SXSW Review: The End Of Us Explores Pandemic Living Arrangements

With the global pandemic still ongoing, the distance between March 2020 and March 2021, despite it being a full year, almost feels like yesterday. Lockdowns forced everyone inside, the fear and risk of spreading COVID-19 was on everyone’s mind, and having to adjust to video calls and working from home was crucial despite the growing sense of anxiety. The End of Us brings all of these aspects to the forefront, but the primary premise is of two exes who are stuck living together due to the shutdowns. Getting a pandemic-based romcom isn’t surprising, and The End of Us has enough charm, comedic situations, and realistic tension to keep it engaging. 

The End of Us begins shortly before shutdowns, the news reports are on coronavirus-watch at all hours of the day. Meanwhile, Nick (Ben Coleman), a struggling actor, is preparing for a TV show audition. Leah (Ali Vingiano) comes home after a long day at work and helps him rehearse, but it’s clear there is something strained in their relationship already. After a big fight, Leah breaks it off with Nick. However, it’s not so simple. The lockdown puts Nick out of a job as a waiter and, with nowhere else to go and no money, he’s stuck living with Leah for the foreseeable future.

Henry Loevner and Steven Kanter, who co-wrote and co-directed the film, set up a good amount of fairly awkward situations for Nick and Leah. The former couple fluctuates between grating on each other’s nerves and actually getting along, though the latter happens more often than not. Leah is frustrated because Nick often refuses to act like an adult. She’s often torn between feeling sorry for telling him that he should find his own place and questions whether she’s being too harsh with setting boundaries, an important thing to have with an ex-boyfriend who is also now a roommate in the middle of a pandemic. 

The two settle into a somewhat less contentious living situation, with the hard-earned peace punctuated by their irritation of one another. It’s clear that, though they once cared deeply for each other at some point, the romance and the spark has completely fizzled out. Coleman and Vingiano practically have a negative chemistry that works well in showcasing just how different their characters are and why they no longer work. The End of Us isn’t a traditional romcom — there is little expectation Nick and Leah will ever get back together and no indication to do so in the narrative, either. 

All that said, there is an overall lack of sincerity throughout The End of Us. While aspects of the ex-couple’s living situation changes, their interactions with each other often remain stagnant and it’s hard to gauge what their relationship might have looked like before it took a turn. Even when Leah begins seeing a coworker, there is no chemistry or genuine interest between them to make it believable. Vingiano plays Leah compellingly and there is always something in her expression that suggests how torn she is about her situation with Nick. However, The End of Us fails to fully explore her interiority beyond her obvious irritation with her roommate. What’s more, Nick could have been developed a bit more; he never truly gets past his childish and inconsiderate behavior, which makes it all the easier for audiences to disengage from him. 

The writer-director duo do a great job incorporating the additional stress and anxiety the pandemic adds to their situation. As the coronavirus cases rise and things get worse, the struggle with being shut in daily escalates to nearly explosive degrees. In this vein, it helps Nick and Leah’s relationship to develop, for better or worse. Save for the way people misuse their masks, The End of Us manages to handle the pandemic side of things in a way that feels all too realistic, yet non-exploitative. The film ultimately answers the question regarding what it would be like to live with an ex during lockdown and, for the most part, does it relatively well. 

The End of Us premiered March 16, 2021 during the SXSW Film Festival. It’s 89 minutes long and is not yet rated.

About The Author

Mae Abdulbaki
(1083 Articles Published)

Mae Abdulbaki is a movie reviews editor with Screen Rant. She previously wrote about a variety of movies and TV shows for Inverse, CinemaBlend, Pajiba, and The Young Folks, where she wrote reviews, features, news pieces. Her other work can be found at The Mary Sue, Film School Rejects, UPROXX, Heroic Hollywood, Looper, The List, and Bam Smack Pow, among others. Mae has also appeared on television segments, podcasts, and panels to discuss all things entertainment.

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