SUNDANCE 2022: “When You Finish Saving the World” Is An Insufferable Misfire [REVIEW]

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE YET TO SEE WHEN YOU FINISH SAVING THE WORLD, THIS IS A NON-SPOILER REVIEW.

Welp… we got the first dud of the Sundance fest. I’ve always found Jesse Eisenberg to be uncomfortable and snarky, so I suppose it’s no surprise that his directorial debut is both of those things.

WHAT IS WHEN YOU FINISH SAVING THE WORLD ALL ABOUT?

From his bedroom home studio, high school student Ziggy performs original songs for an adoring online fan base. This concept bewilders his formal and uptight mother, Evelyn, who runs a shelter for survivors of domestic abuse. While Ziggy is busy trying to impress his socially engaged classmate Lila by making his music less bubblegum and more political… Evelyn meets Angie and her teen son, Kyle when they seek refuge at her facility. She observes a bond between the two that she’s missing with her own son, and decides to take Kyle under her wing against her better instincts.

I must say that When You Finish Saving The World’s story is a sound one. In which a mother and son are so disconnected by their passions, but are desperately trying to find common ground. The foundation of this film could have blossomed into something really moving, or eye-opening. But, there’s a problem here… both of the lead characters in When You Finish Saving The World are absolutely insufferable.

HOW ARE JULIANNE MOORE AND FINN WOLFHARD?

Finn Wolfhard and Julianne Moore are obviously, both very talented performers. There’s no question about that. But, when you have two characters written to be so unlikeable, there’s not really a whole lot an actor can do to salvage the role. Evelyn and Ziggy are like leeches who prey upon others surrounding them to fulfill what they believe to be, which is their purpose. You quickly realize that there is no substance to either of these characters, and that leads to a film that is constantly meandering around, also trying to uncover its purpose… but, never succeeding in doing so.

WHY ARE THESE CHARACTERS SO UNLIKABLE!?

A lot of critics have pointed out the troublesome obsession Evelyn has with another young man in the film. I actually didn’t find an issue with this, as it is never sexually driven, but actually makes sense that this character is trying to find a surrogate for her son that she fails to connect with. The issue here is that Evelyn is only forming this bond with this boy for her own self-worth, rather than actually “saving” him for his own betterment. Ziggy does fare a little bit better; it’s easier to give him a pass because he is just a teenager and you can tell that he’s at least attempting to discover what it means to be a better person. But, still, watching the odyssey of these two trying to find their meaning, is just painful to watch and endure.

One could only wish that Eisenberg took these horribly flawed characters and gave them some kind of rewarding arc to actually make his feature emotionally resonant, in some way. But, sadly, this never happens. It’s as if the writer/director purposely tries to stray away from giving his audience anything in the way of satisfaction, to simply be “different from the norm”.

The only thing I took away from When You Finish Saving The World is that Eisenberg does seem to have an eye for directing. This is a polished film that sticks to its vibe visually from start to finish. But, Eisenberg’s screenplay is, as sung in one of Ziggy’s painfully cringey songs… “just full of hot air”.

When You Finish Saving the World does not have a release date yet.

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