Written by: Seth Reiss
Starring: Margot Robbie, Colin Farrell, Kevin Kline, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Rating: [2.5/5]
The way certain films completely fail in their execution can truly leave me aghast. Films where everything on paper indicates they should work in conveying something truly remarkable, but then the outcome displays something shockingly disappointing. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey comfortably falls into this category, where the lack of substance in a film, aching for it mightily, misses the mark.
At a wedding, David (Colin Farrell) meets Sarah (Margot Robbie), and the two hit it off even if the latter admits that if anything happened between them, it would only result in heartbreak for the former. When Sarah’s car breaks down, she and David decide to follow this magical GPS in his car, and they go on this journey that looks back on their past regrets and traumas.
By every metric, a film like A Big Bold Beautiful Journey should leave an impression. It sets its sights so high in its attempt at crafting a story full of meaning as two individuals seek love but hold a healthy fear of it because of their pasts. This attempt transpires through magical realism in the hopes of providing whimsy as the talented duo of Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie attempt to fight their past for a better tomorrow. Add in Kogonada sits in the directorial chair for this film, Joe Hisaishi crafted the score, and it feels impossible this film could not succeed. Therefore, almost impressively, this film defies all expectations and mightily falters not in presenting meaningful ideas but rather in its execution.
Starting out at the wedding, the film sets the scene of the dynamic at play as David will sheepishly try to win over the heart of Sarah, who remains adamant that they will not work together. While she remains persistent in this line of thought, this journey refuses to keep them apart, and therefore, they must go through moments of their past and relive what has made them what they are today. If this description makes you draw parallels to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind you would not be far off course. It has similarities, but where this film fails mightily in comparison to Michael Gondry’s magnificent film lies in the screenplay and the harsh differences seen when comparing the work of screenwriter Seth Reiss to someone like Charlie Kaufman.
While having strong bones, this film ultimately falls into this vacuous void where all good ideas die, as it truly has nothing of real substance. This sits right at the core of the struggle of this film, and even with Kogonada’s attempt at making this story visually intriguing in its presentation and the full use of magical realism, it just does not come together. We have these two characters sharing these grandiose moments of emotional catharsis, but none of it feels real or tangible on or below the surface. The film wants to make you feel things, but nothing feels worth rooting for between these two other than hoping they receive the therapy they need, and perhaps Sarah has a point in insisting they should not attempt to further attach themselves to each other.
This film’s failing serves as the first dud of Kogonada’s career. As a director who thrives in minimalism and allowing moments of silence to do the talking, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey allowed him to step into the studio system and work with a higher budget and A-list stars. As the rest of this review has indicated, it did not work out very well for him. Not only because he did not write the script as he did with the first two successful features, but also due to this film not falling into the style he typically implements as a filmmaker. He can deserve some plaudits for at least trying to stretch his wings and try something new, but he certainly could not overcome the lackluster screenplay he chose to operate with.
Every ounce of me deeply wanted to love A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, as every component of it had the makings of something right up my alley. It takes on such big, bold, and beautiful ideas about our past and the vulnerabilities that come with taking the risks of falling in love. However, none of this comes through in these characters, and despite the best efforts by all involved, they could not put everything together for a film seeking to accomplish its stated goals. Truly an unfortunate reality, but it reminds us of the importance of a screenplay and its foundation to a story.
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