We all try our best to nurture and parent our kids. We want them to turn into trustworthy professionals with a high income. Don’t we want our children to thrive and succeed?

Ziggy (Finn Wolfhard) does not have a good relationship with his mother Evelyn (Julianne Moore). Their constant fights tear them apart. It appears they no longer want each other. His vlog annoys her, and he continues writing and creating music and making some money. The two are so focused on themselves, they don’t even realize they are looking for their replacement elsewhere.

Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, the film studies a mother-and-son relationship to the fullest. When Ziggy fails to exceed his mother’s expectations, he begins to develop a friendship with Lila (Alisha Boe), a classmate. Because he thinks, maybe if he turns political, it can help him get more money, more likes and shares. In the meantime, Evelyn, who owns a shelter for the victim of domestic abuse, meets a young and bright boy named Kyle (Billy Bryk), in whom she sees the successful version of her son.

“When You Finish Saving the World” is a predictable drama with a solid performance by Julianne Moore, while the rest of the cast, including Finn Wolfhard, failed to capture the essence of Ziggy. Most of the time, Wolfhard is not able to capture what was needed to be in the character, and instead ends up delivering lines impatiently. And that`s why the film does not work. Because it did not have the right player for an important character to be portrayed to the fullest.