As We Know It (film)

As We Know It
Directed by	Josh Monkarsh
Written by	Brandon DePaolo Christopher Francis Josh Monkarsh
Produced by	Daniel Cummings Joshua Fruehling K. Asher Levin Josh Monkarsh
Cinematography	Stephen St. Peter
Edited by	Yvonne Valdez Rebecca Weigold
Music by	Michl Britsch
Distributed by	Buffalo 8
Release date	May 13, 2023 (2023-05-13) (Pendance Film Festival)
Language	English

As We Know It is a 2023 zombie apocalypse, romantic comedy directed by Josh Monkarsh, starring Mike Castle, Oliver Cooper, Taylor Blackwell, Danny Mondello, Pam Grier, and Chris Parnell.

Synopsis

The film's official synopsis reads:

Set in Los Angeles in the late 1990s, struggling writer James Bishop grapples with the emotional shrapnel of a recent breakup with his longtime girlfriend, Emily. As James holds up in his Hollywood Hills home with writer's block, his eccentric best friend Bruce shows up with bad news. The city has plunged into chaos by an unusual and hilarious zombie outbreak, courtesy of tainted soy milk.
With the streets of Los Angeles swarming with the undead, James, Bruce, and Emily come together to barricade themselves in the house while reconciling their personal struggles. And occasionally, letting in the only food delivery service still operating, Abracadabra.

Cast

• Mike Castle as James
• Oliver Cooper as Bruce
• Taylor Blackwell as Emily
• Danny Modelo as Rory
• Chris Parnell as Ted Sommers
• Pam Grier as Ms. Jones

Development

Monkarsh optioned the script for As We Know It in 2016. The original script did not feature zombies and Monkarsh came up with the idea to include them while "spitballing ideas" with Christopher Francis. They did not approach the script again until the COVID-19 pandemic occurred and Monkarsh noticed that he believed that he had "something here with all the quarantining stuff that’s happening". The crew substantially re-wrote the script but allowed the cast to see it as a foundation and to freely improv.

Filming began in Los Angeles, California during July 2022.

Release

As We Know It premiered at the Pendance Film Festival in Canada on May 13, 2023. It was acquired by production and distribution company Buffalo 8 and given a theatrical release on November 10, 2023. This was followed by a release to streaming and video-on-demand on December 1 of the same year.

Reception

As We Know It has a rating of 50% on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 10 reviews. Film Threat reviewed the movie, noting that the film "hits a lot of the expected beats of a zombie comedy" while also praising the characters, makeup, cast, and its ending. Andy Klein and Manuel Betancourt reviewed it for KPCC, both criticizing it and Klein stating that "It feels almost improvised... and unfortunately not that well improvised."