It’s unclear what A Big Bold Beautiful Journey wants to be, but it’s certainly an honest reflection of people at their most sincere. It’s a strange and uncomfortable exploration of the questions we ask ourselves in the dark, and the ones we might not want to share with others. We don’t exactly have a magical GPS or doors popping open to our past, but how many of us have lain awake at night thinking about our past and wishing we could relive certain moments? How many of us have wished we could right our wrongs or perhaps even double down on the things we’re sure we were right about?
What does it mean to actually live out our fantasies and believe that we can have the things we want? Christopher Nolan’s Inception takes that concept so seriously that it offers a carefully nuanced depiction of how our thoughts are manipulated into becoming a reality. But because A Big Bold Beautiful Journey does this through a stranger, more whimsical approach, it becomes harder to sit with what it’s trying to tell us.
It also bears saying that Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell are excellent leads, making it easy to invest in the character journeys. Yet, somehow, the actors kept me thoroughly interested in questioning what would happen and why. The stars make it easy to invest in their mistakes, desires, and honest admissions. They both, in different ways, provide a thoroughly riveting arc, and the continuously rainy ambiance is also a surprising comfort all throughout.
More than anything, I’m stuck on the questions asked throughout and how surprisingly sincere the film allows itself to be. If this were a romance novel, there’d be ample exploration of vulnerable emotions and how real, true love allows people to be their most honest selves with one another. How we wish we could explore grief and loss and the people we miss.
In many ways, it could’ve also worked better as a mini-series of sorts because A Big Bold Beautiful Journey has all the markings of a film that should’ve been extraordinary. Between the screenplay, performances, and the directing, it’s a solid bag capable of rich storytelling.
There are moments throughout that feel genuinely heartfelt and reflective, like both characters having honest conversations with their parents. It’s especially profound when Sarah watches one last movie with her mom. Robbie does such a breathtaking job of making the character feel so small in that moment that it made my heart ache. The one last chase. The what if. The conversations we all wish we could have with those who’ve died. There’s undeniable heart sprinkled throughout the movie, even if at times the whimsical approach isn’t sure how it wants to come across. If nothing else, don’t let negative reviews stop you from watching. I, for one, am glad I did.
Plus, the second-to-last needle drop of Bright Eyes’ “First Day of My Life?” It makes the film feel tailor-made for the millennials currently facing every existential crisis known to man.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is now available for digital purchase.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Sony Pictures
Your review is the only one that has made me want to watch this movie. Im going to add it to my list. Thank you!