FILM REVIEW: A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY (15) ESP RATING: 2.5/5

Big and bold in ambition – but not always in its execution.

Some films wear their intentions proudly on their sleeve, and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is one of them. Helmed by acclaimed director Kogonada – a Sundance Film Festival winner for 2021’s After Yang – and starring Oscar nominees Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, this whimsical romance sets out to sweep us away on a dreamy road trip through memory and love.

The story begins when Sarah (Robbie) and David (Farrell), two strangers, who meet at a wedding. Through a mysterious car rental agency, they’re given vehicles with a magical GPS system that leads them towards doors into moments from their pasts. As the journey unfolds, they’re pulled into childhood memories, old regrets, and what-might-have-beens. The idea is that by confronting these fragments of their histories, they may find clarity for their futures – and maybe even for each other.

It’s an undeniably intriguing setup, and you can see exactly what the film is reaching for. There’s a touch of Tim Burton’s Big Fish in the whimsical imagery and odd detours, and a clear echo of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in its dreamlike exploration of memory and identity. The problem is, the film never fully owns either space. It nods toward whimsy, it gestures toward depth, but it doesn’t quite land solidly in either. The result feels ambitious but a little hollow.

At the centre of it all are Robbie and Farrell, two extraordinary actors who should, on paper, be dynamite together. Strangely, the spark just isn’t there. In interviews, they radiate charm side by side, but on screen, their romance feels like something we’re told rather than shown. The dialogue insists they’re falling in love, but their interactions don’t always back it up. The same goes for the film’s attempts at poignancy: we know our heartstrings are supposed to be pulled because the script says so, but without more backstory and character investment, those moments lack weight.

That’s not to say it’s without pleasures. The film is gorgeous to look at, with painterly cinematography and a gentle layer of magical realism woven throughout. Joe Hisaishi’s score lends an extra sweep of emotion, and there’s a fantastic musical number halfway through that feels like the film at its boldest and most alive. Supporting turns from Kevin Kline and Phoebe Waller-Bridge add eccentric charm, reminding us of the playful, quirkier movie that could have been.

To make it clear, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey isn’t a terrible film. It’s pretty, very pleasant, and has flashes of magic. But it never becomes the sweeping, emotional ride its title promises.

This is a romantic-fantasy-drama I wanted to fall in love with – but one that ultimately left me wishing its boldness had been matched by a bit more heart.

ESP Rating: 2.5/5

Mike Clarke

Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough & Odeon Luxe Peterborough, Out Now

Cast: Margot Robbie, Colin Farrell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Kevin Kline, Billy Magnussen & Jodie Turner-Smith

Running Time: 1 Hr 49 Mins

Director: Kogonada

Film Review Venue: Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough

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