NOW IN THEATERS! Directed by Kogonada and written by Seth Reiss, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a surreal romance that blends magical realism with heartfelt emotion. Starring Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie, the film takes two lonely strangers on a strange road trip that forces them to confront the heartbreaks and choices that shaped who they are.
In the opening, David (Colin Farrell) attends a wedding, and at the reception, he meets Sarah (Margot Robbie), who, like him, is attending alone. Their banter is tinged with awkwardness and honesty—Sarah bluntly admits that her relationships always end badly and that she might hurt anyone who gets close to her. David, intrigued, plays along with her intensity. Their connection deepens when she impulsively invites him to dance, and even asks him to marry her. The evening ends without romance, but a spark has been lit between them.
The next day, David departs in his rental car, feeling the weight of his loneliness. As he drives, the car’s GPS unexpectedly asks if he wants to go on “a big, bold, beautiful journey.” Startled but curious, he accepts, and the device leads him off his original path. At a truck stop Burger King, he finds Sarah again after her own car breaks down. Realizing fate has brought them together, they continue the trip in his car, guided by the strange, almost mystical GPS. Their travels soon take a surreal turn when they encounter a series of mysterious doors that open into moments from their pasts. David steps through one and finds himself back at his old high school, inside the body of his teenage self. He is thrust onto the stage to perform in a musical on the very night when his first love broke his heart.
Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie star in A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY.
“The car’s GPS unexpectedly asks if he wants to go on ‘a big, bold, beautiful journey.’”
I’ll start by saying I was not expecting to like A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. The trailers take us down this surreal adventure of pretentiousness, but I have to say, once that high musical number hit, I was fully on board. It seems that over the last several years, movies have become more interested in lecturing us about our shortcomings than empathizing with us. This movie, however, takes a different approach. If you’ve ever dated and tried to start a relationship, you’re going to find yourself relating to either David or Sarah…you pick…gender doesn’t matter. David is the guy who chases love, and when he finally gets that special someone, they don’t live up to the chase. Sarah is the one who would rather hurt you in the relationship because she can’t be the one who gets hurt first.
From here, the entire movie revolves around the personal growth of David and Sarah as they confront obstacles that hinder their pursuit of happiness. In the end, if they can overcome the adversity in their personal lives, then they can finally take the risk on love. The story is smart and it’s emotional…just like romances should be. In fact, Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie have this incredible chemistry together, reminiscent of Bogey and Bacall, Day and Hudson, and even Hanks and Ryan. Not your conventional couple, but they are brilliant.
Hats off to Kogonada, who walks us through a concert of emotions. He pulls off an incredible music number, making all this surreal magic seem seamless. When the credits roll, you’re going to be thinking, talking, and calling that ex you hurt or the one who hurt you. Believe me, it’s worth taking a chance on A Big, Bold Beautiful Journey.
"…it's worth taking a chance on..."
