A year ago, it really did feel like the world was falling apart and maybe an asteroid hitting Earth would have been a good thing. The world was in the midst of a global pandemic and the US was experiencing the most toxic Presidential campaign in the history of the country. This is on top of the protests against racism and various other issues going on. And in the new film, “How It Ends,” it’s clear the filmmakers were pulling from real life to gain inspiration for the end-of-the-world comedy.
READ MORE: ‘How It Ends’: The Film You Worried Covid Might Produce Is Here [Sundance Review]
As seen in the trailer for “How It Ends,” we are introduced to a woman (Zoe Lister-Jones) who is going through her final day on Earth (the world is ending, wouldn’t ya know?) by trying to make amends with the various people in her life. She’s joined by a metaphysical representation of her younger self (Cailee Spaeny) who tries to guide her through the final moments.
In addition to Lister-Jones and Spaeny, the film has an incredible ensemble cast of funny folks including (deep breath) Olivia Wilde, Fred Armisen, Whitney Cummings, Charlie Day, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Helen Hunt, Nick Kroll, Lamorne Morris, Bradley Whitford, Colin Hanks, Tawny Newsome, Finn Wolfhard, Logan Marshall-Green, Bobby Lee, Glenn Howerton, Ayo Edebiri, Sharon Van Etten, Paul W. Downs, Raymond Cham Jr., Angelique Cabral, Rob Huebel, Paul Scheer, and Pauly Shore.
Lister-Jones not only stars in the film, but she also co-wrote and co-directed the feature alongside Daryl Wein. The filming, as is pretty evident in the trailer, took place during the pandemic, which allowed for the cast to show up in little segments (socially distanced, of course).
“How It Ends” arrives in select theaters and VOD on July 20. You can watch the trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
In this feel good apocalyptic comedy, freewheeling Liza (Zoe Lister-Jones) scores an invite to one last wild party before the world ends. But making it there won’t be easy, after her car is stolen, and the clock is ticking on her plan to tie up loose ends with friends and family. Accompanied by her younger self (Cailee Spaeny), Liza embarks on a hilarious journey across Los Angeles, running into an eclectic cast of characters.