We are used to seeing her as a vengeful assassin Villanelle in Killing Eve, but Jodie Comer plays a near polar-opposite character in The End We Start From. Now on Netflix, the movie features the Bafta-award winner as a young mother in a post-apocalyptic world - but what exactly is the film based on?
Unlike blockbusters that show humanity battling for survival, this independent film focuses on one woman’s daily struggle after an ecological disaster in London.
With rapid climate change and increasingly extreme weather, The End We Start From is a taut drama that feels more realistic than any disaster film we’ve seen before - and as it rises up the Netflix charts, film fans are keen to know about the inspiration behind the gripping film.
What is The End We Start From based on?
The End We Start From was adapted from the debut novel of the same name, by Meghan Hunter.
Following the same plot as the 2017 book, the 2023 thrilled that has landed on Netflix follows a young woman who becomes a mother amid an environmental catastrophe.
Only known as ‘Woman’ (Jodie Comer), the new mum is seen weathering intense storms that submerge the capital and the low-lying parts of the UK.
Unable to find her husband (Joel Fry) after the disaster, she desperately tries to find safety with her infant son Zeb as society begins to break down.
With food scarcely available and looters attacking shelters, she is forced to make the arduous journey to a remote island to rebuild her life.
Also starring Notting Hill’s Gina McKee, this dystopian film is a tense watch as the pair struggle to survive in a frightening new world.
While there are subtle differences between the book and its adaptation, the film is incredibly faithful to the original novel.
Not only do they share themes of climate change, motherhood and death, the author revealed that the adaptation even managed to capture what she’d originally imagined.
After visiting the dystopian film’s set, Meghan Hunter told the BBC, "It really did look like the place I'd imagined. And there were overturned cars and debris in the street and that was a real London street, people were taking their children to school.
"To see my book come to life, with the disturbing element of seeing a street in London destroyed in that way and to seem flooded, there was something very eerie about it."
Does Jodie Comer have any children in real life?
Though she portrays a new mother in The End We Start From, Jodie Comer doesn’t have any children of her own.
Despite this, the actress admitted that she felt an intense responsibility for her infant cast members on the set of The End We Start From, especially as over 15 babies were used during filming.
In an interview with the BBC, she explained, "A lot of my younger cousins have grown up now, so I haven't spent a lot of time around young babies. My hands were visibly shaking when I met an eight-week-old on set. I was like, 'Oh my god, what have I done?'
"It's one thing to act and think about everything else, but then actually being conscious of this precious little being and making sure that they're safe."
The End We Start From is available to stream now on Netflix.
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