The Discovery

The idea behind the premise of The Discovery is an interesting one but its implementation isn't as refined as expected and only works in bits n pieces. It's a thoughtful feature that experiments with existential elements and poses some intriguing questions but it neither presents it in a convincing manner nor remains thoroughly gripping.

Set in the near-future, the story of The Discovery takes place in a world where suicide rate is at an all-time high after a scientist's breakthrough research proved the existence of an afterlife. The plot follows his son who is skeptical of his father's discovery and a mysterious young woman he meets on a ferry who wants to find out more about the afterlife.

Co-written & directed by Charlie McDowell, the film opens with a prologue that skilfully sets up the future the rest of the plot unfolds in. For a while, it appears as if the director is taking more time to properly establish the characters & explore the metaphysical elements but the longer it continues to ponder over the same stuff, the more tedious it becomes.

The script is where the problem lies, for the brilliant hypothesis that the writers came up with isn't meticulously explored as if they couldn't figure out what to do with it, plus none of the characters inhabiting its future-setting are compelling enough. The plot wrapped around its theory begins on a promising note but by the time it ends, it finds itself in a familiar territory.

The cold colour palette, overcast ambiance & muted textures evoke a grim, hopeless future which fits the story requirements. Pacing is an issue as the movie plods through its 102 minutes runtime before concluding with a rushed ending. Rooney Mara, Robert Redford & Jesse Plemons play their part well but Jason Segel is severely miscast, and his chemistry with Mara is absolutely flat.

On an overall scale, The Discovery is one of those sci-fi flicks that teases with a fascinating idea but is unable to fill a compact & captivating narrative structure around it. Deficient in storytelling department and further marred by its cluelessness & lack of vision, it is a dull & sterile mess that had the opportunity to offer a sensory & stimulating experience but what it ultimately delivers is a cinematic ride that's as frustrating as it is hollow.

There are a number of good things that can be said about Netflix's "The Discovery": It is good to see Netflix tackling big-budget, dramatic/sci-fi fare. It's encouraging that actors with the reputation such as Robert Redford has are now willing to work with the premiere streaming service. Plus, "The Discovery" actually has a germ of a really great idea at its core. Unfortunately, however, the film never really comes together like it should, essentially wasting that inventive idea with clunky acting and even worse pacing.

For a basic plot summary, "The Discovery" takes place in a future where noted scientist Thomas (Redford) has definitively proved the existence of an afterlife. The problem? Now people are committing suicide by the millions knowing that "something else" is beyond this mortal coil. The next logical step for Thomas, then? Discovering exactly what this afterlife consists of. This is where his son Will (Jason Segel) comes into the picture, visiting the scientist for the first time since a major falling-out to try and convince him to scrap the entire project. Along the way, younger son Toby (Jesse Plemons) chooses sides, while Will finds a mysterious woman (played by Rooney Mara) who has her own relationship with the "discovery".

Like I said, the concept behind this film is fascinating: What would happen if the afterlife were proved scientifically? Also, and I won't give away spoilers here, but even the research into what that afterlife consists of is fascinating in what it entails.

Unfortunately, though, the film is only a middling effort because of two glaring missteps that drag down the whole production:

1. The romance angle between Will & Isla. If you've seen the film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", that one nails this dynamic much better. In "Discovery", however, there is just no reason to believe that these two will fall in love, much less how that angle comes to dominant much of the film's runtime.

2. Perhaps better acting would have saved that romance angle, but alas it wasn't to be found here. Mara is much too bland as Isla, while Segel is terribly miscast as the lead. More than blank, brooding stares were needed for the role, but that is all Segel seems to be able to provide here. Redford is his usually solid self, and Plemmons steals the show from time to time, but other than that none of the other acting performances are above average (with some being quite below that line).

So, while "The Discovery" is a film that I really want to like more than 5-stars out of 10, the end product just isn't worthy of anything more. Had the sci-fi aspect been the focus throughout, I think that would have improved things considerably. A better, less confusing ending would have helped as well. As it stands, though, "Discovery" comes off as a very second-rate "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" clone. Netflix may be taking strides in the right direction when it comes to original feature films, but there is still a ways to go to compete with the big studios.

Talk about a wasted opportunity.

A fine cast led by the underrated Jason Segal (still doing his best to break out from his How I Met Your Mother persona and delivering a so-so turn when you look back at his role in End of the Tour) and backed up by Rooney Mara, Robert Redford and one of the finest supporting players going around Jason Plemon's isn't enough to save Charlie McDowell's Netflix original Sci-Fi/Drama The Discovery from a disappointing result and ending its runtime as one of the most frustratingly forgettable films in many a moon.

The core idea behind The Discovery, that Redford's scientist Thomas Harber has discovered evidence of a confirmed afterlife, leading to a world in which the suicide rates have ramped up to epidemic levels with Harber then working on a secret project that looks to record this afterlife for those alive to witness is a fantastic one and an idea that strikes up many a various conversation point but McDowell's film which ends up being more of an unbelievable romance between Segal's charisma free Will and Mara's mumbling and emo Isla than anything else feels unable to make the most of its idea.

Perhaps hampered by budget restraint's (although this hardly seems to be a problem for Netflix originals these days) or perhaps just a lack of overall vision. The Discovery showcases glimmers of what could be in stall for us whether it's the oft mentioned suicides, the cult like following Harber has garnered thanks to his work or Will's and Isla's investigation into a possible glimpse of the afterlife they have recorded but all these intriguing elements are quickly swept under the rug and while the film's final reveal makes the journey feel more rewarding than it actually is, you can't help but escape the feeling The Discovery has short-changed its viewers with a mediocre effort of a far more interesting story.

It's great seeing Netflix continue to invest in unique and original film properties but The Discovery will be marked down as one of their clear failures and while this intellectual thinking man's Sci-Fi has moments of greatness, overall this emotionally void experience is one of the dominate companies worst original studio efforts this side of their Sandler "comedies".

2 bunk beds out of 5

What a waste. The concept and overall story were fantastic. Unfortunately, that is where Netflix is showing its limits with Originals and the sub-par, lazy writing and directing that is barely above novice level. Even the great cast giving their best are unable to save it. This could have been an amazing, smart and original movie but ends up falling flat.

They bait you into thinking that this will provide for some interesting ideas for you to reflect on, but nope.

The main problem is that the story doesn't hold. I mean, the message of the movie is good and inspiring, but the story is just a mess that is full of holes.

They just took one good old movie and re-told it slightly adjusting the focus. I won't spoil it for you so check this out if you're interested anyways.

But be warned, this movie is slow and packs quite a run time. What's more interesting is that they actually stretch it out intentionally, it has a lot of unnecessary scenes they should've cut and it wouldn't hurt the movie. Probably they had a run time to meet or something.

The dialogue is often forced, some scenes are written so badly they are barely believable. Also, the lead seriously underperforms, his acting is unconvincing and he is unable to deliver emotional moments (you'll see).

If you're a hardcore sci-fi fan, the ending will disappoint you (mostly because of how random it is). But you will know long before that the movie is going nowhere.