User reviews

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 )

... 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))

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The thing that disappointed me most about this movie is how it portrays people who have lost the reason to keep going; rather than seeking to understand them better, it presents them as unbridled rebels who have the problem with the whole world and everyone in it, representing zero values, where life is a single-use, discardable shopping bag. And of course as soon as "maybe" some real life value comes up, the plot makes a 180 degree shift, highlighting how the whole thing is a problem with the very people who want an out.

I watched this movie hoping it would actually portray the struggle of people who really go through some difficult time in their lives. Instead I can't shake off a feeling that this is some religion inspired nonsense, where "everyone not sharing our values/perspective is inherently evil".

Deeply disappointing.

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.

🤑 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.

(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.

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.

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.