Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World

A Romanian satire on the exploitation of workers and the decay of capitalism

In Radu Jude's shambling, acidly funny movie set in Bucharest, a foul-mouthed gofer named Angela

Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World is a freewheeling provocation, a film that ricochets wildly between genres, tones, and ideas. It's a Marxist screed, a black comedy, a slice-of-life drama, and a surrealist fever dream, all rolled into one. And it's all held together by the astonishing performance of Ilinca Manolache as Angela, a young woman who works as a gofer for a wealthy family in Bucharest.

Angela is a survivor. She's tough, resourceful, and quick-witted. But she's also exhausted, disillusioned, and angry. She sees the world for what it is: a place where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. And she's not going to take it anymore.

One day, Angela decides to take matters into her own hands. She walks out of her job, leaves her family, and sets out on a journey to find a better life. Along the way, she meets a cast of characters who are just as lost and disillusioned as she is. There's a homeless man who dreams of a better world, a young woman who's trying to escape her abusive husband, and a group of anarchists who are planning a revolution.

Together, these characters form a kind of ragtag community, united by their shared experiences of exploitation and oppression. And as they travel together, they begin to realize that the only way to change the world is to fight for it.

Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World is a powerful and moving film about the power of hope and the importance of fighting for what you believe in. It's a film that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.