Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth set to star in Netflix romantic drama

I’m not sure why the romance genre has taken to sending its main lovers elsewhere, but the trend continues on Netflix Lonely planet. This time it’s the characters: Katherine Loewe (Laura Dern), a best-selling author who is retreating to finish her book, and real estate agent Owen Brophy (Liam Hemsworth), who is retreating to be with his new girlfriend, a successful author. to support Lily Kemp (Diana Silvers) – trip to Morocco. Here they develop feelings for each other, although the land is more of a quiet, beautiful backdrop for their budding romance than a character in its own right.

Lonely Planet is pretty thoughtful

It’s not contrived

Screenplay and direction: Susannah Grant, Lonely planet Ultimately, it’s about moving on from a past life, a past attitude, a past relationship, or a past job. The retreat allows Katherine and Owen to find more than just each other. This sounds rather cliché, but the film has a way of presenting its themes without fuss or fanfare that elevates it beyond its basic premise. I respected it for that. It’s not full of contrived antics that bring the characters together, and Lily, while an antagonist in some ways, is also a sympathetic character who just isn’t on the same page with Owen anymore.

Lonely planet For us, it’s as much about the things we hold on to beyond their expiration date as it is about discovering new paths and people who will help shape the next phase of our lives. Katherine wants to hide from everyone and everything, while Owen looks for a connection outside of Lily that won’t make him feel like a constant outsider. In some ways they are two sides of the same coin and in others opposites, and Grant captures their slow-burn romance in a way that brings them together seamlessly.

Their relationship grows from something simple – they end up sharing a car to go into the city – but they pull out the parts that they had previously kept only to themselves. There is a deep sense of self-discovery that permeates Lonely planetAnd that’s exactly what makes the story interesting. Romance is secondary and is often overshadowed by the story of the discovery of a novelty within oneself. To that end, the film could have used more romance, but there isn’t much passion or longing between the two characters. When they got together, I felt a bit detached from them as a couple.

Lonely Planet is at its best when it focuses on the growth of its characters

The chemistry between Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth is just perfect

Dern, as Katherine, is endlessly annoyed and quietly frustrated. She enjoys the moments of peace she can create for herself, but the more time she spends with Owen, the more her defenses weaken. Dern captures the development of Katherine’s opening very well. Hemsworth, on the other hand, is not so much brooding as the embodiment of a deep sigh. The further the film progresses, the more he realizes that he’s no longer in tune with Lily (who, frankly, shouldn’t have made him retreat anyway).

What the film lacks is great chemistry between the lead couple. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t matter either. Dern and Hemsworth seem to get along well on screen, but perhaps it’s because of the film’s quiet atmosphere that their connection doesn’t quite work in the love department. Maybe I felt the chemistry and romance between them differently Lonely planet spent less time trying to get Owen out of his unhappy relationship with Lily.

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The film spends a lot of time setting up, so the conflicts that arise between Owen and Lily – and later between Owen and Katherine – are not tense enough to be effective. While there is a certain sadness in this, Grant doesn’t linger long enough on these elements before quickly moving on to them Lonely planetis over.

And yet the film is melancholic and thoughtful, which is not always the case with romantic films. There’s certainly something to be said about another romance film featuring an older woman dating a younger man, but as far as romantic dramas go, Lonely planet is more drama than romance. But it’s a thoroughly thoughtful film in which we watch two characters grow together and break free from what previously held them back; A lack of real romance isn’t a dealbreaker in this case.

Lonely planet is now streaming on Netflix. The film is 94 minutes long and is rated R due to language, some sexual content and brief nudity.

6/10

A reclusive novelist attends a Moroccan writers’ retreat to overcome writer’s block. There she meets a young man and what begins as a simple connection soon develops into a powerful, life-changing romance.

Advantages

• The romantic drama is thoughtful and captivating
• The story is about self-development and that’s what she excels at

Disadvantages

• There isn’t enough romance
• The ending feels rushed