“A Big Bold Beautiful Journey” debuted in theaters Friday, Sept. 19. Directed by Kogonada and written by Seith Reiss, it stars Colin Farrell as David and Margot Robbie as Sarah, a pair of singles seemingly destined to meet as guests at a wedding. It’s not until they end up stuck in a rented 1994 GM Saturn, with a magical GPS system (voiced by Jodie Turner-Smith) that everything takes a turn. Embarking on a road trip away from home, they open doors into their past lives, sharing and exposing each of their hidden secrets and unearthed traumas.
A whimsical, fantastical-comedy-romance, that to me felt like a mash up of Robert Zemeckis’s “Here” and Damien Chazelle’s “La La Land.” Similar to “La La Land,” the film is unafraid to run with the whimsy. Bending reality to a more dreamlike fantasy land where the characters question the magic, but don’t push to have answers as to how or why it’s happening – quickly getting the audience on board to accept the reality of this world within minutes of the film’s opening. Comparing it to Zemechkis’s “Here,” it shares similar themes of tracing history back for not only the couple, but their parents and other individuals they have met along the way that helped shape who they are today. A real deep dive into the idea of generational trauma and understanding how our biggest insecurities and flaws aren’t as unique as they may seem.
Other pleasing aspects to the film were the cinematography, shot choices, motifs and colors. Robbie is seen in red almost throughout the entirety of the movie, while Farrell is in cooler tones of blue – adding a layer of unspoken dialogue between these two characters. The world around them is also color blocked mainly in vibrant primary colors, with symmetrical shots that frame the characters similarly to how one may choose to paint a portrait or landscape. Adding to that dreamy, otherworldly feeling.
A big reason these colors and shots were executed so well is because of Benjamin Loeb, the cinematography director. His choices in angles paired with colors not only mirrored those you would find in artwork and paintings, but also worked in tandem with the emotional stakes at any given moment on screen. The closeup shots emphasized the intimacy and heaviness portrayed, while other shots helped the audience feel just as encapsulated in the dreamy reality.
Lastly, the soundtrack of this film really acted as the icing on an already beautiful cake. Singer songwriter Laufey, who covers three songs and debuts a brand new song that she wrote for the movie: “The Risk.” Her jazzy romantic style that’s not afraid to flirt with dissonance fits perfectly as the backdrop to the vibrant dream of emotional exploration this film creates. Other well known tracks include “Dream Team” by Monsters and Men as well as “Bug Like An Angel” by Mitski and “Let My Love Open The Door” by Pete Townsend, covered by Mitski.
I am happy to report that this “Big Bold Beautiful Journey” served up exactly that, surpassing my expectations and refreshing my hopes for future fantastical romcoms to come. This film earns a full five out of five, serving up a surreal spicy flare to a romantic story we all can relate to – if not now, surely by looking back into our own closet of secrets. Revisiting our pasts and embracing that our choices make us the person we are today, ready to open the door onto tomorrow’s next opportunity.