Enthralled by her own imagination, 11-year-old Lacy spends the long summer at home with her mother and three strangers.
Janet Planet is directed by Annie Baker which is her directorial debut.
Janet Planet is one of those films where you digest every single scene due to just how beautiful everything looks, from the actions of the characters, to the Western Massachusetts location including the foothills of the Berkshires and the town of Cummington. This film is the very definition of compelling and really does make your jaw drop.
The performances are some of the best so far this year, Julianne Nicholson plays Janet the mother of 11-year old daughter named Lacy (played by Zoe Ziegler) and it's pretty incredible how raw Nicholson's performance really gets, there's so much character, emotion and heart put into this performance that you would think you are watching an every day person on your screen. The mother and daughter bond between Nicholson and Ziegler is also incredibly powerful, filled to the brim with so many heartfelt and emotional moments that really grab the viewer incredibly quickly. It takes awhile for Janet to figure out exactly how to connect with her daughter even though it's clear she truly does love her. Lacy wants affection and attention she wants to see her mother listen to her and connect with her, this is shown in beautiful and quite emotional ways that really do tug at the heart strings.
The film itself is just beautiful to look at, the many gorgeous shots really take in that summer feel and capture the Western Massachusetts setting flawlessly. The little things such as the sounds of the chirping of the bugs, the Janet's family eating outside on the porch it really captures this summertime lifestyle that is truly beautiful to see really do make this film all the more special and compelling.
The direction from Annie Baker is masterful, the bond between mother and daughter that evolves slowly but surely throughout the film is done in a very grounded and touching way. The film's script (which is also written by Baker) compliments the film and gives these characters so much development and captures the feel of growing up and showing our loved ones have layers, the film does such an excellent job of exploring these layers that can have their weaknesses and strengths. The final moments of the film really compliment this well and really brings the story home.
Overall Janet Planet is a phenomenal film that I can't recommend enough! It's a beautifully told film that captures everything it needs to!
Janet Planet is available on all VOD platforms.
10/10 A+
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