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Movies about the end of the world range from dark, gritty thrillers to goofball comedies—and everything in between. But leave it to Tom Hanks to take all of the drama and comedy and tension and messiness of the end of the world in Finch and turn it into something strangely charming.
Finch survives unthinkable disaster with Hanks’s Finch, an engineer who just happened to be in the right place when a solar flare destroyed the ozone, leaving Earth almost entirely uninhabitable. Finch has managed to survive with help from a special UV-blocking suit and a robot that helps him search for provisions. When he discovers that a deadly storm is heading his way, he packs his belongings into a modified RV and, along with his beloved dog and his dog-minding robot, sets out on a quest to find safety in San Francisco.
Thanks to his engineering experience, Finch is able to build the things he needs to help him survive. As this unlikely crew makes its way across the desolate, ash-covered landscapes and through deserted cities, he’s able to venture out and explore places that no other humans could endure. At times, it makes for a quiet, tense experience, as Finch finds himself in abandoned buildings where things don’t seem quite right. But while you might expect a movie like this one to highlight the constant threat of being discovered by more ruthless, vicious survivors, that’s not really the case. The threat here is more internal—and much more dramatic.
Still, despite the post-apocalyptic setting—and the constant danger—Finch isn’t just the heavy drama set against a bleak landscape. The film’s comic relief comes from Finch’s newly-created robot, Jeff (voiced by Caleb Landry Jones), who’s trying to use the incomplete knowledge that he’s downloaded to understand humanity, their surroundings, and his relationship with both Finch and his dog. It’s no surprise that this newly-created character makes for plenty of strangely comedic moments, as he bumbles his way through each new experience. And, at times, it feels like an annoying distraction from the drama.
In the end, though, it’s Hanks who pulls it all together: the post-apocalyptic tension, weird robot comedy, and the surprisingly emotional moments, too. Admittedly, it feels like a strange mix, but somehow the lovable star makes it work.
Finch isn’t an action movie, and it isn’t a silly comedy. It’s quietly dramatic with odd moments thrown in. For that reason, this quirky post-apocalyptic drama isn’t for everyone, but if you love Tom Hanks (and, really, who doesn’t?), you’ll find it oddly charming.
Listen to the review on NightsAndWeekends.com:
