When London is submerged by catastrophic floods, a new mother is separated from her partner and embarks on a dangerous, remarkable journey across the country in search of safety, all while protecting her baby from the surrounding chaos. A film by Mahalia Belo, starring Jodie Comer, Joel Fry, Katherine Waterston, Gina McKee, Nina Sosanya, Mark Strong, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The film begins as we follow the story narrated by the unnamed female character, “Woman,” (Jodie Comer) who is pregnant and appears to be alone in the house. Meanwhile, outside, the rain pours down relentlessly, causing the water to rise and seep into the house. Woman experiences that she is going into labor earlier than expected. She attempts to contact her partner, but her call goes into his voicemail as he is unavailable. She then tries to call an ambulance, however, the ambulance service is in high demand. Eventually, the ambulance arrives and takes her to the hospital where she gives birth to a baby boy named Zeb. By the time the ambulance arrives, the house is completely flooded.

Her partner R (Joel Fry), meets her at the hospital. They both discover they cannot return home because London has been evacuated due to unprecedented flooding. People are fleeing to higher ground in the countryside, but many towns and villages are blocking entry, allowing only current residents with valid ID to re-enter. Faced with this situation, R decides to take Woman and their son Zeb to his parents’ house in a mountainous region.

R’s parents, G (Nina Sosanya) and N (Mark Strong), excitedly welcome their son, Woman, and their grandson Zeb. Worried about their safety due to downed cell networks and road closures, they are relieved R and his family have made it. Fortunately, G and N have stocked up on food and supplies, enough to last comfortably for several months. R and Woman hope to stay with R’s parents temporarily until the flood situation settles down.

But their happiness doesn’t last long. One day, R and his parents go on a supply run while Woman stays home with Zeb. When they don’t return at the usual time, Woman starts to worry. And when they finally return the next day, the family vibe has totally shifted. Bruises and wounds mark R’s face, visible bloodstain on N’s shirt, and G is absent. R reveals later that G was killed during a mass panic. The house gradually deteriorates with G no longer there to care for it.

The next day, Woman finds N standing in the rain, behaving strangely. Alarmed when N announces a walk in the pouring rain, she rushes to G, urging him to take the baby so she can follow N. A gunshot shatters the air. Though the scene remains unseen, we can assume N, consumed by grief and despair, took his own life. With memories heavy and food dwindling, G tells Woman they can’t stay. After deciding to hit the road, they head for the spot where soldiers provide food.

Consumed by grief after his mother’s death, G develops a fear of large crowds, including the public shelters where food and support are available. This terrifies him, leaving Woman to venture into the crowds alone to get food for their family. G realizes his fear puts their needs at risk, especially his son’s. He knows they need proper support, so he gathers his courage and takes them to a shelter. Unfortunately, it’s overcrowded, but they discover they can take in children with a single caregiver. Forced by this unforeseen circumstance, G makes the agonizing decision to separate from Woman and Zeb at the shelter. Woman develops a friendship with O (Katherine Waterston), a single mother who also stays at the shelter with her baby daughter.

THE END WE START FROM, a film directed by English filmmaker Mahalia Belo in her directorial debut, based on Megan Hunter’s 2017 novel of the same name, tells the story of a new mother, her husband, and their baby forced to abandon their home and flee north as a dystopian near-future flood ravages London and its surrounding territory.

The film features a solid performance by English actress Jodie Comer, who almost single-handedly carries the entire film, accompanied by British-American actress Katherine Waterston’s incredible performance. Benedict Cumberbatch also makes a brief and notable appearance.

Scottish artist Anna Meredith’s music effectively elevates key moments, immersing viewers in the film’s believable reality. Although the script adapted by British playwright Alice Birch occasionally falters and fails to consistently engage the audience, the film’s use of flashbacks effectively serves its purpose by evoking a sense of disorientation and hallucination.

The film eventually seems to run out of ideas for creating constant tension, making it feel longer than necessary and a bit underwhelming compared to expectations. However, I must admit the sound of screaming babies remains unbearable for me.

The final moments offer some impressive CGI shots of London submerged in floodwaters. I might like this film more, if the film ended with Woman turning and saying “Hello,” as it would create an ambiguous atmosphere suggesting R’s possible survival (or a hallucination). His near-perfect timing in returning home feels unrealistic, it’s just too good to be true.

THE END WE START FROM premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 10 September 2023. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 8 December.