Nothing
Two alienated best friends confront an empty white universe when their shared nihilism appears to erase the world outside their home.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- absurdist
- witty
- surreal
- late night cult movie viewing
- surreal film marathon
What critics said
Critics found the film inventive and occasionally poignant, but regarded its silliness, triviality, and uneven execution as limiting its existential ambition.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dave and Andrew are isolated best friends whose shared response to the vanishing world exposes both their dependence and resentment.
The outside world becomes an expansive, empty white space that strips away ordinary geography and material context.
The disappearance of the world follows a terrible day and is approached through petty conflict, bizarre logic, and deadpan humor.
The premise centers on the outside world being converted into nothing, with the characters confronting the consequences of that disappearance.
Films like Nothing, and why
The Twilight Zone: The Movie
surreal science fiction comedy uses an impossible premise to explore friendship, isolation, and existential absurdity
Cube
Canadian genre filmmaking combines dark humor, speculative concepts, and psychologically pressured characters
Being John Malkovich
absurdist comedy turns a reality-bending situation into an uneasy examination of human relationships and meaning
The Bothersome Man
minimalist speculative comedy pairs bizarre world-building with intimate character conflict and philosophical unease
Movie Details
- Director
- Vincenzo Natali
- Release Date
- 2003-09-09
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (122)
Cast
- David Hewlett
- Andrew Miller
- Gordon Pinsent
- Marie-Josée Croze
- Andrew Lowery
- Elana Shilling
- Soo Garay
- Martin Roach
- Angelo Tsarouchas
- Rick Parker
Common questions
- What is Nothing about?
- Two alienated best friends confront an empty white universe when their shared nihilism appears to erase the world outside their home.
- What is Nothing like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Nothing as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Nothing violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Nothing as mild.
- What did critics think of Nothing?
- Critics found the film inventive and occasionally poignant, but regarded its silliness, triviality, and uneven execution as limiting its existential ambition.
- Which films are like Nothing?
- Films with a similar feel include The Twilight Zone: The Movie, Cube, Being John Malkovich, and The Bothersome Man.
- How long is Nothing?
- Nothing runs 90 minutes.
