“The End of Oak Street,” a new Warner Bros. release, stars Anne Hathaway in a role described as central to the film's success. Directed and written by David Robert Mitchell, the movie is characterized as a breakneck, carnivalesque experience made with throwback showmanship, offering a mid-August surprise.
Set in the 1980s, the film adopts an Amblin-style blockbuster spirit, conjuring a summer thrill ride without overt irony or laborious homage. Mitchell's previous works include the horror film “It Follows” and the Los Angeles neo-noir “Under the Silver Lake.” In “The End of Oak Street,” however, any indulgences are reportedly for the audience, resulting in a described “bonkers blast.”
The story centers on the Platts, a suburban family residing in a neighborhood reminiscent of the San Fernando Valley. Denise, played by Anne Hathaway, and Greg, portrayed by Ewan McGregor, have two children, Audrey (Maisy Stella) and Brian (Christian Convery), along with their dog, Starbuck. Despite an appearance of an all-American life, cracks are evident from the start. Greg is shown working a side job delivering pizzas, while Denise secretly drafts a novel about a woman considering leaving her family. The children also harbor secrets, suspecting their parents are on the brink of divorce.
This framework for a sci-fi cataclysm is noted as having similarities to classic Spielberg narratives. Mitchell's approach, however, leans into horror, absurdism, and outright silliness. The film skilfully introduces dinosaurs, beginning with mysterious signs like a flash of light, an exotic flower, and unusual waste. Soon, the Platts discover their neighborhood is overrun by primordial beasts and surrounded by jungle, effectively becoming a suburban island in a prehistoric world. This “Twilight Zone” plot brings dinosaur encounters directly to front porches and shag carpets, a novel solution to challenges faced by other dinosaur films.
While much of the film offers “good dumb fun” with action sequences designed for audience reaction, it reportedly succeeds due to its sincerity for its characters. The Platts are depicted as firmly grounded, with Hathaway's performance specifically highlighted for contributing to this earnest family drama amidst CGI hijinks and increasingly nutty plotting. Composer Michael Giacchino provides a score that complements the film’s tone.
“The End of Oak Street” explores themes of keeping secrets out of fear and the capacity of family members to handle more truth than expected. The swiftness of the dinosaur invasion could symbolize broader ecological disasters, with subsequent challenges proving the family's resilience. The Warner Bros. release is rated PG-13 for strong violent content, bloody images, some strong language, and suggestive material, and has a running time of 99 minutes.
