Next Exit (2022) User Reviews

Misleading

[Angelino_Tuksar · 5/10 · 10 November 2022]

While it may be a mediocre existential drama it has almost nothing to do with sci-fi or mystery.

They say the journey is more important than the destination, yet in this case the journey was slow burning and boring just as the destination.

I was hoping this movie would be more in the realm of McDowell's "The Discovery". But it was not. This theme has already been exploited in many movies and TV shows so why they chose the sci-fi platform to tell a simple story that contained no exceptional emotional charge or identification with the protagonists is beyond me.

This is not a bad fim (drama), but also not a good one. For some reason I expected far more.

Not really a Sci-fi, but a premise worth watching

[dottydew · 7/10 · 14 April 2023]

Interesting premise that I can't recall being done before. Being a person who had wanted to "exit" a good portion of my earlier life, I liked how this was approached and the main character's point of view. Believable. But that's not all. There's other layers to this story and I will be watching this movie again to focus more on those.

It brought in some interesting elements/concepts. Acting was excellent, again believable. This could have gone in a couple other directions and I kind of wish it did, but all in all it was satisfying and so was the ending.

Required minimum characters is 600. Why so many? Ok, I was expecting something different from the opening scenes and was hoping it was going in that direction but it didn't.

Enjoyable Humanistic Drama, Not Sci-Fi

[zack_gideon · 7/10 · 7 November 2022]

I really liked this film. It's mis marketed and they didn't need to drum up some crazy sci fi angle at all. The acting and character development was enough for me.

I notice a lot of movies like "Smile" deal with trauma based subject matter and the deep parts of the mind that are affected by it. But they have to hook you with gimmicks instead. They didn't need that here.

The acting is really good, the ghost aspect is confusing but I think that should have been the premise not the sci-go angle. Either way it's a good film. I really was into it at the end and I've personally dealt with similar problems so it impacts me more.

Either way go into it not with sci-fi lens, but instead a humanist drama. Enjoy! 7/10.

Next Exit Isn't Worth It.

[phoenix-87937 · 1/10 · 28 October 2022]

Next Exit Isn't Worth It. And I saw it for free. They were giving away tickets for one performance, and the theater was maybe 1/3 full.

What good can I say about it? Interesting cinematographic approach in the first scene.

It is very choppy, with no clear point, message, or plot. It is various unconnected scenes joined together with no real flow between them. The heroine sells a television set, pockets the cash, and then destroys the television in front of the buyer with no clue of why. They are driving on I-40 westbound and suddenly are on a dirt road with no indication of how they got there.

Balance

[dhooghesven · 6/10 · 11 December 2022]

I came to mark this movie as viewed, when I read the reviews. Since I use other's reviews here to decide if I'm going to watch something, I feel like the current reviews paint a much to negative view of it.

The 2 lowest scores CLEARLY didn't get the movie since both give examples that are easily explained if you paid attention, but since I'm trying to do this without spoilers, you'll just have to trust me. If your idea of sci-fi is only Star Trek, you are going to have a bad time.

Technically this is sci-fi but only as an flimsy excuse for a road movie. What you get is excellent dialogue and acting with a couple charming character arcs and a healthy dose of dark humor.

It doesn't back away from the very heavy subjects but always does it so the humor and drama balance each other out. So it isn't a comedy but you'll probably won't feel like suicide afterwards either.

I would have given it a solid 7 but the ending was way to cliché and so predictable.

Don't expect a story, a mystery, spooky supernatural stuff or anything like that. This is just a movie about two souls meeting when they are going through a phase at the end of their 20's ( quarter life crisis )

Boring

[zenmateisshite · 3/10 · 25 December 2022]

The idea is interesting at the start but the characters do not fit the narrative.

They are suicidal yet they don't act like it. They maybe bipolar, or schizophrenic yet they don't act like it.

The writing is just all over the place and does not help the story line or the narrative. Seems like a few lines cobbled up together for no reason, and most of it does not make any sense.

Then there is the Indian British character whose father is an Hispanic american. I guess that could happen, but is highly improbable.

Then there's the ending. All it takes for these seemingly suicidal characters to realize that they still actually love life and that they were depressed just for a phase of their lives is: getting laid, and a psychedelic hallucinogenic trip? Jesus!

I do not recommend watching. The acting is subpar (I don't blame the actors as much as the stupid writing) and it's an overall unoriginal story.

More a humanistic comedy than a sci-fi thriller

[schreck-42434 · 6/10 · 20 March 2023]

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.

Breaks the first commandment of film making...

[A_Different_Drummer · 5/10 · 4 November 2022]

... 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))

This is not for everyone, but...

[Viking131313 · 7/10 · 7 April 2024]

If you like a good movie about people exploring their lives and mistakes, you will probably like this.

It is not even close to being a sci-fi. I really hate it when whoever determines movie categories has no clue what each category is. Just because a movie has a scientist or fantastical scientific theory, it doesn't make it sci-fi. They do the same thing if there is a fairy in it, or a witch or werewolf. Somehow the idiots in charge think that makes it sci-fi. Here's a clue, if it's about fairies, vampires, witches, etc. It's a FANTASY movie. Sci-fi requires a scientific theory that could even remotely possibly be true. Even if it is a long shot theory.

This is a drama about a couple of people and their problems. It is well written, and well acted. I enjoyed it more than I expected based on its five point whatever rating.

Next Exit is the definition of Saggy Middle Syndrome

[nyarnebbanot · 2/10 · 7 November 2022]

Next Exit is the most boring movie that starts out very promising.

In the intro we have a scene of a boy who interacts with a ghost at the foot of his bed by video camera. We are TOLD this is the cause of millions of suicides because everyone believed what they saw. They believed it through their intuition! Wooo! I don't care.

Anyway it starts out with these characters who are all feeling and no thought. This girl smashes a TV she was about to sell a man and escapes for no reason.

She realizes her friend is possessed with this suicidal ghost curse and go on a long unstimulating road trip through the midwest. Then it occurred to me what this movie was. IT'S A ROAD TRIP FILM! AHHHHH!!! This couldn't get worse.

But at least in most Road Trip films there is a stake following the protagonists. Even National Lampoons had a stake. Even Dumb and Dumber had a stake. This movie has none except for the two characters emo feelings.

The movie is rather visually boring to. I was promised a sci-fi movie but that implies it being Star Trek or what not which this is no.

Overall don't watch this movie. If you like it we can't be friends. Sorry.

The road to Damascus?

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 23 August 2023]

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.

It's really just a love story after all.

[buzz-music-49244 · 7/10 · 8 January 2024]

OK, so the premise is a bit suspect, I mean it has to be set in a parallel world that exists at the same time as this one, after all, the cars are the same, mobile phones are the same and highway motels and diners are the same but, if we accept this and just focus on the two main characters it's a road trip worth taking the journey on with them.

I'm not too sure why they chose to use Karen Gillan for her role as Dr. Stevensen as you only see her for a few separate moments on a screen within the movie and whilst I think she is a great actor; anyone could have been used in that role. Maybe she was an executive producer, who knows?

By contrast, Rahul Kohli as Teddy and Katie Parker as Rose put in excellent performances as you watch each of them dig deeper and reveal so much more about their characters.

If you decided to watch this because you found it listed under Sci-Fi then you will be disappointed, but if you accept that this isn't really what it's trying to be you will find it enjoyable, so go ahead and take at chance and watch it but be warned you need to hang in and let it unfold.

They duped us into thinking we were watching a sci-fi movie

[clspeers · 2/10 · 8 March 2023]

The premise is good. Really good. It's one of those topics that a couple friends might stay up late discussing. What would you do differently if you knew there was an afterlife? The idea also subtly showcases the nonsense of those who claim to believe in an afterlife, but are in no hurry to get there. If they really think heaven awaits, you'd think religious folks would be a lil less careful with their safety, or just outright looking to die. At any rate, that great premise is where the accolades end. About 1/4 of the way through the movie it dawned on us that we weren't watching a sci-fi flick (which is heavily implied not only by the premise, but the cover art as well). This is not a sci-fi film. It's a romance dramedy that's trying so desperately to be quirky, but is one of the most cliched, generic, and basic movies I've seen this year. We had a few moments where we paused because we were doubled over laughing at the insanity of how poorly constructed it all was. My theory is that someone who is talented came up with the idea and passed it along to a script-writer who isn't talented and makes their living by pumping out quantity over quality, like Lifetime/Hallmark movies. The lowest common denominator of audiences will like it, but most will just feel like they wasted two hours. It's a shining example of how a good idea is only the start of a successful endeavor, whether that be movies, cooking, programming, music, etc. It felt like an off-brand of movies like Garden State where two lost souls find one another while forced to share one another's company during an unconventional journey. Very heavy on the tropes. Very cringy dialogue. This is a movie where if you tried to talk to me about it as we left the theater, I would just ignore you because I'd be so embarrassed to be seen walking out of the theater. I can appreciate the premise. That's one area where Hollywood needs lots of help, and this movie got that right. It's not insanely unique, but I can't think of any other movies that tackle this topic in this way. Everything else is bottom drawer stuff, except maybe the acting which was passable, although the script was so bad you don't really notice or care. I don't review a lot of movies on here, but when I saw this had a score on the upper half of the scale, I just had to vent. Real garbage stuff. I feel like I should ask Hulu for a refund on my monthly subscription just for having to sit through this.

Doesn't take any real chances

[rmmil · 2/10 · 4 March 2023]

The premise of this film is interesting, although it completely rips off a little-watched film, "The Discovery" from 2017, that has almost an identical premise but does it in a much more interesting, realistic way (and it helps it was also better acted than this film as well).

This particular film is very typical for the genre, which I guess you could dub "low budget sci-fi", sci-fi premise with almost no special effects. They talk about a lot of interesting ideas, but there is never any payoff in these films, it ends almost as mysteriously as it began, with no real questions answered. Why do these films keep doing this?

To the screenwriter: Your film is literally about proof of the existence of the afterlife, and the social ramifications of that. You could've shown a very engrossing story that expands on that incredible concept, or, make a boring romance roadie film. Unfortunately you went with the latter.

They could've ended this film in so many more decent, less predictable ways as well. I think a more surprising ending is that she just goes to Hell. "Oh you committed suicide? Too bad, Hell for you!" I mean it's not a happy ending but at least it wouldn't be boring and bland like this one was.

Unfortunately though, this was yet another "low budget" sci-fi film too timid to take any real chances.

One final note, the sound track and sound mixing was completely off for this film as well, with it loudly blasting "scary" music randomly for absolutely no reason at all. These sound effects took me out of the film even more and gave it an extra odd cheap feel to it, like the music was trying to evoke emotions from the audience that the content had no hope to ever elicit.

It was worth it!

[ab_intra · 7/10 · 30 November 2023]

I didn't really think this was going to be a good film seeing as the premis presented wasn't interesting or groundbreaking at all, but I found it to be a very good story about being desperate and to try find a way out of a horrible mental situation where the two protagonist is willing to basically commit suicide to be "part of something great", or to be able to talk with dead relatives. It's a really emotional rollercoaster that is worth watching.

The characters is really written good and they meet themself in the door as one might day. Totally worth watching, just ignore the whole storyline with ghost and whatnot it's more of a metaphor I feel than anything.

Absolutely Terrible! Definitely NOT sci-fi

[mineerjd · 1/10 · 11 March 2023]

Hulu recommended me this movie- and I saw the sci-fi tag and figured why not. Then I saw the first part and thought this might be good, even though it was already done before with Robert Redman (WAY BETTER MOVIE). The point is, this movie was terrible. It was 100% predictable from the start. I'd like to save you all the time- just turn it on and fast forward to the end and you'll get it. There's zero back story, zero action, ZERO sci-fi, and absolutely zero point. The only good part of the film is that it tries to tell you suicide isn't worth it. (Duh).

Please don't waste your time and just watch the better movie with Robert Redman that has the same story.

Next Exit

[henry8-3 · 5/10 · 23 August 2023]

(Rose) Katie Parker and (Teddy) Rahul Kohli play two seemingly rather troubled individuals who need to get to a new science centre in San Francisco where Dr Karen Gillan has divided America by proving the existence of life after death and is seeking volunteers to essentially be euthanised so they can help explore the journey. Rose and Teddy volunteer. They must however reconsider their decision as their journey there on Route 66 gets them to reassess their lives.

Often quite funny, often heavily dramatic and not to say a bit hard to follow in places, this is a well paced, likeable yet rightly, I guess, somewhat sinister tale. Both characters have tried suicide before, both have major unresolved family issues and Rose keeps seeing the spirit of her dead mother (spooky). Well done and we'll acted - not sure I wholly bought into the notion and the mumbling rather irked.

LOVE the idea & story, but 10 minutes in, the crappy Hitchcock type music BLOWS!

[pdxlad · 4/10 · 9 March 2023]

Tick tock... watch out behind the dark closet door little boy. The boogie DAD is gonna get you.

The silly Hitchcock'ian music and story telling is blowing this film. Arrrrgh! Can't believe the writer put up with this terrible soundtrack and boo ideology. I like the actors THAT'S WHY I'm even watching this.

Tick Tick dong, Tick Tick toe (insert loud over dramatic music here) and you are probably just as triggered as the rest of us are. Spoiler, let's all go kill ourselves now that life is too tough, after all we can still be a ghost with physical touching abilities to interact with living family numbers in the here and now...bleh.

Not technically a Sci-Fi but hear me out.

[mckludge2002 · 8/10 · 13 March 2023]

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.

Snooze

[superfox_888 · 2/10 · 10 February 2024]

The main problem with this film is that it's super boring. What starts as an interesting and promising premise turns into a road trip love story with no relation to the premise.

...which is fine, but the movie is sold on a lie and it is so boring. The two leads meander along, throw in some conflict and some lovin', and they think it's enough to keep viewers interested. Dear reader, it is not.

The cast is let down by a poor story, inane dialogue, and an idea that love can conquer all. (It cannot.)

Recommended if you've got nothing better to watch, like love stories, or appreciate the subtleties of the human condition.

Massive missed opportunities and boring, charicatured stereotypes overshadow above average cinematography and acting.

[squiresk · 3/10 · 15 February 2024]

🤑 Masterpiece:

• Missing

👍 Good:

• Overall cinematography
• Lead acting performances
• Character progression

😐 Meh:

• Moral commentary is average and predictable
• Maybe mildly lowers mental illness stigma

😬 Yikes:

• Massive missed opportunity to explore controversy of "Death with Dignity" and whether it should apply to those with depression, PTSD, grief, etc.

• Numerous missed opportunities to explore important existential questions
• Abundant exaggerated stereotypes make for boring and nearly non-sensical social interactions. The amount of caricature borders on satire, which does not seem to be the aim of the movie at all.

🤔 Watch Next:

• The Babadook (2014) (For those wanting more "psychological horror")
• Melancholia (2011) (For those wanting more "sci-fi" and/or "existential" themes)

😡 Jump scares:

• 2-3, with other mildly startling moments throughout

🤓 Special Notes: The amount of opportunities this movie missed out on is unfortunate. Narrowing the focus to only several of the many themes/devices used in the film would have provided a more cohesive narrative. It is no surprise to find out Mali Elfman wrote this over the course of 10 years during conflicted times in her life.

Missed opportunity

[SoumikBanerjee1996 · 5/10 · 6 April 2024]

Notwithstanding my overall opinion, it's indeed a fascinating concept.

I, for one, have always wondered about the possibility of an afterlife. In my teenage years I used to ponder, What if scientists, professionals researching in the field, suddenly get their hands on some concrete evidence, some irrefutable proof about life after death?

What would it be like to live in a world knowing that death wouldn't mean the end of it; it would all just be a transitional phase, merely a point of our existence from where we can start afresh?

"Next Exit" came real close to exploring those ideas in a way I crave, yes I used the term 'close' because if judged on the whole, the film did flounder its golden opportunity to be something significant, and the main reason behind its inefficacy was the human drama, or rather the faltering nature of it.

Now, I'm not blaming the actors; both Katie and Rahul tried their best, but the characters, particularly the way in which they were written. I could not sympathise with either of the leads, and that left me in a difficult situation because I really wanted to care, and to be honest, for these stories to work properly, it was imperative for me to build a connection, which I couldn't, and that's unfortunate.

Haunting of Next Life (without a Manor)

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 16 September 2022]

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.

Wow, What a Surprise! NOT A Rom-Com at ALL.

[setgetsiin · 10/10 · 29 April 2023]

At first, I thought this was the other movie about proven afterlife (Rooney Mara is in it, along with Riley Keough and Robert Redford)...I distinctly wasn't a big fan of that flick despite two of my favorite actresses being in it, so was a little worried that this might have the same effect. I can say without a shadow of a doubt, it did NOT. Very happy about that.

Someone complained that this movie wasn't about the actual "science" of the afterlife, that this is a colossal movie faux pas--well, honey, there already IS a movie about the "science" of it and it stunk--so that theory obviously isn't a 100% of a "science." ha

And that is not to say a movie WELL DONE with the topic isn't a huge draw: It is. So...moving along...

Sometimes, it IS the journey that is the best part of the experience. The people that they meet, it is always very unexpected, how it turns out. I think that's the point of this movie...things are not always what they seem. The poor guy at the bar, omg, I was sobbing (sorry if that is a spoiler). The main actress is beating herself up the entire time--only to find out that her crime was already forgiven. I knew who was haunting our lead actress, long before that scene, but I wasn't sure why.

Anyway, I really really loved this movie. I was hoping it was NOT a typical Rom Com, and it most certainly wasn't--I'm not a fan of those. This was complex (to me), we got some peeks of Hell from various characters.

The thing I hated the most about this movie was Karen Gillan's voice. There's a limited series out there called The Dropout w/Amanda Seyfried. The character is Elizabeth Holmes who (painfully) tried to lower/deepen her voice and it's obnoxious and...humiliating. Karen Gillan sounds like this. Trying waaay too hard to deepen her voice to the point of it being embarrassing. So I hope she stops doing that/only did it for this movie. Utterly repellant.

The forgotten art of giving up - in wolf's hide.

[krabat-0 · 9/10 · 21 January 2023]

The first 3 minutes, leaving the door ajar, boy meeting dead loved one.

A lot of movies today are mixing tropes like mad in order to tell a story in a NEW way, not dissolving or challenging tropes, but increasingly dissolving genres.

I never did like genres anyway, even if "science fiction" as a genre has been my guiding star towards a good many movies that had nothing to do with science and much much more with making the future a SPACE, where some desired things would become possible, other things freekin obvious, and all the rest just inevitable (says fears and projection). The future is a great place to be. And an even better transit station for even better things to come. Or worse, if you are into that. I am not.

I like a good yarn. And this is a good yarn:

"I can promise you there is something after dying, come see for yourself, we are all about science". And so people do, the leads do, and as we know: Forced travel brings people together, who would never have given each other the time of day.

There is so much grief in the world presently. Things we though over are not over, things we hoped to stop seem unstoppable, we are not sacred as a species, nor holy or evil, or even thoughtless - the universe, or simply life and climactic functions on earth, only has one way of expressing reaction to our disruption of evolutionary rules and that is reacting to disruption like a child rather than intention or logic reacts to intention with great precision, if permitted...

It is a painful movie for me. They are both beautiful, and become even more so, through their acts of love and courage, and when forgiven, we are right there forgiving them too-

THIS is what we want: Loving and being forgiven and forgive and love, to not give up..