SPOILER ALERT: This story contains major spoilers for “Leave the World Behind,” now streaming on Netflix.
“There was one ending that was really inevitable,” says Rumaan Alam, whose novel “Leave the World Behind” was the source material for Netflix’s latest apocalyptic thriller. “The key thing to look at … is that the book ends with a question mark.”
Sam Esmail’s sci-fi feature adaptation makes a few diversions from the book, particularly in regards to the ending. But according to Alam, who also serves as an executive producer on the film, these changes were “emotionally faithful to the book.”
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“Leave the World Behind” follows Amanda and Clay Sandford, played by Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke, who bring their children Rose and Archie (Farrah Mackenzie and Charlie Evans) on a beach getaway. Mahershala Ali plays G.H. Scott, the owner of the luxurious home the Sandfords are renting, who comes home with his daughter Ruth (Myha’la) to escape mysterious chaos occurring in the city. The two families are then forced to exist — and survive — under the same roof as increasingly strange and apocalyptic events occur, including plane crashes, herds of deer filing into the backyard and Archie’s teeth mysteriously falling out.
In an attempt to help Archie, G.H. and Danny drive out to meet conspiracy theorist Danny (Kevin Bacon). While Danny ultimately agrees to help them out, a tense standoff leads G.H. to the conclusion that these events could be the result of a military campaign intended to destabilize a nation by forcing people to turn against each other. To survive, he decides that both families need to camp out in the bunker in his neighbor’s house.
But that’s just his theory. Neither the film, nor the source material, give a definitive answer. As Amanda and Ruth search in the backyard for Rose, who has gone missing, they stop in their tracks when they see explosions coming from the city. The movie ends with Rose finding the neighbor’s bunker and — more importantly — a DVD containing the final season of “Friends.” As she puts on the series finale, the Rembrandts’ theme song, “I’ll Be There For You,” plays over the movie’s end credits. In the book, Rose leaves the neighbor’s house, gathering supplies from there to bring to back to the families.
Alam sat down with Variety to discuss the power of uncertainty, the accuracy of G.H.’s explanation and the reason for not offering a definitive conclusion for the characters.
Could you talk a bit about the deviations the film makes from the book, particularly with that “Friends” ending?
To end with the particular jolt of humor that [Sam] does is so satisfying and so rewarding. It’s sort of self-reflective because he’s a filmmaker. He’s also worked in television, and he’s sort of asserting something about the power of that medium, and its hold over this one character. I say it’s funny, but I don’t think it’s a joke. I don’t think it’s a joke on Rose. I don’t think it’s a joke on the audience. I don’t think it’s a joke on “Friends.” It’s a reminder that art is kind of a salve. The theatrical experience of watching this movie is so powerful because I’ve had the chance to see audiences respond to the ending three times now, and nobody really knows what to make of it. They’re like, is this funny? Is this scary? Is it really over? And I love that so much. READ MORE