A Big Bold Beautiful Journey does everything a romantic movie should

Romantic movies can come in many different shapes and sizes, from cheesy straight-to-streaming throwaway trifles to grand, sweeping Oscar-worthy dramas. And because there have been so many romances/rom-coms made, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd and depict a relationship that doesn’t feel the same as all of those that came before.

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey does just that by emulating films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and It’s a Wonderful Life. David (Colin Farrell) is thrust into an unexpected adventure when he rents a car from a strange company called, simply, The Car Rental Company, to travel to a friend’s wedding. Once there, he is introduced to Sarah (Margot Robbie), with whom he has an instant-if-tenuous connection, with both living in the same city. A flirty-yet-honest conversation follows as they detail why two good-looking people of their ages are still single; short answer: They’re each their own worst enemy.

A seemingly sentient GPS system in their matching Saturn cars soon forces them together and convinces them to go on “a big bold beautiful journey.” Instead of some nice sightseeing, the two are taken to a series of doors found in various peculiar locations, most of which lead to memories from their past. The universe seems to want them to be together, but neither of them can get out of their own way.

Directed by Kogonada and written by Seth Reiss, the film is designed to be an arrow aimed directly at the hearts of cynics. And while there are sure to be those disaffected by its charms, it does everything a great romantic movie should. The two lead characters have each spent years sabotaging other relationships, something that convinces them - and the audience - that this unusual set of circumstances is exactly the antidote to their romantic troubles.

But the scenes from their respective pasts that they visit are about more than just trying to figure out what went wrong with past boyfriends/girlfriends. They are an exploration into the people and events that shaped their lives, and also a way to provide exposition to the audience in a way that seems natural despite the unnatural settings. Many romantic films have dialogue that feels stilted, but the upfront nature of both characters makes them come off as authentic.

Kogonada and Reiss also treat the film less seriously than you might expect. The film features a number of comedic moments and characters, starting with car rental employees played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Kevin Kline. Their strange, funny, and profane banter sets the tone for what to expect from the film as a whole. David and Sarah are fully aware of the off-the-wall nature of the journey they’re on, and this knowledge keeps the film from tipping too much in the art film direction.

While it takes a bit of suspension of disbelief to think that people who look like Farrell and Robbie would still be hunting for a partner, each of the Oscar-nominated actors has the chops to sell even an idea as far-fetched as that. They also, more importantly, have great chemistry together, setting up each stage of the romance in almost the perfect way. Waller-Bridge, Kline, Hamish Linklater, and Lily Rabe also do well in key supporting parts.

For those willing to give themselves over to a slightly bizarre romance, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a film that hits all the right marks. Effective romances are in short supply in recent years, and one that works as well as this should be embraced despite its odd trappings.

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A Big Bold Beautiful Journey opens in theaters on September 19.