How It Ends

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How It Ends

R

2021

1h 22m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

69%

Tomatometer

78 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

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.

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Critics Consensus

It can feel more like a collection of skits than a cohesive story, but How It Ends is a comedic vision of the apocalypse with fleeting moments of brilliance.

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Angie Han

FilmWeek (LAist)

07/23/2021

The comedy worked for me fitfully; the drama didn't work for me at all.

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Claudia Puig

FilmWeek (LAist)

07/23/2021

An amiable and appealing little comedy. It's sweet, sometimes a little melancholy, and sometimes hopeful.

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Teo Bugbee

New York Times

07/22/2021

The film plays as a series of perfectly enjoyable sketches strung together, an excuse for veteran actors to chew on playful dialogue.

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Brittany Patrice Witherspoon

Pop Culture Reviews

07/15/2024

3.5/5

If there was ever a perfect time for Lister-Jones and Wein’s feature How it Ends, it would be now.

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Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

02/13/2024

Both an extremely dry, metaphysical comedy about coming to terms with yourself at the end of the world and an incredibly sharp satire about the vapidness of many Los Angelenos.

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Ilan Preskovsky

Channel24 (South Africa)

07/31/2023

4/5

But necessity is the mother of invention, and Lister-Jones (who is wonderful in the lead role – as is Cailee Spaeny as her younger self) and Wein have made brilliant use of those very restrictions to create something that feels genuinely quite unique.

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C B

@RT03025588 01/04/2025

Zoe Lister-Jones is excellent, as is Cailee Spaeny as Zoe's younger/inner self, who I feel has been miscast in other films where she portrays an adult. In real life, most people would feel too bummed-out to go to an "end of the world" party but this idea sometimes works in a comedy. Would the main character's family and friends all live within walking distance of her in Los Angeles? Olivia Wilde looks really attractive in this movie.

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Steven S

@jhksauser 11/30/2024

Some of the scenes seemed not needed or out of place but the overall feel and message were great.

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romina r

@RT21601320 03/14/2024

the sunshine and the empty (lockdown) streets make it really beautiful to look at

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Mark F

@RT10238533 07/28/2023

I love this movie. I have seen it twice, and will no doubt see it many more times in the future. The journey taken by the main character/s is funny, poignant, off the wall and also very touching in parts. The cast is amazing and there is literally never a dull moment. Highly recommend.

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Margaret F

@RT10667978 05/10/2023

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It is an odyssey through the neighborhoods of Los Angeles for a woman at the end of life on earth as we know it (a comet is to hit the earth in the morning). Like Ulysses, she meets up with a variety of different characters, each handling the situation in unique and strange ways. Almost perfect, maybe so slow? I appreciated her sidekick as well. No spoilers, please watch.

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Steven G

@DongLord69 05/01/2023

If you appreciate the true art of writing, you will love this film. Sure, it's not your typical end of the world film, but what it offers is far more heart felt and introspective than any typical "end of the world movie." This is the type of film that forces you to reflect on yourself and what you find important via satirical comedy and an incredibly well written script. Phenomenal acting brings it all together. Side note: this film is not for narcissists lol

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Zoe Lister Jones

Director

Daryl Wein

Director

Cailee Spaeny

Young Liza

Olivia Wilde

Ala

Fred Armisen

Manny

Helen Hunt

Liza's Mom

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How It Ends: Trailer 1

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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.

Director: Zoe Lister Jones, Daryl Wein
Producer: Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister Jones
Screenwriter: Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister Jones
Distributor: MGM
Production Co: Mister Lister Films
Rating: R (Sexual Reference|Language Throughout|Drug Material)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 20, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 20, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.9K
Runtime: 1h 22m

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