From their first mismatched misunderstandings at a New York City car rental place (Rose has no money, Teddy a nearly-expired license), the opposites-attract dynamic is laid on thick. Rose’s acerbic no-fucks-left-to-give attitude crashes against Teddy’s softboi people-pleaser vibes, and it’s a testament to both actors that these two both come off as charming despite how easy it could be to get annoyed at how self-obssessed they are.
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As this morbidly funny, episodic road trip drama—centered on two deeply damaged people who would literally rather die than go to therapy—continues, the duo make some pit stops. Teddy attempts to confront his walkout father and ends up screaming at Rose in a parking lot as they role-play a scene that should have been worked through a decade ago, and Rose visits her sister’s family in an attempt to purge herself of the guilt she feels for engaging in an affair with her brother-in-law. Needless to say, neither of these attempts towards personal growth work (these are two characters literally on their way to Thelma and Louise themselves off a proverbial cliff), but it’s endearing to watch them at least try to grow even as they head towards an unremarkable, unassuming, perfectly-planned, medical death.
The ending is rather predictable, skirting toward the saccharine. Doubt is a hungry thing, and both Teddy and Rose have to find their own ways of dealing with it—and each other—as they careen toward their future state of passing. The film does land most of its jokes, and watching the leads bounce off each other is the most enjoyable part of it, but Next Exit never quite grapples with its premise in a way that seems satisfying.
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Next Exit is available in theaters and for purchase on Apple TV or Google Play.
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