It’s slow and mostly silent, but if you don’t mind, then you’re in for a treat.
What it's about
In 1991, Massachusetts, 11-year-old Lacy (Zoe Ziegler) drops out of camp to spend more time with her mother, Janet (Julianne Nicholson), who’s also going through a coming-of-age of her own.
The take
Many films have been made about that uniquely taut mother-daughter bond, but maybe none is as delicate as Janet Planet. The film, written and directed by playwright and first-time filmmaker Annie Baker, explores that relationship in a way that may jar viewers, initially. The pauses are heavy and long as Baker lingers on mood, expressions, and the tiniest of details, like a flicker of light or a sudden movement. There are more scenes without dialogue than with it. The plot is also nonexistent as it simply follows Lacy and Janet for the whole summer, and a little during the fall. But that’s not the point. The point is that we can feel that palpable love-hate tension between mother and daughter, and relate to it too. You only need to know where to look.
What stands out
I love the sunlit colors of the film.
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