It's a Disaster

Director: Todd Berger Todd Berger

Overview

An awkward Sunday brunch takes an unexpected turn thanks to the apocalypse in this comedy from writer/director Todd Berger (The Scenesters). Tracy Scott (Julia Stiles) is ready to introduce her new boyfriend Glen (David Cross) to her best pals Hedy (America Ferrera), Emma (Erinn Hayes), and Lexi (Rachel Boston), and what better way to do it than gathering for a laid-back Sunday brunch? As the ladies and their significant others file in, it quickly becomes apparent that the chemistry is a bit off. Just when it seems like the situation couldn't get any more uncomfortable, however, the group learns that a series of dirty bombs have been set off downtown, and that a deadly cloud of VX nerve gas is blowing their way. Now, with their demise seemingly imminent, this bickering bunch must make peace with the fact that the worst party they've ever attended may also be their last.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/04/2013
UPC:	0896602002678
Original Release:	2012
Rating:	R
Source:	Oscilloscope
Region Code:	A
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:30:00
Sales rank:	39,207

Special Features

New feature length Audio Commentary with David Cross, Todd Berger, Kevin M. Brennan, and Jeff Grace; ; Tour with Todd - a Hilarious look behind the scenes with the Director and Cast; ; Comic-Con 2012 - a panel with The Vacationeers, Rachel Boston, and Erinn Hayes; ; Good Maps, Julia Stiles Styles, and Excuse Me - The Vacationeers viral videos; ; Theatrical Trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Julia Stiles	Tracy Scott
David Cross	Glen Randolph
America Ferrera	Hedy Galili
Erinn Hayes	Emma Mandrake
Jeff Grace	Shane Owens
Rachel Boston	Lexi Kivel
Kevin Brennan	Buck Kivel,Buck Kivel
Blaise Miller	Pete Mandrake
Todd Berger	Hal Lousteau
Jesse Draper	Suzannah Price
Laura Adkin	Jenny Alexander
Rob McGilivray	Gordon Alexander
Helena Wei	Emergency Broadcast Announcer
Will T.S. Coleman	Public Radio DJ
Jared Sosa	John from Liberty Financial
Rob McGillivray	Actor

Technical Credits

Todd Berger

Todd Berger	Director,Screenwriter
Datari Turner	Producer
Gordon Bijelonic	Producer
Jeff Grace	Producer
Kevin Brennan	Producer,Producer
Caroline Stevens	Executive Producer
Brett Thompson	Executive Producer
Eric Sherman	Executive Producer,Assistant Director
John Margetis	Executive Producer
Rob McGillivray	Executive Producer
Alison Lee	Executive Producer
Mark Korshak	Executive Producer
Robert P. Gosling	Executive Producer
Krysanne Katsoolis	Executive Producer
Sam Hamer	Sound Mixer
Brett D. Thompson	Executive Producer

Editorial Reviews

In the run-up to a summer featuring such highly hyped catastrophe comedies as Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's This Is the End and Edgar Wright's The World's End, writer/director Todd Berger's It's a Disaster squeaks in like an M-80 amidst a barrage of ten-megaton nuclear bombs. Playing out like a comic inversion of Chris Gorak's unsettling 2005 thriller Right at Your Door, Berger's high-concept follow-up to his 2009 feature debut The Scenesters may not have the star power to rival its big-budget counterparts, but it does offer some sharp writing and a winning ensemble cast. Tracy Scott (Julia Stiles) is ready to introduce her new boyfriend Glen (David Cross) to her best pals Hedy (America Ferrera), Emma (Erinn Hayes), and Lexi (Rachel Boston), and what better way to do it than gathering for a laid-back Sunday brunch? As the ladies and their significant others file in, it quickly becomes apparent that the chemistry is a bit off. And just when it seems like the situation couldn't get any more uncomfortable, the group learn that a series of dirty bombs have been set off downtown, and that a deadly cloud of VX nerve gas is blowing their way. Now, with their demise seemingly imminent, this bickering bunch must make peace with the fact that the worst party they've ever attended may also be their last. Given budgetary limitations and a reliance on dialogue, indie comedy can be a tricky business by itself. Throw the apocalypse into the mix, and you're quite literally playing with fire. Fortunately, Berger seems to recognize the challenges and limitations on both fronts, smartly playing to his strengths behind the camera by keeping the setting contained to a single suburban house as he focuses on the chemistry of his characters. Moreover, by allowing the catastrophe unfolding outside to affect how the story of a failing marriage and its fallout unfolds inside, Berger gives the entire affair a satisfying, cohesive feel. Though it's obvious from the very moment Tracy and Glen arrive at the brunch that there's some serious dysfunction going on behind the scenes with these old friends, Berger takes his time revealing the root causes, casually allowing his characters' little quirks to bubble to the surface before dropping the big one at the end of the second act. With running gags involving Glen's perpetually awkward timing and Hedy's unexpected reaction to the troubling incident, this approach works particularly well, providing some of It's a Disaster's biggest laughs. Even so, none of this would have worked if we didn't believe the characters, and the rest of the cast perform admirably in making them three-dimensional (including Berger, whose brief cameo as the neighbor who breaks the news to the clueless crew is an early highlight). Despite the strength of his writing and his cast, Berger still falters when it comes to the final act. In fairness, it's difficult to discern exactly where the story could have gone given the decision to keep it contained to the house. But after peaking with an admission that sends the story careening dangerously close to farce, the film never quite fully recovers, despite offering some humorous moments and a character revelation involving Glen that's sure to delight fans of Cross' particular brand of comedy. Given those shortcomings, in addition to an abrupt nonending that feels like a bit of a cheat, it's difficult to recommend It's a Disaster without reservations. If you're a fan of gallows humor who happens to be in a forgiving mood, however, there may be just enough here to have you giggling through Armageddon.