In Director Kogonada’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, strangers David, played by Colin Farrell, and Sarah, played by Margot Robbie, meet at a mutual friend’s wedding. Both rented Saturn sedans from the same company run by the Cashier, played by humorously straight Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and her partner the Mechanic, played by funny unrecognizable Kevin Kline. Both David and Sarah are convinced, rather coerced to get the muse-like GPS, voiced by Jodie Turner-Smith.
When Sarah and David meet at the wedding reception, Sarah asks, “Will you marry me?” Bewildered David stares. Sarah is just messing with him or not. Yet, there’s that undeniable connection between them. Screenwriter Seth Reiss strangely enchants in his seemingly telegraphed narrative or not.
Driving home, the GPS asks the loaded question, “David, do you want to go on a big bold beautiful journey?” David uncomfortably pauses. He answers, “Yes?” The GPS tells him to stop and get a cheeseburger. Yeah, Sarah is eating a burger there, too.
Sarah asks, “So are you going to ask me out?”
David says, “Would you like me to ask you out?”
Sarah replies, “Wouldn’t be worth the risk.”
They say goodbye. Then GPS tells David to pick up Sarah. He does. Sarah’s Saturn is stalled. They begin A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. A lot like life, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is not so much about the predictable destination, but about the journey itself, about the path we take.
The Fourth Noble Truth of Buddhism is the path to end suffering. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is really about David and Sarah’s journey to end suffering. They also have each other on that journey. We all need someone on our path. Yeah, the past is the past. Lady MacBeth said, “What’s done cannot be undone.” Yet, we can heal the suffering in the past in how we look at it. How we see it.
At the poignant narrative arc, David says to Sarah, “I love you.” Tearful Sarah says, “You don’t even know me.” David says he knows that Sarah cheats on her lovers so that no one can get close to her. He knows that her greatest regret was not being there for her Mom when she died. Mom loved her unconditionally. She’s the one who made her mashed potatoes after swim practice and let her watch the movie Big.
David profoundly knows Sarah’s humanity, the good and the bad. He eloquently says, “I see you.” Sarah cries. I cried, too. I think what we want most in life, is to be seen, to be known for who we really are. To truly see someone, is to love someone. That’s just me.
David and Sarah go through several literal doors to their past, to the source of their individual suffering. One is the high school musical that 17-year-old David starred. He told Cheryl, played by Chloe East, “I love you.” She said, “I don’t love you.” He says, “Feels exactly how it feels that night.”
In the movie’s sublime scene, David sits with his Father, played by Hamish Linklater, in the delivery waiting room awaiting the birth of his son, David. His father is simply terrified. He confessed that he was afraid, because had no idea how to be a father.
David didn’t have the greatest relationship with Dad. Dad tells grown David that his 40-year-old Mother, played by Jennifer Grant, had complications in pregnancy, that David has a congenital heart condition. That his Father would have to take great care of son. Still, David is “special”. Grown David put his arm around his Father. He said, “You’re a good Dad.” He saw his Father. He loved him, too. I cried again.
I didn’t have the great relationship with my Dad. If I could go back in time, I would also say, “You’re a good Dad. I love you.” Our Dads only did the best they could. They really had no idea what they were doing. They were imperfectly human, like all of us. That’s the big bold beautiful heart in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.
In the climatic narrative arc, Sarah talks with her Mom before she passed away. Mom tells her daughter that being happy in life might not be a realistic expectation. She tells Sarah, “I want you to be content.” When you’re content, you can have your moments of happiness. Again, sublime.
I loved A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. Handsome Colin Farrell is boldly vulnerable and big hearted. Beautiful Margot Robbie is wondrous doubt and bold compassion. I smiled inside and outside when Sarah said, “It’s worth the risk.” Imperfectly sublime A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is my favorite movie of the year so far. You can really see in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.
