Evelyn and her oblivious son Ziggy seek out replacements for each other as Evelyn desperately tries to parent an unassuming teenager at her shelter, while Ziggy fumbles through his pursuit o... Read allEvelyn and her oblivious son Ziggy seek out replacements for each other as Evelyn desperately tries to parent an unassuming teenager at her shelter, while Ziggy fumbles through his pursuit of a brilliant young woman at school.Evelyn and her oblivious son Ziggy seek out replacements for each other as Evelyn desperately tries to parent an unassuming teenager at her shelter, while Ziggy fumbles through his pursuit of a brilliant young woman at school.
- Awards
- 1 nomination total
- Politician
- (as Marika Sayers)
- Bandana Guy
- (as Adrian Gallegos)
- Marci
- (as Jordyn Aurora Aquino)
Featured reviews
Why does it seem that the newfound subgenre "cringeworthy" seems to be relegated to comedy? This one may have broken the mold. When You Finish Saving The World is most certainly a drama, and one that made me want to crawl out of my skin.
As two generations of misguided self-do-gooding profiteers of ego poke at each other's motives while simultaneously pretending the other does not exist, the damage they do to themselves and their own self image is a big pill to swallow.
This is a well acted, no budget watchable train wreck to which you just might relate.
Check it out. It's pretty funny.
The biggest issue with this film is the way the characters are written and developed. Instead of offering any relatable qualities or depth, both Ziggy and Evelyn (along with most of the supporting characters) feel like hollow, over-the-top versions of real people. Their personalities are frustratingly one-dimensional, almost to the point of parody. It's hard to watch their interactions without feeling an overwhelming sense of cringe and discomfort. While some films successfully use exaggerated characters to make a point or add humor, When You Finish Saving the World doesn't manage to do either. The characters lack any redeeming qualities that would make their quirks engaging or their struggles emotionally resonant.
The story flows naturally within its own twisted reality, but that only seems to exacerbate the disconnect between the characters and the audience. While the movie may have intended to explore the complexities of familial relationships or generational differences, it instead feels like an exercise in frustration. The characters' interactions are more likely to elicit eye-rolls or exasperation than any sort of emotional engagement. Watching the film, it's hard to imagine anyone feeling anything other than discomfort or irritation at the exaggerated and often unlikable personalities on display.
By the end, I found myself wondering what the film was trying to achieve. While it flows easily enough within its strange, unrealistic world, the lack of believable character development made it impossible for me to become invested in the story. Instead of walking away with any sense of connection or reflection, I was left feeling mostly frustrated and disengaged.
In conclusion, When You Finish Saving the World struggles with the same issue that plagues many films-it offers characters that feel like overblown versions of real people, but with none of the relatability or charm needed to make them work. Despite its natural flow, the film is more likely to evoke cringe than anything else. I give it a 5 out of 10.
The two leads are almost too good at nailing their characters and how they deliver every single line of dialogue. Julianne Moore is very convincing as someone who is way too literal and spends most of her day checked out until she finds something to obsess over and then goes too far in the other direction. Finn Wolfhard is equally convincing as an awkward self-obsessed teenager and it says a lot that their best scene together is without dialogue.
It's really impressive how obvious it is that this has been written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg. The intentionally awkward and specific dialogue matches some of his previous performances as well as fitting the tone. There's a few nice shots but this is a film that puts performances front and centre. However, his greatest strength as writer & director is in how satisfying the ending is as everything finally goes quiet and lets a moment sink in.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe movie is based off the Audible Original, "When You Finish Saving the World", which was also written by Jesse Eisenberg. The audio drama was released in August 4, 2020 and featured Finn Wolfhard, Kaitlyn Dever, and Jesse Eisenberg narrating as Ziggy Katz, Rachel Katz, and Nathan Katz, respectively.
- Quotes
Ziggy: I'll have a logically good thought but my feeling is still bad and that just kills me because that means my thoughts and my feelings are disconnected and I could be the most popular songwriter in the world but it still won't solve any real problems. Because no matter what I do in this world, I'll always kinda have a lingering pain
- ConnectionsReferenced in OWV Updates: The Seventh OWV Awards - Last Update of 2022 (2022)
- SoundtracksFrederic Chopin's Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 28, No. 10: Allegro Molto
Written by Frédéric Chopin
Performed by Tzvi Erez
Courtesy of NiV Classical
- How long is When You Finish Saving the World?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Cuando termines de salvar el mundo
- Filming locations
- Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA(Filming City)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $196,920
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $133,393
- Jan 22, 2023
- Gross worldwide
- $196,920
- Runtime1 hour 28 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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