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If the world was going to end tomorrow, what would you do? For Liza (Zoe Lister-Jones) It’s staying in and getting high with her metaphysical younger self (Cailee Spaeny). But after running into a lost romantic partner, Liza decides for her last day she is going to tackle the tough conversations in her life with the people she loves, while running into strange yet charming characters along the way. ‘How It Ends’ is a fun, charming, and cathartic look at the world with striking similarities to the current situation the world finds itself in.
Off the bat, (no pun intended) It should be mentioned that this was filmed during the pandemic in LA, however it’s commendable to both directors Zoe Lister-Jones & Daryl Wein that if you had woken up 4 year from now and popped this movie into their tv, they would not notice. The story is a complete parallel to the worlds response to COVID-19, but rather than continuously remind you of how hard it is to live during a disaster, the film takes a comedic approach that works really well.
Zoe Lister-Jones was great as Liza as well as Cailee Spaeny. Their chemistry and back and forth was magnetic and they really were able to channel each others similarities to appear like they are the same person, just with an age difference. There are many, MANY supporting characters that are all in the comedic sphere and that only enhances the story. Some of the scenes in which there is clearly more improvising than scripted dialogue was often funny but some moments could’ve been omitted or shortened for the sake of the story.
‘How it Ends’ may poke fun at the times we are in but it also shares an important message of self-acceptance. throughout the film Liz is saying how alone she is, but when her younger self reminds her that she is there with her, she shrugs it off saying “You don’t count”. How often I’ve found myself not counting myself as a friend, a support system, an advocate. It’s a powerful message wrapped in a comedic package that I think alot of people watching can appreciate.
Overall, I had a great time watching ‘How it Ends’. There is a few comedic scenes that will make you laugh and a strong message of self-love. There are moments that could be shaved down and there are some side quests that seem to go nowhere looking back at the entire story, but still I’d say go check this out!