The Discovery Movie Review

Article by Gabe Zia

Lazy Film Critic Movie Reviews

The Discovery

This is one I've been looking forward to ever since the buzz from its Sundance premiere. The Discovery is a Netflix Original film following a group of people in a world set after a scientist played by Robert Redford discovers (wink) definitive neurological evidence that there is an afterlife of some kind or another, which as expected has a massive effect on society and peoples lives. Among Redford the film also stars Jason Segel, Rooney Mara, Riley Keough, and Jesse Plemons.

With a cast like that it's not hard to imagine that the performances are one of The Discovery's strongest aspects. Redford and Mara are as great as always both being very wrapped up in their performances and playing unique characters, both of whom are interesting to watch throughout the film. Jesse Plemons and Riley Keough are also pretty good even if I don't think either of them got the screentime they really deserved (and at only 90 minutes long it would have been fine to see more of their characters). As for the lead played by Jason Segel, he was actually pretty good as well. 

Another thing that really works towards The Discoverys benefit is its script, specifically the dialogue, it's fantastic. It's sort of written in a way that reminds me of the way Charlie Kaufman writes dialogue, with characters who say weird things or ramble but they're always called out for being weird which shows the movie is self-aware, only to a much darker degree than Kaufman usually writes. And it's always refreshing to see a movie that's not afraid to call itself out, to have one character call another character annoying for ranting on an unrelated topic, or call out a character for saying something bizarre.

However if there is one issue The Discovery has, it's lack of focus. It's not an issue that cripples the movie or even sours it, but it's definitely there. For a lot of the movie it doesn't feel like it knows what it wants to be, at some points it feels like a social commentary on organized religion and faith-based lifestyles, at other times it's a character study of Redfords character that explores obsession and regret, and in some points it becomes a kind of exploration of what an afterlife might look like. And all of these elements are fully formed and they're all pretty good but the way the movie bounces back and forth between them in only 90 minutes can be a little jarring.

Final Rating
All in all The Discovery is one of the better I've seen this year, and It's a Netflix Original so you wouldn't be losing anything other than time to watch it. If you're up for the kind of movie The Discovery has to offer, I say go for it.