‘Biosphere’ TIFF 2022 Review – A Strange, Thoughtful, And Heartfelt Apocalyptic Bromance

Biosphere might be one of the most unexpected films of the year.

The film kept its cards close to the vest ahead of its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. We knew it starred Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass as the last two men alive on Earth, working to survive the tail-end of humanity. With a tagline like that, the possibilities are endless. Plus, Brown and Duplass in a post-apocalyptic two-hander comedy-drama? Absolutely, without question; where do I sign up?

You can let your imagination run to the farthest reaches of the galaxy and never approach where Biosphere’s plot lands. On the surface, the film follows Billy (Duplass) and Ray (Brown), two lifelong best friends, as they live in a domed structure that Ray built before an unnamed event left Earth uninhabitable. The dome offers them the bare necessities – a fishpond, a hydroponic garden, and a Nintendo game system where they can play Super Mario Bros. for hours. They settle into a relatively peaceful routine, until their fish die, leaving them without a critical food source. The two must work together to find a solution that keeps them both alive.

That synopsis barely scratches the surface, as the “solution” leads Biosphere down an audacious path that left me wondering what was even happening. (There’s no point guessing; you won’t figure it out.) Settling into the film’s concept evokes a slight discomfort in the beginning. To start, the situation itself is bizarre (but not off-putting). Once the strangeness dissipated, I found myself on pins and needles, waiting to see how Biosphere would explore the myriad consequences of its concept. The film bills itself as a comedy, albeit one with dramatic and science fiction leanings. Would it turn a fascinating idea fraught with sociopolitical implications into a tacky farce? It wouldn’t be the first time Hollywood has done that.

Thankfully, the dynamite team of director Mel Eslyn and co-writer Mark Duplass are more thoughtful, inventive, and funny than that. Biosphere navigates its potential minefield with remarkable grace and humor, grounded in the extraordinary circumstances of the situation rather than the situation itself. The script doesn’t punch down or make lazy jokes that trade in harmful stereotyping. Every time it seems like a joke is headed there, the screenplay pulls it back from the edge. That isn’t to say the film is toothless or lacks an edge. There are plenty of eyebrow-raising jokes or cringeworthy grins to have. Sometimes you laugh because you can’t believe they just went there. Eslyn can sometimes struggle to balance its comedic and dramatic beats, leading to that pins-and-needles sensation again. Still, the film’s beating heart remains steady, pumping genuine warmth across the runtime.

Again, without spoiling, Biosphere explores how men interact with each other and how the interactions evolve without influencing or policing behaviors. The film asks some profound questions of its characters and its audience. Is there freedom to be found when there’s only one other person left with you in the world? Do social definitions and structures matter? What matters more: your identity or your individuality? The film doesn’t proclaim to have the answers, but it does offer space (granted, a confined space) for everyone to figure out for themselves.

Since Biosphere’s biggest non-plot selling point is the opportunity to see Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass together, how wonderful is it that the film exceeds expectations? From their first moments on-screen together, the two convey years of friendship and camaraderie that sustained their characters through armageddon. They have effortless chemistry and rapport in every mode, from wise-cracking ribbing to vulnerable confessions to fierce fighting. To their credit, neither rests on their presumed strengths: Duplass in comedy and Brown in drama. Both exhibit broad versatility in their roles beyond even what’s on the page. (That said, few actors can shed tears like Sterling K. Brown.)

Biosphere is a film you should see as blind as possible and leave judgment at the door. What awaits you is a strange, funny, and heartfelt film that offers a bold take on the end-of-the-world story. The pairing of Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown alone is worth the price of admission. The thoughtful discussions they’ll inspire will assure you that the money was well-spent.

Biosphere had its World Premiere in the Special Presentations section of Toronto International Film Festival 2022.

Director: Mel Eslyn

Writers: Mel Eslyn, Mark Duplass

Rated: NR

Runtime: 106m