The End We Start From – Jodie Comer Shines in Survival Drama

In 2023, a British survival drama arrived with little fanfare and quietly became one of the most talked-about films of the season. The End We Start From, directed by Mahalia Belo in her feature debut, adapts Megan Hunter’s 2017 novella into an intimate story of motherhood set against a catastrophic flood that submerges much of the United Kingdom. Rather than leaning into spectacle, the film focuses on the psychological and emotional weight of survival.

Jodie Comer plays the Mother, a woman who gives birth as London disappears under water and then must navigate a broken, flooded world with her newborn son, Zeb. The film follows her journey through displacement, makeshift shelters, and encounters with other survivors, all while asking what it means to keep going when everything familiar is gone. It is not a disaster movie in the conventional sense, but a close, human portrait of resilience.

What makes The End We Start From stand out is its commitment to restraint. The flood is never shown in sweeping aerial shots; it is felt through rising water in a living room, a soaked road, the silence of an abandoned neighbourhood. That choice, combined with Comer’s performance, has drawn strong reviews and sparked conversation about the film’s ambiguous ending, its relationship to the source novel, and where it can be watched.

What is The End We Start From About?

The story begins in London as an unprecedented flood starts to swallow the city. The Mother, heavily pregnant, goes into labour as the water rises. She gives birth to her son Zeb, and alongside her partner R (Joel Fry), the young family attempts to stay together. But the flood forces them to leave their home, and soon the Mother and child are separated from the father. What follows is a journey through a landscape of flooded roads, abandoned shelters, and communities that have been torn apart by the disaster. The Mother encounters other survivors along the way, including O (Katherine Waterston), another mother who becomes a crucial companion. The film traces her struggle to protect Zeb, to find food and shelter, and eventually to make her way back home.

Who Stars in The End We Start From?

Jodie Comer as the Mother

Jodie Comer plays the central character, known only as the Mother. Her performance carries the entire film, and critics have widely praised her ability to convey exhaustion, determination, and tenderness without overstated dialogue. Comer, best known for her role in Killing Eve, brings a grounded physicality to the role, spending much of the screen time carrying her baby through flooded landscapes.

Supporting cast

Joel Fry plays R, the Mother’s partner, who is separated from the family early in the story. Katherine Waterston appears as O, another survivor and mother who becomes a key figure in the journey. The supporting ensemble includes Mark Strong, Gina McKee, Nina Sosanya, and Benedict Cumberbatch in a limited but memorable appearance. While Cumberbatch and Strong add depth to the film, their screen time is brief.

Who directed the film?

The film is directed by Mahalia Belo, making her feature-length debut. Before this, Belo worked in television, directing episodes of series including The End of the F***ing World and Requiem. Her approach to The End We Start From emphasises atmosphere and emotional intimacy over scale, earning praise for its restraint and focus on character over catastrophe.

How Was The End We Start From Received by Critics?

Positive reception and standout elements

The film received generally positive reviews, with critics highlighting Jodie Comer’s performance, the emotional restraint of the storytelling, and the poetic approach to climate disaster. Many reviewers noted that the film works best as an intimate survival drama rather than a traditional thriller. The Guardian review praised Comer as “compelling” and called the film a “terrific debut feature.”

Some critics found it understated

Not all responses were unreservedly positive. Some reviewers described the film as “meandering” or felt it “merely treads water,” suggesting that its quiet pace may not suit viewers expecting a conventional survival thriller. However, even more mixed reviews tended to single out Comer as the film’s strongest element.

Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic

On Rotten Tomatoes, the critics’ consensus reads: “Led by Jodie Comer’s gripping performance in the central role, The End We Start From offers a thoughtful, haunting look at the end of the world.” The Tomatometer score sits at 82% from critics and 70% from audiences as of early 2025. Metacritic reflects generally favorable reviews, with many noting the film’s sensitivity and style while acknowledging some structural thinness.

Where Can I Watch The End We Start From?

The film is available to stream in the United Kingdom on Netflix and BBC iPlayer. For viewers in other regions, streaming availability varies. The film was released theatrically in the UK in January 2024 and is also available for digital rental or purchase through major platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play, depending on your country.

For those interested in the source book first, Megan Hunter’s official website offers more about the novella and its background. The film’s presence on multiple platforms has made it increasingly accessible since its festival premiere.

When Did the Key Events Happen?

1. 2017: Publication of Megan Hunter’s novella The End We Start From
2. 2022: Film adaptation announced; Jodie Comer cast in the lead role
3. September 2023: Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival
4. January 2024: Theatrical release in the United Kingdom; positive reviews follow
5. Early 2024: Added to Netflix UK and BBC iPlayer
6. 2025 (ongoing): Available on digital platforms; continues to generate discussion about its ending and themes

What Is Known and What Remains Unclear About the Ending?

What Are the Deeper Themes and Context

The End We Start From operates on multiple levels. At its surface, it is a survival story. But the film is steeped in climate anxiety, asking what it means to bring a child into a world that is collapsing. Water functions almost as a character, rising, receding, and transforming every space the mother enters. The director and cinematographer have spoken about using water to evoke both danger and a strange kind of beauty.

The film also subverts typical disaster-movie tropes. There are no heroes rushing to save the day, no dramatic rescues. Instead, the story stays close to the mother’s perspective, emphasising the quiet, repetitive labour of keeping a baby alive when infrastructure has vanished. That focus on motherhood as a form of endurance sets it apart from films like The Road or Children of Men, even as it shares their thematic territory.

Comparison to the book

The novella by Megan Hunter is written in spare, fragmentary prose, with short chapters and a lyrical style. The film retains the emotional core but expands the sense of physical movement across the flooded landscape. The screenplay by Alice Birch gives the mother a more grounded, tangible journey while preserving the novel’s ambiguity. Readers of the book may notice that the film places greater emphasis on the visual reality of survival, whereas the book stays closer to the mother’s interior world.

What Are the Key Sources and Quotes?

“Jodie Comer is compelling as a mother fighting on two fronts in Mahalia Belo’s terrific debut feature.”

— The Guardian (Wendy Ide review)

“A moving survival drama anchored by a powerful performance from Jodie Comer.”

— Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus

“I wanted to leave the story open to interpretation — a moment of stillness in the chaos.”

— Megan Hunter (author, on the book’s ending)

Final Summary

The End We Start From is a 2023 British survival drama that uses a climate disaster as the backdrop for an intimate story about motherhood and resilience. Directed by Mahalia Belo it stars Jodie Comer in a widely praised performance, alongside Joel Fry, Katherine Waterston, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Mark Strong. The film received generally favourable reviews, with critics commending its atmosphere, emotional restraint, and focus on character over spectacle. It is based on Megan Hunter’s 2017 novella and is available to stream in the UK on Netflix and BBC iPlayer. The ending, which shows the mother returning home to a reunion with her partner, has been interpreted in multiple ways, with many viewers finding it both hopeful and ambiguous. For those interested in the cast of similar films, also see the Cast of the Idea of You – Full Cast List and Character Guide.

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