Next Exit Movie Review (2022)
A conceptually unique drama about a company who will help you end your life to move into a different plane of existence and interact with the living, Next Exit will have you thinking about life and what might come next long after the credits roll.
Countless films have been made on the subject of death and dying. They tend to have a heartfelt and dramatic tone where you mourn for the loss of someone or relate to those mourning the loss. They run the gamut of genres and it’s a subject that we’re used to. But that is where this film differs.
Next Exit is about a world in which it has been discovered that people’s souls exist after death and a business has been formed to help people cross over easily. You apply for a slot, get selected, arrive at the business, and they peacefully end your life so that you can move on to the next plane and interact with this one as you choose. This film follows two strangers, Rose and Teddy, as they travel by car to get to their appointments.
The first thing that is clear about this film is that the idea of transitioning to the afterlife is controversial with the other characters in the movie. While you don’t spend much time with anyone other than Rose and Teddy, anyone they mention their plan to is a little taken aback, much as you would expect if someone mentioned doing this today.
The entire practice centers around a radical experiment and result found by Dr. Stevensen (played by Karen Gillan, who you only see in ads a few times), who has filmed a child playing cards with his deceased father at night. She has now founded My Life Beyond, which allows volunteers to transition quickly and easily.
In the film, both Rose and Teddy are lonely, broken people who end up together because of a car rental issue. Rose has a sole focus of being at her appointment and leaving this world and all of her psychological pain behind as quickly as possible. Teddy, who is struggling with abandonment issues, still sees some humor and light in the world, even if he plans to go through with the transition as well.
The movie itself is a little slow, but it kept me interested because of the subject matter and the likeability of both Katie Parker and Rahul Kohli, who play Rose and Teddy. It is a low budget indie film, which means that it has to have a strong narrative, and it does.
I’ve heard mixed reviews on this film, but I encourage you to watch it. Next Exit has kept me thinking for days, and, with a sequence that is reminiscent of Contact (when Jodie Foster goes to space), some painful character revelations, and the entire concept of what our world would look like if this happened, it’s definitely worth a watch.
Runtime: 105 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: Not rated (but I would say PG-13 for subject matter)
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? No
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.25/5 Stars
Available: On Hulu, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
