Don't Look Up

Kate Dibiasky, a graduate astronomy student, discovers a comet that will destroy Earth in six months. Her adviser, Dr. Randall Mindy, confirms the danger, and they try to warn the White House, television hosts, and the public. President Orlean delays action and later supports a plan from technology company BASH to mine the comet, which could make its donor Peter Isherwell rich. As the comet gets closer, Kate and Randall struggle to be heard while people joke, argue, and look at their phones. The comedy turns darker as the planet loses its last chance to stop the disaster. The comet stands for climate change, and the film shows people refusing to face a threat they can see. Kate and Randall ask people to act, while “Just Look Up” becomes a fight over what people believe. The president puts election worries first, Isherwell puts profit first, and television hosts treat the warning as entertainment. The film repeats its climate message through calls to act and criticism of government, news, and business. These elements shape the story, while the main character arcs also follow work, marriage, fame, and family.