2023 * R * 1h 43m I was looking for a light little rom/com to kill some time and put me in a pleasant mood before hitting the hay. Wow! I was not expecting anything like what this film offered up. Sure, there's a little bit of rom, and just a tad of com, but for the most part, it's a very thoughtful, dialogue-driven movie, which really caught me off guard.
The film stars David Duchovny and America's sweetheart, Meg Ryan, who also directed the film. They play Bill and Willa, respectively. They were lovers twenty years before and run into each other for the first time since they broke up at an airport. As luck would have it, the airport is closed down due to a major snowstorm, and at first, a few flights are allowed out, then all flights are cancelled for the night. So they're stuck with each other.
At first, they trade off witty remarks and try to impress each other with how clever they are. Slowly, their barriers are let down and they start to fill each other with what actually transpired all those years ago. Things get pretty heavy. And you begin to cling to every word they utter. Lots of feelings are uncovered. along with a bunch of "what ifs." I know both Duchovny and Ryan are seasoned actors, but this may be their finest film in years.
The film could easily have been a stage play, since 99% of it focuses on the two leads. I thought it was extremely well written and filmed. The cinematography was quite good, and it contributed to the surreal feeling to the movie. A bit of comic relief comes from the Public Service Announcer, who delivers his messages to not just the airport in general, but occasionally directly to Bill and Willa. If I had to categorize it, I guess I'd call it a rom/com for adults.
3 1/2 out of 5 stars
Streaming for free with your library card on Kanopy. Also available to rent on Apple TV Prime Video and other streaming services.
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