott", Scott Walker's first solo album. He takes record out of sleeve puts it on turntable but "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" plays. This was by The Walker Brothers and was not on the album in question. Additionally, the following song that plays "Stay With Me Baby" does not appear on the album "Scott." Nor does it appear on the album "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore." The two tracks only appear together on later released compilation albums. Coincidentally though, the first track on the album "Scott" (the one shown but not played) is "Mathilde" - an alternate spelling of Matilda - which is the name of the asteroid in the movie.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Radio Announcer: OK, what we're getting now is - yes, they're saying it was in fact a fire that erupted inside the external tank of the ship, exactly ninety-eight seconds after it entered the asteroid field. No one is sure what caused the fire which led to the massive explosion, killing all twelve crew members and scientists aboard the space shuttle Deliverance, taking with them our last and only hope. Once again, if you're just tuning in, the CSA space shuttle Deliverance has been destroyed. The ...
[...]

---

Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #20.162 (2012)

---

Soundtracks

Wouldn't It Be Nice
Written by Tony Asher, Mike Love and Brian Wilson
Performed by The Beach Boys
Courtesy of Capitol Records under license from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

So this is how it ends

Armageddon, doomsday, the final apocalypse. Ever since the beginning of time man has wondered how it will all end. Another great flood, a nuclear war or in this case an asteroid. Filmmakers have always done their best to exploit this basic fear we have of the termination of our existence in movies like Fail Safe, On The Beach and The Day After. I put this film right up there with them because of the awesome performances of Steve Carell and Keira Knightley as our hero and heroine who we know are doomed from the start. I have always admired Carell as a comic (Get Smart, Date Night). However, he proves here that he can handle drama with the rest of them as does Knightley. They both have very powerful monologues in this film where they talk of their lonely lives. Its so ironic that they both find joy and love in life when they are on the very edge of death.