It's a Disaster
Year: 2013
Runtime: 88 min
Language: English
Director: Todd Berger
When a global catastrophe threatens, four very different couples find themselves unexpectedly bound together during a Sunday brunch. As the looming disaster unfolds and panic rises, they are forced to confront their relationships and personal flaws. This darkly comedic drama explores themes of love, survival, and the often-absurd nature of human connection in the face of crisis.
It's a Disaster (2013) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview
Get a spoiler-free look at It's a Disaster (2013) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In a world where an unseen global threat looms, everyday routines are suddenly tinged with an unsettling urgency. The film balances a sharp, dark humor with the palpable anxiety of an impending disaster, creating a tone that is both unsettling and oddly comforting. It invites the audience to contemplate how ordinary moments can become extraordinary when the clock starts ticking, all while keeping the atmosphere light enough to laugh at the absurdities of human behavior.
The story brings together four very different couples for their traditional Sunday brunch. Among them is Glenn, on a tentative third date with the discerning Dr. Tracey, whose professional poise masks a personal curiosity. The longtime hosts, Pete and his wife Emma, are quietly navigating the cracks in their marriage, while the neighbor Hal arrives in an unexpected guise, delivering alarming news that upends the gathering. The tardy fifth couple, Jenny and Gordon, finally appear, completing the eclectic mix of personalities and histories that fill the dining room.
As the brunch progresses, the comfortable chatter gives way to strained silences and nervous laughter, reflecting each pair’s hidden insecurities and the broader societal panic. The swinging duo Buck and Lexi bring a carefree, almost reckless energy, contrasting sharply with the more introspective Hedy, a chemistry teacher whose analytical mind begins to piece together the gravity of the situation. Meanwhile, Shane clings to survival instincts gleaned from movies and comic books, adding a layer of paranoid vigilance that heightens the group’s collective unease.
Amid the clinking of glasses and the aroma of fresh food, the gathering becomes a microcosm of humanity’s response to crisis—friendship, rivalry, love, and the instinct to survive all intertwined. The film teases the audience with the promise that even the most mundane gatherings can become a crucible for truth, forcing each character to confront what truly matters when time is no longer on their side.
Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 06:34
Explore Movie Threads
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Claustrophobic social collapse movies like It's a Disaster
Where a confined space and a looming threat reveal the darkest truths.If you enjoyed the tense, confined setting of It's a Disaster, this thread gathers movies where groups are trapped together during a catastrophe. These films use a single location to explore how relationships fracture and true natures emerge under the pressure of a shared existential threat, creating a deeply anxious and character-driven experience.
Narrative Summary
The narrative typically begins with a group of people in a contained environment. An external threat—be it apocalyptic, supernatural, or human—seals them in, turning their sanctuary into a prison. The story unfolds in real-time or over a short period, as the characters' pre-existing tensions are amplified by the crisis, leading to paranoia, desperate decisions, and often a bleak resolution.
Why These Movies?
These films are grouped by their shared use of a confined setting to generate intense psychological drama. They prioritize character revelation over action, using the high-stakes scenario to explore themes of trust, survival, and the fragility of civilization on a micro-scale. The experience is defined by a building sense of dread and a focus on interpersonal dynamics.
Apocalyptic character satire similar to It's a Disaster
Using the end of the world as a mirror for our personal absurdities.For viewers who liked the darkly comedic take on the apocalypse in It's a Disaster, this collection highlights films that satirize human behavior during crises. These movies balance high stakes with character-driven humor, finding the comedy in moral collapse, social hypocrisy, and the ridiculousness of maintaining appearances even as the world falls apart.
Don't Look Up
2021
Apocalypse Z: The Beginning of the End
2024
This Is Not the End
2020
It's a Disaster
2013
ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction
2009
Me and My Mates vs. The Zombie Apocalypse
2015
Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar
2023
Big Tits Zombie
2010
Postal
2019
Doomsday
2008
Planet Terror
2007
Dead Alive
1993
Rotting in the Sun
2023
The Last Man on Earth (El Último Hombre Sobre La Tierra)
2022
Zombie Hunter
2013
Narrative Summary
The narrative pattern involves a catastrophic event that serves as a backdrop for a character study. The plot progression is less about surviving the event itself and more about how the event exposes the characters' true selves. The humor arises from the absurdity of their priorities, their denial, and the dramatic irony of their actions in the face of certain doom, often leading to a cynically humorous or bleakly ironic conclusion.
Why These Movies?
These movies are grouped by their unique tonal blend of high-stakes scenarios and sharp, often dark, social satire. They share a common goal: to use the ultimate pressure test of an apocalypse to comedically dissect themes like relationship drama, existential crisis, and the superficiality of modern life. The experience is a mix of laughter and existential dread.
Unlock the Full Story of It's a Disaster
Don't stop at just watching — explore It's a Disaster in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what It's a Disaster is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
It's a Disaster Summary
Read a complete plot summary of It's a Disaster, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
It's a Disaster Timeline
Track the full timeline of It's a Disaster with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
