SCREENCRUNCH: It’s the most honest review of 2020 there is
Mockumentaries are, perhaps, one of the greatest achievements of humankind. It’s laughing at ourselves. It’s us learning not to take ourselves too seriously, albeit done in quite a serious manner.
Netflix’s Death to 2020 is one such mockumentary, created by the brains behind the Blackmirror series, Charlie Brooker and Anabel Jones, and it gives a review of 2020 that is more serious than any out there. And, the best part is, it isn’t at all trying to be serious.
Get past the tongue-in-cheek bits and you will find that Death to 2020 offers a great deal of wisdom, wrapped in what is presented to be social commentary from “experts” and everyday folk, brought to life by a well-chosen cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Lisa Kudrow, and Hugh Grant, just to name a few. Oh, and it’s narrated by Laurence Fishburne who gives a very “blue pill, red pill” feel to the film, which is very apt considering how the past year felt like we were all living in some matrix. Like waking up from some bad dream, right?
It is in the well-written satirical lines that this mockumentary presents solid truths about how 2020 has not been one of humankind’s best performances. By making fun of both the left and the right in US politics, for example, it demonstrates how extremism from both sides of the spectrum is never healthy.
Death to 2020, while exposing the best and worst of humankind, alongside the highs and lows of the past year, is a social commentary that doesn’t scream social commentary. In this sense, it offers a refreshing look-back 2020, which regardless of where you stand on all the issues that still plague humankind, has undoubtedly been one heck of a year.
For an amazing script and stellar performances from its cast, plus its honest assessment of humankind from the past year, we give Death to 2020 a 5 out 5.