Sunday brunch turns chaotic for four couples when a hazmat-clad neighbour informs them of a deadly chemical explosion in the local area in this comedic take on the nuclear apocalypse theme starring David Cross. The finer details of the disaster remain scarce and special effects are minimal as the action is appropriately confined to the house where the couples are brunching and are forced to process the news with a mix of fear, doubt and disbelief. In a clever touch, the news coincides with the hosting couple announcing that they are splitting up and as such the film is both literally and metaphorically about how the characters' lives fall apart as a result of their shock announcement. Not all of the comedy works with lines regarding the TV show 'The Wire' and angels playing harps worth little more than a chuckle, however, there are some excellent black comedy moments in the mix. Most memorably, a fifth couple (who arrive late and are possibly infected) are told "maybe you should learn to show up to things on time!" with the other four couples refusing to let them in. Character development is likewise a little uneven with an out of the blue twist regarding Cross in the final twenty minutes which never quite rings true, but the performers all do well with the material that they have. The film is topped off with a surefire memorable ending; it is a divisive conclusion by all accounts, but one that is neatly foreshadowed early on with a comment regarding Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. On a side note, the film also boasts one of coolest posters of recent time.
Review of It's a Disaster
