The End of the F***ing World Review

The End of the F***ing World (2018)
Directed by: Jonathan Entwistle
                     Lucy Tcherniak
Written by: Charlie Covell
Starring: Alex Lawther
               Jessica Barden
               Gemma Whelan
               Wunmi Mosaku
               Steve Oram
               Christine Bottomley
               Navin Chowdhry
               Barry Ward


       

THE ACTUAL REVIEW

Whenever I read a book or watch a film and TV shows, the thing that I analyze first are the characters. They’re the ones who will weave the whole plot and how the story will end, and they’re the ones whom I will fell in love the most in the middle of the story; not the setting nor the conflict, but the characters and how they develop as a person along their journey. Their beliefs and dialogues matter to me. And that’s the main reason why I love this new show that premiered on Netflix last January 5, 2018.

The End of the F***ing World is rich with character developments, even though the two main protagonists are somewhat problematic in their own ways (well, aren’t we all?), you will root for them until the final episode. The show follows the leads, James and Alyssa as they run away from their homes to seek for an adventure since their lives are so horrible, and they want some change.

One of the good things in this show is the dark humor it has. It doesn’t feel forced, but rather natural. The dark jokes aren’t shoved in our faces in the story, they are there but they don’t feel overwhelming; just the right blend of it.

I find the characters James and Alyssa stronger when they are together, it feels like they are yin and yang that when one is together with the other, there will be balance. That’s basically the both of them when they’re with each other.

It was really smart for making James think that he’s a psychopath at the beginning of the show, it’s a good plot device since you will get hooked and will want to know whether he will commit what he wants later on the show. And by observing him in each episode waiting for that thing to happen, you will never realize that you developed this kind of attachment to James even if he’s weird, and that’s just another magic of this show. The writers are good in characterizing characters. There are depth and much to discover. Also Alyssa’s character, she’s a broken character but you’ll relate to her problems, habits and mannerisms. Maybe that’s why both of their characters are matched, because they have the same wavelength and common ground. When paired, it will result into something cherishable.

The dialogues that are thrown here hit me right through the feels. I was reminded of things that I should remember, and thanks to this show it rekindled some ideas in my mind. Their lines are philosophical-- those lines were just reiterated by the characters in this show, but somehow they were delivered with the right emotions by these actors that made it impactful. There’s this moment that I just clutched my heart while watching and hearing them say those words. It felt so familiar to me.

We may think that at first, Alyssa and James are  problematic (because they are), but as minutes go by in an episode, we will realize that they became like that not because they want to, but because they have to. They are just the dominoes. It's because of the people around them. 

I also liked how the story are patterned in this show, it's not insincere by any means. Every episode begins in the right time with the right words that will accompany you along the episode. The first episode began in the right moment with James, and the rest adds up to that evocative finale with James and Alyssa. I loved the last scene, my heart burst out. Best finale. I really treasure James and Alyssa so much after being with them for eight episodes.

There are no draggy part in this show, it will keep you going until the last scene. I was also surprised by the supporting cast of this show. They delivered greatly in this series, no doubt. Brilliant actors with this kind of writing is what we all deserve in this world. 

I’d like to commend Alex Lawther for bringing James alive, awkward but lovable. Jessica Barden, for her wits in acting and apparently giving it all to Alyssa. The other actors, for adding spice. The director, Jonathan for the killer direction of the whole show. The writer, Charlie for making a well-knit adaptation. The creator of the comic, Charles. And the crew of this spectacular show.

Watching this show is an enjoyable ride that I could repeat for how many times and not get bored with it. It is that special. It feels like home. I could only utter praises for this show because that's how it mattered to me.