But things have changed a little over the past few years. With streaming platforms grabbing more romances, they are generally cheap to make so cheap for platforms to buy, filmmakers and film studios have learnt that if you want your romantic film to be noticed by a cinema going public then you have to make your film different to everything else that is out there.
Now enter the new film from film director Kogonada (After Yang), A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, that takes the romance genre and tips it on its head in a way that we never seen before. Not only is this film artistic but in some ways it could even be described as experimental.
The film begins with Irish born American David (Colin Farrell – In Bruges) getting ready to drive to a wedding in the country. His plans are dashed though when he finds his car clamped. Desperate for a car he turns to a peculiar car rental agency, seemingly run by nameless characters played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny) and Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda). Here he is handed the keys to an obscure model of car, a 1994 Saturn SL, with a demanding GPS (voiced by Jodie Turner-Smith – Tron: Ares).
At the wedding he meets the beautiful and intelligent Sarah (Margot Robbie – Suicide Squad) but after some initial conversation he seems to lose interest in her after she reveals her lack of desire to date or marry. She asks him for a dance and he declines.
Then while driving back to the city David’s GPS demands that he pulls into a road-side restaurant where he once again meets Sarah. With her car not working she jumps into his and the GPS asks them if they want to go on a big, bold, beautiful journey. From there they are taken on a journey that not only reveals things about themselves but makes them question their own lives and the decisions that they have made.
Style over substance
The general premise of A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is one that holds your interest but this is a film that goes off the rails very, very quickly. It tries to take elements of films like Sliding Doors and Suzeme but ends up tripping itself up and over-staying its welcome as it ends up becoming a film that seems to lean towards artistic style over substance.
Cinematographer Benjamin Loeb (Dream Scenario) makes sure this film looks amazing and at times it his work and the performances of the cast that are the only giving the film a heart beat. Together with Kogonada, Loeb makes this film look and feel like you are watching a Japanese or Scandinavian film but the films lacks what also makes those movies so great – a brilliant screenplay.
Too often this film dips into a scene that is completely unnecessary and does nothing to move the story along. That is a shame as not only makes the film run over-long but it also often distracts that audience from the drama that is happening as they scratch their head and try to work what has just happened.
Two people though that can’t be blamed for A Big Bold Beautiful Journey not reaching its heights are Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie. Farrell is exceptional as David and has the acting skills to pull off what ever emotion is thrown at him throughout the film. Whether it be a dramatic scene or one designed to make the audience laugh Farrell delivers. And of course he has the looks to make him the perfect all round romantic lead.
Likewise Robbie is exceptional as she places an against type character. Her scenes with Farrell are magical and she helps deliver one of the best scenes of the film when she ‘travels’ back in time to spend a night in her childhood home with her mother (Lily Rabe – No Reservations). It is a scene laced with emotion and drama and the film would have been much better if screenwriter Seth Reiss (The Menu) had written more scenes like these.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey starts out as a film that seems like it is going to capture your attention but petters out as it’s stylistic approach can’t overcome a weak screenplay. Credit to Farrell and Robbie for some great performances but the film still manages to over-stay its welcome.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is currently screening in Phuket and is rated ‘15’.
2.5/5 Stars.
David Griffiths has been working as a film journalist for over 25 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. He currently hosts a film podcast called The Popcorn Conspiracy. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes accredited reviewer and is an alternate judge for the Golden Globes Awards. You can follow him at Facebook: SubcultureEntertainmentAus.