×
Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.

The Timothee JLaw Kiss We Can't Stop Watching In Don't Look Up

This content was paid for by Netflix and created by Looper.

There's nothing quite like the end of the world to get young hearts a-thumping. At least, that certainly seems to be the case in Adam McKay's new social satire "Don't Look Up," which features Jennifer Lawrence's Kate Dibiasky finding a genuine connection with Timothée Chalamet's Yule in the unlikeliest of circumstances.

Lawrence's Kate is a no-nonsense astronomy PhD candidate who accidentally stumbles across a planet-killer comet that's set to collide with Earth in a matter of months. Kate's discovery of this heavenly — or hellish — body is deeply distressing to her, her mentor Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio), and the NASA scientist responsible for planetary defense, Dr. Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan). They're even more dismayed to find that their grim news is met with doubt and disinterest from the federal government, the media, and a sweeping sector of the public. Over time, Kate becomes utterly exasperated by the lack of urgency or even basic intelligence she encounters during her cross-country publicity tour to demand action before it's too late.

For her tireless efforts, she's labeled a social media pariah for her on-air outbursts and stuffed into the back of an FBI car with a bag over her head for speaking against the do-nothing administration. Eventually, Kate gives up and returns home, only to find that it's not a safe haven for someone with her pro-destroy-the-comet-while-we-still-can philosophy. It's only after she takes a random job and meets a few friendly strangers that she finally finds Yule, who truly gets her and helps lift her into a place of hope once more.

The relationship that unfolds between Kate and Yule is one we won't soon forget, so to celebrate these truly star-crossed lovers, let's take a deeper look at the Jennifer Lawrence and Timothée Chalamet scene from "Don't Look Up" that we can't stop thinking about.

Kate's last hope

After enduring an onslaught of digital mockery and having to table her own feelings about President Orlean (Meryl Streep), there's a moment when Kate finally feels a true sense of joy that her efforts haven't been in vain when the administration finally decides to act. Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal of the character's exhausting journey from abject horror to shock to this moment of sheer relief is nothing short of outstanding. But there are still plenty more emotional wallops yet to come for the character, allowing Lawrence to show off even more of her award-winning range.

See, Kate, Mindy, and Oglethorpe get front row seats in the Situation Room as the executive engages in a nuclear launch mission that has a high probability of success, and it's a celebratory moment indeed ... until Orlean is swayed at the 11th hour by the disconcertingly powerful tech mogul Peter Isherwell (Mark Rylance) to call off the rockets so his own drones can break up the comet and mine the pieces for valuable minerals. Kate has been dealing with despair all this time, but it's amplified to the point that she can't take it anymore and heads home, only to be devastated once again by finding she doesn't even have common ground with her own mom and dad. It's at this moment that Kate mentally checks out and stops trying, and Lawrence's performance shifts from these big emotional swings and cries for attention to a countenance of pure numbness and isolation.

A chance encounter

Even after all she's been through and what she knows is ahead, Kate still decides to seek employment cashiering at the local spirits store. It might not be as fulfilling as studying galaxies, but this job does provide Kate with the first bit of luck she's had in months once Chalamet's Yule shows up with his friends to purchase some drinks with the five-finger discount.

To her initial annoyance, Yule recognizes her right away and reveals that he and his buddies are huge fans of her oft-castigated media appearances. Chalamet first portrays the character as a bit of a loud, wacky slacker, but when he realizes that Kate isn't going to stop them from stealing from the store, he takes on a more considerate tone. Chalamet's portrayal here makes it clear that Yule empathizes with Kate's choice to stop caring, and he invites her along to spend some time with him at their makeshift skate park.

At this, Lawrence gives Kate an air of awakened interest since this spot of positive attention is a welcome change of pace from all of the nay-saying she's endured, and, well, she has nothing better to do. So Kate does indeed join Yule during his pals' night of boarding and bottle-smashing, and that's when sparks begin to fly between the two.

A bright sight

Throughout Kate and Yule's time together, Timothée Chalamet steadily reveals that his character is someone who may be free-wheeling on the outside but is deeply contemplative on the inside. Their romance first begins to blossom while he listens to Kate explain the truly dire straits they're all in, as their proverbial ship is basically being captained by a bunch of self-obsessed idiots. When Yule leans in for a kiss, she initially rebuffs this advance, but when she remembers that they've probably only got 25 good days left on Earth, she decides to reciprocate.

Soon, the two find themselves spending all of their time together, and as they enjoy a quiet night beneath the stars, Yule reveals his hidden spirituality to her, and she's touched by his sincerity. This time, Yule follows up their connection with a spoken request for permission to kiss her, and when she gives him her defensive "why not" response, he informs her that he doesn't want to kiss her if she doesn't actually want to. It's then that Kate changes her tone just enough to show that she actually does care — at least a little bit.

Jennifer Lawrence and Timothée Chalamet make a talented twosome

Throughout this critical moment of connection, Chalamet manages to keep his character's cool composure intact while also revealing a sweeter side to himself. Meanwhile, his stoic presence gives Kate the sense of calm she desperately needs, and Lawrence imbues the scene with a layer of true appreciation for this sliver of a silver lining. Even better, when the comet becomes visible to the naked eye for the first time and Kate points it out to Yule, he tells her he's scared, and it's the exact reaction she's been hoping to hear from someone for so long. Kate, who's been in the doldrums, gets a charge from her exchanges with Yule and literally gets back on her feet to meet up with Dr. Mindy once more — this time, with Yule and his lovely prayers coming along for the ride.

Lawrence and Chalamet are two of the most in-demand young actors in the business, and they've each been celebrated for their seminal screen talents. From her gutting portrayal of the unconquerable Ree in "Winter's Bone" to her dizzying, Oscar-winning portrayal of the damaged Tiffany in "Silver Linings Playbook" to her celebrated turn as the determined lead in "Joy," Lawrence has shown a remarkable talent for getting under the skin of her characters. Meanwhile, Chalamet's unique combination of mysteriousness and refinement has made him a true standout in films like "Call Me by Your Name" and "Beautiful Boy." As accomplished as they both already are, together, they find a way to show off something new and exciting as they bring some heat and heart to a moment that might otherwise be chaotic and crushing.