Movie Number 38 of 2025
The Movie: A Big Bold Beautiful Journey
The Cinema: The Sun Theatre, Yarraville
Runtime: One hour 49 minutes
On limited release mostly in arthouse cinemas
Stars: 4
This was a birthday movie - and yes, my birthday was two months ago, but it was good to receive the gift. This film was a gift too. Sweet, easy, no violence, and no need to engage the brain, other than to hop on board this slightly strange journey - which was big, bold and beautiful in equal measure. It also hit me in places it was designed to strike.
It's a fairly simple premise. To inveterate singletons, David (Colin Farrell) and Sarah (Margot Robbie) set out separately to go to a friend's wedding. Neither are taking a plus one. David's father advises him to be open to possibilities.
And then it gets a bit strange. David's car has been clamped. Sarah also has car troubles. Both are directed to a very dodgy car hire place where they're respectively greeted by a cashier with a German accent (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and a mechanic (Kevin Kline) There are two shit heap cars to choose from and the promise of a GPS, because you know, mobile phones crap out.
And here's where things get a bit silly, but wonderful.
The film has a bit of a Sliding Doors feel to it as the pair are lead to various scenes where both face some uncomfortable truths about their lives. They face up to their regrets - and look to reframing these events. You can see what happens a mile off, but that's okay. Romantic comedies are supposed to work that way. The time in their pasts allow them to move on with their new, shared future. Farrell and Robbie are a delight to watch. That's worth the ticket price.
Although this was a little predictable, there's a lot to like about this film. It's very stylised and pretty to watch. Kogonada's direction is assured and fun. There are some great one liners in the script, written by Seth Reiss, a writer known from some very off-beat stuff (The Menu being one of them)
There's enough to keep you interested in the film from its opening moments, until the end.
Having been in the cinemas for a few weeks now, it's bound to slink away but keep an eye out for it on the streaming services. It's an enjoyable Friday night in sort of film.
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