Nothing

"Seriously... where did everybody go?"

2003 1h 30m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 122

ComedyFantasyScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After a terrible day, two good friends and housemates find the outside world converted into a featureless and empty white void.

“Seriously... where did everybody go?”

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Cast

David Hewlett
Dave
Andrew Miller
Andrew
Gordon Pinsent
Man In Suit
Marie-Josée Croze
Sara
Andrew Lowery
Crawford
Elana Shilling
Little Girl
Soo Garay
Little Girl's Mother
Martin Roach
Co-Worker

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Vincenzo Natali
Writers: Andrew Lowery, Andrew Miller, David Hewlett
Languages: English
Countries: Canada

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 23 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Vincenzo Natali, shot by Derek Rogers. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Michael Andrews. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Michele Conroy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

David Hewlett and Andrew Miller and Gordon Pinsent carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Seriously... where did everybody go?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0298482 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Vincenzo Natali directs. Derek Rogers behind the camera. Michael Andrews scores. Michele Conroy cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Canada. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 23 years ago.
3Directed by Vincenzo Natali, shot by Derek Rogers. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Michael Andrews. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Michele Conroy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6David Hewlett and Andrew Miller and Gordon Pinsent carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Seriously... where did everybody go?".
8IMDB entry: tt0298482 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Derek Rogers
Original score: Michael Andrews
Editing: Michele Conroy
Production design: Jasna Stefanovic
Costume design: Alex Kavanagh
Makeup / hair: Barb Barkley
VFX supervisor: Bret Culp
Sound: Stephen Barden
Stunt coordinator: Plato Fountidakis
Runtime: 90 min · 1h 30m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Nothing (2003)

Also by

Vincenzo Natali

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

misubisu2026-01-07
★ 7/10
Review: Nothing (2003) Score: 7/10 Nothing is a bizarre, philosophically audacious, and surprisingly poignant low-budget Canadian comedy that operates on a premise of pure, surreal logic. Directed by Vincenzo Natali (Cube), it follows two chronically miserable best friends, Dave and Andrew, whose lives are a cascade of petty humiliations and cosmic bad luck. When their world literally begins to disappear around them—starting with a pesky talking squirrel—they discover they have a unique, nihilistic power: anything they agree "is nothing" ceases to exist. What begins as a juvenile game of erasing annoyances spirals into an existential crisis as their entire reality threatens to vanish into a void of their own making. What Works Brilliantly: * A High-Concept Premise Executed with Conviction: The film fully commits to its absurdist, metaphysical rules. The visual effects, while deliberately simple, are effective in portraying the unnerving, clean white void that consumes the world piece by piece. The concept serves as a darkly hilarious metaphor for depression, denial, and the desire to opt out of a painful reality. * Sharp, Dark Humour & Strong Chemistry: The lead duo, played by David Hewlett and Andrew Miller, share a convincingly worn-in friendship. Their witty, cynical banter carries the film, making their descent into cosmic negation both funny and strangely tragic. The humour is bone-dry and perfectly suited to the film's deadpan exploration of utter despair. * Unexpected Emotional Depth: Beneath the absurdity lies a genuine, melancholic heart. The film becomes a story about the bonds that tie us to existence, no matter how flawed, and the terrifying freedom (and loneliness) of absolute negation. The final act achieves a quiet, poetic resonance that elevates it beyond its comedic shell. Why It’s Not a Higher Score: * Deliberately Repetitive Structure: The middle section of the film can feel cyclical, as the pair go through the motions of erasing more of their world. This repetition mirrors their stagnant despair but may test the patience of some viewers. * Low-Budget Limitations: The film's aesthetic is intentionally drab and claustrophobic, which serves its theme but can be visually unappealing. Some of the more ambitious "disappearance" scenes are conceptually strong but show the constraints of their budget. * An Acquired Taste: This is niche, philosophical cinema wrapped in a slacker-comedy disguise. Its particular blend of existential dread and dry humour will not resonate with everyone. Verdict: Nothing is a clever, courageous, and oddly moving cult film. It’s a minimalist thought experiment that uses its limited resources to explore maximally big ideas about meaning, friendship, and the will to exist. While its pacing and aesthetic won’t be for all tastes, for viewers who connect with its unique wavelength, it offers a funny, bleak, and ultimately haunting experience that sticks with you far longer than its 70-minute runtime. A hidden gem for fans of high-concept, talky indie sci-fi. Watch if: You love existential, low-budget sci-fi (like Cube or Coherence), dark philosophical comedies, or films about nihilism and friendship. Skip if: You require conventional plots, high-energy pacing, or polished visuals. This is a talky, conceptual film about two guys making the universe disappear from a suburban living room.

Production companies