Next Exit

Imagine a world where life after death is a proven fact, people are literally killing themselves to move onto the next stage. Strangers Rose and Teddy are thrown together as they journey to a suicide clinic.

I didn't particularly have high hopes, but I ended up thoroughly enjoying it, what a strangely captivating and original movie, I found this a very engaging watch.

I found the story really intriguing, the whole topic of assisted dying is definitely a hot topic at the moment. The dialogue is excellent, it forces you to think of all sorts of scenarios and moral issues.

Katie Parker does a great job as Rose, she's an interesting character with several layers, she's very frosty initially (not surprising really,) she certainly grows as the film progresses.

I think a fair amount of my enjoyment came from the brilliant acting of Rahul Kohli, one of those actors that does a real variety of roles, and always nails it.

8/10.

Do not expect aliens, monsters, scientific theories or thrilling action scenes. Yes, the movie begins with a wonderful sci-fi premise - similar to those in Kurt Vonnegut tales - that life after death is real (for some people), but this is not a ghost thriller. However, like all great sci-fi from Frankenstein to The Thing to Hellboy to Avatar, this movie explores the issues of "the nature of human life' and "what is it that haunts us." It is a slow burn, ok, but it fills the slow spaces with realistic, natural humor. The acting is superb. The directing and script are compelling. The pay-off at the end is satisfying. You don't even need the "sci-fi premise," because everyday my true-believer Christian friends try to convince me that the afterlife is real. So, I ask ... why not die and move on to "the better place?" I enjoyed seeing these characters trying to explore their reasons for dying and their reasons for living. I can't give it a 7, but it deserves more than a 6. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by this one.

... which is never make a promise to the audience that you can't deliver on. The first 3 minutes of this film sets up a premise so outrageously compelling that it would not surprise me if another film-maker grabs it and makes a proper movie about it down the road. However, and this is the point, Mali Elfman, the first-time Director of Next Exit, does nothing with it. Just sort of leaves it hanging, a constant reminder for the audience of what this movie could have been. That said, this is a not-bad road movie, and a so-so rom-com, but any attempt to call this science fiction is stretching it. The kind of film where, if you were flying NY to London, you might get hooked somewhere over the Atlantic. Maybe. And, oh yeah. Elfman has this really weird talent for repeatedly miscasting former model Karen Gillan (of Dr Who fame). Elfman produced THE PARTY IS JUST BEGINNING, 2018, where Gillan was so off-character it seemed as though she was deliberately trying to implode her own career. In this film, she is barely recognizable. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

No pun intended - yes the two main actors played key roles in a Mike Flannigan show. Actually the male lead was also quite impactful in Midnight Mass - and will be in the next show of Flannigan too. So no surprise he got thanked in the credits.

Maybe because the two seem very comfortable with each other. And when I say that, I don't mean they hit it off as characters, but their chemistry is really something to behold. A road movie can get boring or stall at some point. I never felt that there was a chance of that happening here.

And that is a testament to the movie, script, director but also the actors of course. There are episodes on the road and there is the goal they want to reach. The goal that includes Karen Gillian - another collaborator from Flannigans past (Oculus, highly recommended), though you may know her from the MCU as Nebula.

But again the main focus is the duo and their journey. The dialog feels fresh and real - the characters while flawed and on a self destructive trip do connect with the viewer. Really well made and while it may not really answer questions about after life (or maybe it does for you?), it is more than worth a watch.

Don't go into watching this like you think you're going to be watching a Sci-Fi because you won't be. It's a Sci-Fi a solely based on the fact that the two are traveling across the States to participate in an afterlife study. The ending contains a little bit of afterlife content, but not as much as one would think this movie would contain.

The movie is still good if you like dramadies, if you enjoyed chemistry between characters in movies like Palm Springs and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (both actual Sci-Fi) you'll probably enjoy this film.

It's a solid movie, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It made me laugh it made me cry and the acting was brilliant. Give it a chance.