Skip to main content

Leave The World Behind (2023)

 

Leave the World Behind is about two rich families having to stay together during a Fire Sale.

Written and directed by Sam Esmail, the film leaves you wondering just what is going on throughout the film. The ending doesn't satisfy and you're just left with an okay feeling. I expected more out of the Mr. Robot showrunner but then again the ending is very nilistic which makes sense from his pessimistic perspective. 

Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke play the couple on vacation, staying at a BNB. Turns out the BNB is owned by Mahershala Ali's character who is played at first as a mysterious character with many circumstantial and coincidental excuses to force the audience to think he's lying. Ali and Roberts had the best acting in the film as Hawke went through the motions a tad. 

There are children in the film. Myha'la plays the annoying and angsty teen which seems like an over-the-top character in how she's written. I don't really remember her character in the movie Dumb Money and I haven't seen how she acts in interviews to know if she was just playing herself, but she really made the audience dislike her which was what the intention was. 

The film tries to be more than it is but kept my attention for sure. Result: C+

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One  has a long name, long runtime, and long action sequences. Christopher McQuarrie  has directed Tom Cruise  in 4 out of his 5 directorial movies, the first being Jack Reacher . He has much more impressive writing credentials. But to talk about the direction of the movie, he knows how to direct action and chase scenes but when it comes to dialogue there were some issues I had with camera angles. I totally forgot that McQuarrie  had written The Usual Suspects,  which can explain some of the dialogue choices in this film. He knows how to write so that the audience remembers the characters' names, unlike Tony Gilroy . There's no connection there I just think that's one of my major criticisms of Gilroy. Tom Cruise looks like he's forty years old, but is actually sixty at the time of release. He has some great two-liners which seem to be more of his go-to, not only for adding emotions but for the trailer purpose. There are ...

Scream 7

Scream 7 (2026) marks the return of Kevin Williamson , the original writer of Scream , now stepping back in to write and direct. The result is a sequel that feels closer in spirit to the franchise’s roots. It balances meta commentary with straightforward slasher brutality and, for the most part, it works. Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott and immediately grounds the film. Her presence alone gives the story weight, and the script wisely centers her instead of sidelining her. There are a few cameos from figures in Sidney’s past that longtime fans will appreciate, and while some feel more nostalgic than necessary, they never fully derail the pacing. Also, she's not past her prime. Isabel May , known for 1883 and Alexa & Katie , steps into a major role and holds her own as Sidney's daughter. She brings a modern energy without feeling like a forced replacement, and her dynamic with Campbell adds tension that feels organic rather than manufactured. The violence is tu...

Crime 101 (2026)

Crime 101 (2026) is a crime thriller that checks the basic boxes of what should work, but the writing never tightens enough to make it compelling. It hits familiar beats, runs longer than it should, and never quite earns its tension. It feels like a good movie outline stretched into a full runtime. Bart Layton , known for American Animals and The Imposter , directs, and his uneven filmography shows here. The structure is serviceable, but the pacing drags and the scenes lack urgency. The direction is competent without being memorable, and the film never finds a sharp identity. Chris Hemsworth , known for Thor and Extraction , plays the reclusive criminal at the center of the story. He tries to lean into a quieter, more internal performance, but he does not fully sell the damaged foster child mentality the script is aiming for. The performance feels like an attempt rather than a transformation. Mark Ruffalo , recognized for Spotlight and The Avengers , feels like he is on autopilo...