Viewers Uncover Glaring Friends Plot Hole in Leave the World Behind
Leave the World Behind surprises viewers with a striking Friends plot hole, however, director Sam Esmail intriguingly hints at a deeper layer to this apparent inconsistency
The new Netflix movie Leave the World Behind has been generating a lot of buzz, with viewers uncovering intriguing details and even a unique Friends plot hole. Director Sam Esmail has hinted that there's more to the story than meets the eye.
Adapted from Rumaan Alam's 2020 novel, the apocalyptic drama has swiftly risen to the top of the Netflix chart. Featuring an all-star cast including Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, and Myha’la, the film follows two families as they struggle to survive during an unexplained blackout.
The latest film from the creator of Mr. Robot is full of mystery, a looming disaster, and the unexpected appearance of symbolic deer. According to the official synopsis: "Two families must confront a terrifying disaster that continues to worsen, forcing everyone to confront their roles in a world on the brink of collapse."
After the film was released on Netflix last week, one detail that has been brought to attention is a plot hole from Friends, which Esmail himself has addressed.
Leave the World Behind viewers spot major Friends plot hole
Rose Sandford (played by Farrah Mackenzie) in Leave the World Behind is the daughter of Amanda (portrayed by Julia Roberts) and Clay (played by Ethan Hawke). She is an avid fan of Friends, which becomes complicated when it is revealed that Roberts appeared as a celebrity guest in the popular sitcom as Susie Moss.
Why did Rose fail to recognize the striking resemblance of her mother in the show? Many viewers were puzzled by this, with one commenter on X/Twitter noting: "The child watching Friends on her tablet in Leave the World Behind is going to be shocked when Julia Roberts makes an appearance."
X/@MainstreamMatt
"The Friends episode starring Julia Roberts was a twist in itself for audiences, with one person commenting: 'Leave the World Behind takes an unexpected turn when the daughter watches the Friends episode with her mother.' Another Twitter user noted the lack of reaction from the Friends-obsessed character in the film, saying: 'The daughter had nothing to say about her mom appearing in the episode.' In Esmail's unique universe, this intentional deviation from our reality is a crucial aspect of creating a world slightly askew from our own, as he explained: 'The universe I create for these movies is slightly off from our reality. They have to be, obviously. They’re being performed by actors that are in our world.'"
“So when Rose is watching Friends on
Netflix and catches a glimpse of Julia, she notices a faint resemblance to her mother, but quickly dismisses the thought since it’s clearly not her mom.”
Expanding on Rose's fixation with watching Friends amidst chaos, the filmmaker explained to Tudum: "For me, it symbolized pure escapism. During times of crisis and disconnection, we seek comfort and escape. I believed that Rose's journey would not be finished until she experienced the conclusion of her beloved show." "Leave the World Behind" is now streaming on Netflix, and you can find more coverage below.
Editor's P/S
As an enthusiastic fan of both "Friends" and "Leave the World Behind," I found the plot hole involving Julia Roberts' character, Susie Moss, to be both intriguing and thought-provoking. The fact that Rose, an avid fan of "Friends," fails to recognize her mother's appearance in the show adds a layer of complexity to the narrative and raises questions about the nature of reality within the film's universe.
Director Sam Esmail's explanation that the universe he creates for his movies is slightly off from our own provides a fascinating perspective on the film's plot hole. It suggests that the world of "Leave the World Behind" is not a straightforward reflection of our own reality but rather a parallel universe with subtle deviations. This concept adds depth to the film's exploration of themes such as identity, perception, and the search for meaning in times of crisis.
