Jack and Gill’s 40th birthday goes off the rails when a weed-laced dinner kicks in—just as they learn a nuclear missile is en route to California. High and panicked, they must decide how to spe...
After an opening that’s heavy with raunchy sex jokes, I was afraid that director Deena Kashper‘s “Nuked” was going to take the lazy way out. But instead of serving up an unimaginative adult comedy that confuses vulgarity with humor, the movie soon settles into a surprisingly heartfelt exploration of relationships, regrets, and the looming specter of mortality. There’s a lot to like about this creative (if slightly flawed) film.
It’s Jack (Justin Bartha) and Gill’s (Anna Camp) 40th birthdays, and they’ve invited their closest college friends (Lucy Punch, George Young, Tawny Newsome, Ignacio Serricchio, Maulik Pancholy, Stephen Guarino) to a sprawling mansion for an unplugged, cannabis-infused dinner party prepared a quirky chef (Natasha Leggero). Phones are confiscated, joints are passed around, and the group’s insecurities bubble to the surface. But when someone sneaks a peek at a phone and discovers a nuclear missile is headed straight for Los Angeles, their communal high turns into an existential nightmare when it’s revealed that the group might only have 30 minutes left to live.
Just because the consumption of drugs plays a huge part in the plot, this is not a traditional stoner comedy. It’s an ensemble dramedy that finds clever insights in its absurd scenario. Kashper (along with co-writer Danny Kashper) takes great pleasure in satirizing millennial anxieties about relationships, parenthood, and what we leave behind. The script spends generous time fleshing out the characters’ pasts and present conflicts, giving depth to their sometimes-predictable confessions of regrets, secret crushes, and long-simmering resentments. While these “truth serum” revelations feel familiar, the movie succeeds thanks to its likable, fully realized characters and a terrific ensemble cast that you’ll enjoy spending time with.
Despite its strong character work, the film can stumble tonally. The first act’s loose, improv-heavy style doesn’t always land, and the comedic moments rarely hit hard enough to earn the film its comedy label. While there are a few sharp one-liners, much of the humor feels muted, especially as the film leans more into an introspective drama about facing death.
The film’s single-location setting works in its favor, ramping up the claustrophobic tension as the characters grapple with the possibility of imminent doom. The second half of the movie is the best, especially as the doomsday clock ticks down. The emotional reckonings that the characters face feel honest, raw, and at times devastating, culminating in a finale that (though predictable) still manages to bring a satisfying closure.
“Nuked” may not be the laugh-out-loud comedy that its premise suggests, but it’s a surprisingly thoughtful, fast-paced ensemble piece about how people react to their worst fears. It’s also a reminder to cherish the people who matter most before it’s too late.
