”Be open. Life is more enjoyable that way.”
As the words of the Father of our main protagonist (Colin Farrell) ring poignantly around the screen, it is instantly clear this mantra is not just a life lesson to the viewer, but a warning of what to expect from the contemplative style of acclaimed Korean-born director, Kogonada, over the journey of the next 149 minutes.
At the core, ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ is a visually striking and introspective film, which – in places – feels stilted and odd, though to many cinema-goers fluent in the more artistic end of the silver screen, this certainly translates as more endearing than off-putting. Led by the familiar dulcet tones of Farrell, deep into a resurgence which has also included his recent stint as ‘The Penguin’, the grey specks of his seasoned gentleman era (aka ‘the Brad Pitt chapter’) contrasting perfectly against the ever-maturing co-lead of Margot Robbie, the A-Lister still basking in her post-Barbie glow.
Crafting a woozy daydream soaked in the romance of stunning cinematography and a flurry of colour in otherwise dreary settings (a cacophony of balloons releasing into the sky, or range of umbrellas in primary tones erecting at the same moment), ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ brings a splash of hope to our otherwise overcast world, pairing moments of awe and wonder, with hard-hitting, and often severely (seriously, bring a hankie) tear-jerking, realism.
The movie’s plot is somewhat unique in the way Farrell & Robbie are taught to not just re-enact key moments of their life through a magical road-trip, but also to accept hard truths of their existence thanks to cosmically-ordered GPS device which leads them to random doors of opportunity in otherwise sparse settings. Through these moments, we see our relatable duo struggle with themes of self-love, self-hate, overcoming pivotal moments of teenage embarrassment, relationship heartbreak, and gut-wrenching issues of death, family, loss, and trauma. All whilst basking in the backdrop of gorgeous sunset-landscapes amid ocean-drenched lighthouse views, and even – daringly – a shot from outer-space itself, reflecting back on the spinning globe of Earth beneath them.
Early in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, we are told that ‘sometimes we have to perform to get to the truth’. The line itself is loaded with heaps of meaning, encouraging the audience to move away from the corporate script we all follow in everyday life, masking our emotions in favour of the simplicity of what truly matters: Love, beauty, nature, connection, and perhaps above all, memories. The idea that life is made of small moments, which all piece into one wider narrative which end up shaping us.
For our lead characters at least, re-enacting the key moments in their lives that made them them, is the most eye-opening take from this whimsical romance, steeped in lashings of abstract thought, and black humour.
Though the production has fallen foul of disappointing box office receipts in its first week of release, perhaps as a direct of a somewhat underwhelming marketing campaign from Sony Pictures, ‘ABBBJ’ is easily a contender for a podium place when looking at 2025’s greatest cinema releases. No mean feat considering the success of ‘Sinners’, ‘F1: The Movie’, and now, ‘One Battle After Another’. Thought-provoking, and oozing with aesthetic grace through every pore of the 2.5 hour run-time, Kogonada’s ‘Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ is a Big Bold Beautiful film.