I'll admit it: I groaned a bit when word first broke that Steve Carell and Keira Knightley were set to play opposite each other in a romantic comedy set against the end of the world. Knightley, I dreaded, would be reduced to playing May-December arm candy to Carell in her first non-heavy project since Bend it Like Beckham. But as the first trailer for Lorene Scafaria's Seeking a Friend for the End of the World demonstrates, maybe I shouldn't have worried so much. Maybe.
Carell and Knightley play neighbors who set out on a road trip to find their respective loved ones before the world ends after an asteroid is discovering hurtling towards Earth. Scafaria, who penned the zingy hipster romance Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, makes her directorial debut working from her own script, and from the looks of things this could offer unexpected sorts of laughs, not to mention the rare comic turn by Knightley.
That said, Carell seems to be pulling his straightlaced shtick yet again, and Knightley's afghan-wearing Brit veers dangerously toward manic pixie dream girl territory; will her carefree ways open up his stuffy world view? Will she help him find his way to his high school sweetheart's arms, only to find she's fallen in love with him? I hope not. I hope End of the World surprises me. At least we'll get Melanie Lynskey, Patton Oswalt and Gillian Jacobs to add some colorful bits along the way.
Verdict: Tentatively going along for the ride.
[via Yahoo]