It seems like every one of us has at some point in our life genuinely believed that, given the opportunity and resources, that we would save the world in some way – whether it be through solving world hunger or inciting peace between all nations, it seems to be an inextricable component of the human condition that we all possess some degree of empathy to the point of actively believing that we can change the world in a substantial way. The problem is that we all grow up and realize that such bold declarations are just the result of youthful idealism, and very few of us actually put in the effort in our older years to make that difference. However, some dedicate their lives to very worthy causes, each having their own individual reasons for doing so. This is the foundation of When You Finish Saving the World, in which Jesse Eisenberg makes his directorial debut, and proves that he is as strong a filmmaker as he is an actor, perhaps even more so, since he is allowed to showcase the empathy and vulnerability that some of the more prickly characters that he plays as an actor have struggled to portray. Based on his audio drama (which I hope signals a return in popularity of the radio plays – it is such a simple and evocative way of delivering stories, and the growth in podcasting has allowed more narrative works to emerge, a wonderful development), the film tells the story of a young musician that has found fame on social media, but still struggles in his day-to-day life, including grappling with a contentious relationship between him and his mother, who is committed to running a home that serves as a safe haven for abused women and their families, which creates a rift between the materialistic teenager and his mother, who believes in self-sacrifice and dedication to helping others, which becomes the root of many of the film’s more poignant moments, which Eisenberg explores in detail with the help of a good cast that is just as invested in telling this story and exploring these characters, making When You Finish Saving the World a truly worthwhile effort that has a lot more to say than we’d expect based on a cursory glance.

The brilliance of a film like When You Finish Saving the World essentially lies in the fact that it is a beautifully simple film. As an actor, Eisenberg has seemingly been driven to more intimate stories of the human condition, particularly in recent years – so it stands to reason that the idea of telling a story as small and intimate as this would be very appealing to him. This is not a film that aims to play for the rafters, nor does it have any intention of being much more than just a very charming story that centres on the relationship between a self-centred teenager and his cynical mother as they navigate the modern world, seemingly in stark opposition to one another, but secretly sharing similar insecurities and existential quandaries that make their bond much stronger than they ever expected. There are many stories that focus on familial relationships, and there have been several that contain profound and meaningful commentary on the bonds that tie us together. In this regard, there’s nothing explicitly daring or provocative about this film and its worldview, with most of the impact coming in the sincere empathy that the director feels for the characters he has created. The subtlest emotions are the ones that carry the most meaning, and Eisenberg certainly has many very compelling ideas that feel like they are driven less by the desire to stir tension between two diametrically opposed individuals, but rather find the smaller nuances that keep them together. Despite their differences, the two protagonists discover that they have a lot more in common than they expected, and through this very quiet but often bitingly funny exploration of a period in both of their lives, one in which they are questioning not only their place in the world but also their existential motivations, Eisenberg makes some profoundly moving statements, avoiding cliche but allowing for the cathartic emotions that have seemingly been excised from more mainstream efforts, almost as if a raw, honest depiction of a relationship between two deeply imperfect individuals has become passé and unappealing, which this film single-handedly proves is not only false, but a deeply misguided way of looking at art. We find so much complexity in how this story unfolds, and it becomes an exercise in examining both social and psychological conventions, made by someone who truly embraces these themes with firm conviction and an abundance of heartful empathy.

A film like this needs to find the right actors to bring these characters to the screen, purely because no one in When You Finish Saving the World is particularly likeable in the traditional sense. Instead, they are all self-centred and myopic to a certain degree – but most importantly, these are just flaws, rather than defining traits, so it was necessary to have actors that understood playing a more unlikable character is not analogous to portraying a villain, a common misconception that we find far too often. Eisenberg goes to great lengths to ensure that the characters are meaningful and complex, but never over-written or too dependent on quirks or other eccentric factors. Part of the charm comes in how, despite their shortcomings, everyone in the film is endearing to a certain degree, and we can relate to all of them to an extent. Julianne Moore plays the mother, and Finn Wolfhard (who reprises his role from the audio drama) is her son, and together they navigate this strange, unconventional world with wit and nuance, ensuring that everything they do is meaningful, including defining their characters and finding quirks within their performances that likely weren’t there on the page. Wolfhard is not the strongest dramatic actor, and has always been more effective in supporting roles, so his performance in When You Finish Saving the World is not always very impactful, but he does what was required and comes across as genuine, which was an objectively good approach, considering his own limitations as an actor. Conversely, Moore turns in a wonderfully dedicated performance, one of her most intimate and honest depictions. She sets aside the more high-concept, patrician characters that she is more known for playing, and instead takes on the part of this salt-of-the-earth woman, someone who has devoted her life to helping others, but has struggled to bring the same sense of empathy home, alienating her husband and son, who admire her efforts to help those in need, but grow mournful at her lack of attention when it comes to her own family. Moore is a profoundly gifted actor (although such a statement is redundant – three decades of excellent work offers enough credibility), and this film shows her at the peak of her skills, taking on bold emotions while being deeply sympathetic and meaningful, helping anchor this film and give it the authenticity it needed to be a layered and powerful character study.

When you take the intentions of the story, and the very specific characterization of the people who populate it, we can start to see that When You Finish Saving the World is asking a very specific, and perhaps even deeply complex, question: what does it mean to save the world? This obviously refers to such an action in a more metaphorical sense, especially since the story is rooted deeply within reality, and maintains a very consistent tone that indicates a clear preference for realism, at least to a significant degree. The film examines the lives of a few characters, but draws our attention to two in particular, a mother who has done the hard work in the trenches for years, devoting her life to helping others, and her son, who appears to be a hedonist who prefers seeking fame to helping others, but soon realizes that having a platform comes with the responsibility to encourage change, which drives him to start changing her own perspective and actually making a difference. Ultimately, what this film is trying to demonstrate is that no one can save the world on their own – we live in a world without valiant superheroes that can defend us. Instead, it is the responsibility of every individual to help each other, and those who have the capacity to do more (whether in terms of having money, time or just compassion – all three deeply valuable commodities) should make sure that they doing their part. Society is driven by self-centred intentions and a complete lack of empathy for the most part, but there are always those that do actively set out to make a difference, which comes in many different forms. It does take a bit of time for the film to reach the point where we realize that this is the overall intention of the story (which is clearly a result of Eisenberg being a novice when it comes to writing and directing, since a more seasoned director may have drawn our attention to this point far sooner), but once it becomes clear that this is the overall thesis of When You Finish Saving the World, and the aspect that is going to linger with us long after the film has ended, we start to see the undying compassion that propels this film. Considering the debate that continues to be had around the concept of social media being a soulless industry, this film dares to show that it can be a force for good once those behind the camera are able to actually realize the power they yield, and the difference they can make with the right amount of effort, especially when stepping away from the computer and into reality, which is radically different than the virtual world.

Delicate, insightful and frequently very funny, but in a more subtle and nuanced way, When You Finish Saving the World is a strong start for Eisenberg as a filmmaker. It does tend to follow the same stylistic and narrative guide that many actors-turned-directors tend to adhere to when making their debuts (and it feels hardly revolutionary to choose an intimate character study as your first film, since these are the kinds of stories that an actor is going to be most interested in exploring by virtue of their profession), but there’s an honesty to it that signals the start of what is looking to be a good career, and one that hopefully continues to ponder the nature of existence through creative and meaningful stories like this one. There is a lot of complexity embedded in this film, and it serves to be a vivid call to arms for anyone who has ever felt like they don’t belong. The world is changing, which means that our efforts to save it are shifting at the same time, and this film offers us quite a distinct and meaningful glimpse at the work that can be done to achieve our goals, whether they be large or small. Every moment is worth drawing attention to, especially those that none of us tends to notice – and it becomes such a wonderfully complex examination of identity and psychology, which is not necessarily expected of such a small film.  When You Finish Saving the World may be small, but it is filled to the brim with strong emotions and deeply compelling social and cultural commentary, with the strong characterization, excellent writing and a decent control of tone and emotions, it manages to say more about the modern world than many other films, using empathy and compassion to critically engage with some subjects that many views as inconsequential, when in reality they are the foundation on which many of us build our entire world, which is suitably questioned by Eisenberg as he puts together one of the most endearing and strikingly profound human dramas of the past year.