How It Ends (Movie Review)

What would you do if you had one day left on Earth? Then, what would you do if EVERYONE had only one day left? What would your last day on Earth look like if you could schedule it out? What if we knew the end was coming?

In How It Ends, the new feature film from Zoe Lister-Jones, who runs Mister Lister Productions with her husband Daryl Wein, the end of the world looks different than we’ve seen before. Liza (Lister-Jones) isn’t interested in going to any of the big End-of-the-World parties that her friends are throwing; instead, she wants to simply spend the day at home. But her younger self won’t let her. In the world of the film, Liza’s younger self is literally personified in the film by actor Cailee Spaeny. She can speak and interact with the environment., But there’s a catch: no one else can see her. Well, mostly.

The interaction between the two versions of Liza is really heartwarming and lovely. Lister-Jones manages to put her finger on something that many of us have likely thought about, and the relationship hits a perfect note. The movie immediately feels relatable, as though we each have a younger version of ourselves to keep us honest. Young Liza wants to go to the parties, she wants to live it up while they still can, and she talks a reluctant Liza into spending the day making amends before culminating at her friend’s soirée.

How It Ends unspools like a rambling road movie where Liza and her younger self wander around LA on foot, hopping from one goofy interaction to another. This structure and the film’s accomplished supporting cast make for a star-studded romp. Bradley Whitford plays Liza’s father, Olivia Wilde plays an old friend that Liza hurt and became estranged from, and Nick Kroll plays a lonely man who buys out the entire dispensary for the end of the world. If you’re a fan of a particular brand of Hollywood folks, this movie feels like walking through an interactive improv show, where actors and comedians you love appear for a few minutes to play a kooky character before disappearing just as quickly as they arrived. A particular favorite of mine is Paul W. Downs (who many will recognize as Abby’s boss from Broad City) who plays an ex of Liza’s who is now a sex therapist who spends his last day on Earth scantily clad and enjoying the sunshine.

This movie really worked for me, but it will likely be frustrating or boring to some. How It Ends isn’t really a horror film; there are no scares to be had, in the traditional sense. Rather the film addresses the existential dread that many of us live with on a daily basis. While we may not have an exact date, and the threat isn’t as discreet as an oncoming impact, we do live on a planet that is suffering the effects of climate change, with people in power who seem to care little to stop it. But How It Ends takes on these fears with a whimsical and rose-colored lens. This movie is a great fit for an afternoon with some friends and some (legal) weed. Since there isn’t an asteroid plummeting towards us, give this movie a shot. You’ve got time.

Screened as a part of the 2021 SXSW Online Film Festival