Here’s the thing, Adam McKay’s star studded Don’t Look Up aces the absurd comedy but fumbles the dire drama. This is quite the ambitious film, one that tackles some very big (not to mention timely) issues. Everything from science denial to political interference is given the spotlight here, but I’m not sure the intended “messages” have much of an impact when all is said and done. The fault seems to lie in the tone, which veers from sensible and thought provoking to silly and obscure. The comedy is very similar to that found in shows the likes of Mike Judge’s Silicon Valley. Heck, there’s even some observational humour reminiscent of Seinfeld. The problem is, it gets too silly for its own good. Helping things along though, is the much-lauded A-list cast, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep really pulling their weight. Streep is especially amusing as the President, clearly taking inspiration from ‘ol Trumpster. The rest of the cast sadly gets lost in the shuffle (Timothée Chalamet is all but wasted in a “late in the game” arrival). As for our director, McKay has peppered the movie with his trademark stylized editing splashes, this time it is nature in all its glory. It’s all one big attempt to make us appreciate (and protect) what we have. Sadly, it only half works. But hey – at least we get some decent laughs out of it.