Groundbreaking scientist Thomas Harber (Robert Redford, “All the President’s Men”) discovers that the afterlife exists and, due to this revelation, widespread suicides occur. Although this premise, along with its stunning first scene where the sound recordists kills himself in front of Thomas during an interview about that exact matter, “The Discovery” pushes that great material aside to tell a different story.
The actual film takes place a year and a half after this interview. We’re introduced to Will Harber (Jason Segel, “How I Met Your Mother”) who disapproves of his father’s findings. While riding a ferry, he meets the witty and eccentric Isla (Rooney Mara, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) moments before her own attempt at suicide. Together they try to understand Thomas’s next pursuit: seeing what exactly the afterlife entails.
The Netflix original film follows behind other lovely indie, sci-fi romances like, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Safety Not Guaranteed.” All three of these films ground their scientific premises in the need to explore human moral. This is an adored genre for this reviewer, but “The Discovery,” unlike the other two films, is clumsy in its attempts to be vulnerable.
With each primary character, you understand where they are coming from. Thomas, Will and Isla’s backgrounds are established nicely, but their interactions are stale and not as emotional as they are trying to be. Will and Thomas’s attempts to better communicate with each other seem to be implied rather than shown. Meanwhile, Will and Isla’s romance recycles the trope indie films seem to love where the dreary man falls for the manic pixie dream girl. Due to this cliché, Isla seems more annoying than charming, which makes her relationship with Will appear inorganic.
Side characters also backtrack the story’s potential. Will’s brother Toby (Jesse Plemons, “Fargo”) may be intended to be the silly comedic relief, but there is one moment in the film where it’s clear that he’s just there to be a plot device meant to move the story along and narrate the philosophical questions to the audience. He, and some blunt foreshadowing from another character, can take the viewer away from the film.
Its missteps are slightly more forgiving by the third act as it regains excitement that is like the first scene. The film’s small world is creative and unpredictable, as is the journey Will and Isla take to understand what the afterlife is. Without revealing too much, this film is especially fun for those who appreciate vague twists.
For fans of Netflix’s indie film catalogue, “The Discovery” fits in nicely. It’s not meant to be a blockbuster, and the film benefits from this leniency. Plus, Segel’s performance, like other comedians who have taken on dramatic roles, is well done and serves its purpose. Although choppy and not thoroughly developed, “The Discovery” is a thought-provoking film that can start conversations about its enjoyability and its philosophical ideas.
