Leave The World Behind Director Explains That Friends Plothole

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Seen Leave The World Behind yet?

Well, you best go watch it then. The film dropped on Netflix earlier this month, and it tells the story of two families who must deal with the unwavering and uncomfortable realisation that something is very, very wrong.

That’s all we’ll say about the film (it’s best to go in blind with this one), but just know that it also stars Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la Herrold, and is very, very good.

Yes, even the ending, okay?

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Over the course of the film, it becomes clear that the youngest character Rose (Farrah Mackenzie) is obsessed with TV show, Friends.

Like, obsessed. Like, can’t stop watching it and very nearly has a meltdown when it becomes apparent that she may never be able to watch the final ever episode of the series.

Will Rachel get off the plane? We may never know for sure – but we do know that fans of the film have taken issue with Rose’s favourite show being the iconic ’90s sitcom.

Why? Because the one, the only, Julia Roberts stars in that too.

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Never fear though, because Leave The World Behind director Sam Esmail has put the plothole to rest and explained how it worked in the movie.

“The universe I create for these movies is slightly off from our reality,” Esmail told The Hollywood Reporter, referring to a similar paradox in Ocean’s Twelve, which also stars Roberts.

“They have to be, obviously. They’re being performed by actors that are in our world.

“So my meta, convoluted explanation is that when Rose is watching Friends and she sees Julia on it, she sees a passing resemblance to her mother, but obviously shrugs it off because it’s not her mom.

“Kids also don’t like to imagine their moms being these famous celebrities that they see on TV, so that’s how I justify it to myself.”

Well, that clears that up, then. Now go watch the film. It’s good.

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