What’s it about?

After a mysterious cosmic event rips Oak Street from suburbia and transports their neighborhood to someplace unknown, the Platt family soon discovers that their very survival depends on them sticking together as they navigate their now unrecognizable surroundings.

What did we think?

Anthony Sherratt says: It’s easy to describe The End Of Oak Street as a love letter to the 80s – both film and Tv series. There’s certainly a lot of love and the effort that has gone into creating the feel – the colours, costumes, the framing, even the use of the split diopter (where both foreground and background are in focus) immediately transport anyone who was alive in the 80s back to that glorious decade. 

So while the story isn’t quite as strong or tight as it could be, a lot of the cracks are forgiven amid the nostalgia and almost non-stop adventure. After a wonderfully calm build up, the film barely pauses for breath once the action starts. 

Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway are both marvellous in their roles as parents struggling to keep their marriage together thrust into a story of survival and while there are a number of predictable beats, there’s enough tension to keep you on the edge of your seat.

As a child of the 80s I was constantly exposed to sci-fi shows such as Land Of The Giants, The Time Tunnel and Lost In Space so to return to a fantasy of being displaced among dinosaurs was truly nostalgic for me. It’s a fun romp that won’t necessarily win awards but will win hearts.