Next Exit

Assisted dying is a thorny issue with strongly held views on both sides. Would that change if we knew that death was not the end? Set in a world where ghosts have been confirmed as real, this thoughtful, observant and surprisingly funny film follows two people as they drive across the US with the intention of ending their lives as part of a controlled experiment. The researchers’ idea is that they might find out more about the afterlife; the protagonists don’t attach much value to their existence as it is; but there are a lot of unknowns, not least what will happen along the way.

A road movie whose destination you will guess early on, but which is no less enjoyable as a result, and which becomes a lot less certain near the end, Next Exit shines because of its finely crafted script and the performances of its two leads, who work wonderfully together. Rose (Katie Parker) is an irritable young woman who prefers to avoid other people and has managed to isolate herself from everyone who ever cared about her. Teddy (Rahul Kohli) is a guy who has simply never made any headway in life and is watching his days drag by in the same pattern with no apparent end. He wants to partake in something which will enable him to make a useful contribution to the world. Rose just wants the emotional pain of past losses to end. When their transport plans go awry, they decide to share a car.

Rose hates it, of course, and hates Teddy for being a human being, and makes no secret of it, but where others have responded with anger, he finds her behaviour endearing and responds with humour. There’s a natural chemistry between them from the start and plenty of snappy dialogue as she does her best to get under his skin and he rises to the challenge of deflecting her barbs. Over time, a deeper respect forms, and having nothing else to do along the way, they begin to open up to one another about their problems – his feelings about being abandoned by his father as a child, her unhappiness about a rift with her sister. Sharing these burdens creates an opportunity for action, though it may or may not be an opportunity which they should take.

Along the way there are the usual quirky little incidents you’d expect in a tale of this type, but also much more, as we catch glimpses of a world transformed by the new existential perspective – a world in which attitudes to religion have changed dramatically, suicides have become more common and new ethical debates have arisen. Attitudes towards the experiment are polarised. What does it mean to take someone’s life in this new reality? By avoiding direct engagement with these themes, the film gives viewers plenty to think about but never gets preachy.

The film is written and directed with a steady hand by Mali Elfman, whose father Danny has contributed to the score. It’s her first feature but she confidently sidesteps the usual issues with pacing, and knows when to trust her actors. The result is a pleasure to watch.

Next Exit received its UK Premiere at FrightFest on 26 August.