There’s star power here.  In the lead roles we have Australian Margot Robbie (I, Tonya), a three-time Oscar nominee, and Irishman Colin Farrell, known for his brilliant collaborations with Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) and Martin McDonagh (In Bruges).  The supporting players are headlined by Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag).  The director, who goes by the mononym Kogonada, is not as well known but he impressed many with his 2021 release, After Yang (which I liked).

The cutely titled A Big Bold Beautiful Journey starts out as a quirky romantic comedy.  Sarah (Robbie) and David (Farrell) meet for the first time at a wedding and immediately open-up about their flaws.  Both are terrified of commitment.  Sarah has found herself in many short-term relationships but, worried about being hurt, severs connections when things get serious.  David once got to the stage of being engaged but after breaking things off, has returned to a simpler, independent life that he’s now comfortable with.

It’s now time for the film’s fantasy elements to kick-in.  They each hire a GPS navigation device from a weird car hire company and in the days following the wedding, it takes them on a road trip across the United States.  Each stop on this “journey” has a door which transports them to a time and place in their respective pasts.  For example, Sarah goes back to a world in which she’d visit her favourite museum alongside her mother.  David returns to high school where his 15-year-old, drama-loving self performs in a musical in front of classmates and parents.

Each “flashback” becomes heavier, and the film’s tone noticeably shifts from comedy to drama.  What’s the point of it all though?  It’s a question I’m still asking myself.  We’d expect these characters to look back at their past lives through a more mature lens… but so what?  I struggled to see the connections.  We see David’s teenage heart being broken but how does forcing him to re-experience this event change who he is today?

The script also fails to build the necessary chemistry between Sarah and David.  Most of the film is spent covering individual moments from yesteryear and dealing with their separate problems.  It’s therefore odd when the script changes gears and tries to push a narrative that these two are a perfect romantic fit for each other (at least according to the GPS system).  I wasn’t buying it and the rushed finale reaffirmed by view of the film’s misguided attempts.

The characters may be taking a big, bold, beautiful journey but I’m not convinced audiences will feel the same way.