Janet Planet Review: The playwright Annie Baker’s debut feature film, “Janet Planet,” has garnered praise for its emotional depth and subtle storytelling. The Telluride Film Festival debut starred Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Sophie Okonedo, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, Mary Shultz, and Edie Moon Kearns. It shows Baker’s Pulitzer-winning linguistic skills, particularly her ability to capture common conversation’s modest illuminations and subtle emotional depths. The 1 hour and 57-minute film promises a compelling look at its protagonists’ lives.
The story follows single mother and acupuncturist Janet (Julianne Nicholson) and her 11-year-old daughter Lacy (Zoe Ziegler). The tale explores their emotional and psychological struggles as they negotiate a summer of transition, including the arrival and departure of various adults. Misfit Lacy is an inquisitive young girl who continuously reassesses her relationship with her mother. Instead of hormonal storms and authority confrontations, the film uses a sophisticated and emotionally layered storytelling method to convey adolescence.
Baker’s film has four segments about grownups who come and leave the mother-daughter relationship. Wayne, played by Will Patton, is Janet’s moody, migraine-prone lover, while Regina, played by Sophie Okonedo, is a loving but annoying old friend. Adult relationships and their effects on children are examined in the film, particularly Lacy’s reactions to her mother’s interactions with them. Maria von Hausswolff’s naturalistic cinematography enhances Baker’s text. This makes the characters and their issues more sympathetic by adding realism. “Janet Planet” is a film about character and emotion, like Baker’s Pulitzer-winning drama “The Flick,” which explores everyday people attempting to connect emotionally.
Baker’s film depicts complicated, flawed women as feminists of the present. Janet regrets and confuses Lacy, saying that her capacity to make any man fall in love with her may have ruined her life. These confessions give the picture a rich depth and an unsentimental but empathic look at its protagonists.
The video finishes with Lacy considering her future and declining to dance during a community contra dance. A film that emphasizes nuance and emotional acuity ends with a view of her face showing her complex feelings. This unique coming-of-age story focuses on the character’s inner struggles. Baker calls it “about falling out of love with your mother,” a topic that runs throughout the film as Lacy reconsiders her relationship with Janet.
Overall, “Janet Planet” shows Annie Baker’s ability to capture human emotion and interaction. A brilliant cast and excellent script make the film a touching look at relationships and emotional connection. Like Baker’s theatre work, it promises to be an unforgettable film. “Janet Planet” will be a contemporary movie classic due to its unique storyline and emotional depth.
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How long is Janet planet?
Janet Planet, produced by A24, will premiere at Telluride on September 1, 2023. The film, with a running time of 110 minutes, hails from the United States.