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For many of us, this year has been one of chaos and canceled plans. We lost school activities and long-anticipated vacations. So, while many of us sit at home, dreaming of those international travels that didn’t happen this year, at least we have the movies. And we can still travel with world with films like The Sunlit Night.
The Sunlit Night travels to the Arctic Circle with Frances (Jenny Slate), a struggling artist who’s desperate for a change of scenery. In one day, she breaks up with her boyfriend, her sister gets engaged to a man that her parents disapprove of, and her parents announce their separation—and, suddenly, their tight New York City living arrangements are just too cramped. Eager to leave the city, she takes a job as an assistant to an ornery artist in Norway. And she finds herself painting a barn in shades of yellow by day and meeting a quirky cast of characters in her spare time.
If you’ve ever just longed for a change of scenery, you’ll understand Frances’s need to escape the crowded city and her chaotic family and go…anywhere else. We’ve all wanted to get away, escape distractions, and focus on our own dreams for a while. But she definitely doesn’t get what she expected when she arrives in Norway. Her boss makes her work long, hard hours. He’s surly and stressed, and he barely speaks to her—unless it’s to criticize her. She has little time left over to enjoy the gorgeous scenery around her—or to work on her own art. And, admittedly, that does make for a rather quiet, deliberately paced film.
It’s only when Frances starts venturing out that things pick up. She visits the neighboring Viking museum and meets the eccentric chief (Zach Galifianakis). She befriends an awkward young man (Alex Sharp) who’s traveled to Norway to give his father a proper Viking burial. And she begins to realize how trapped she once felt in her life.
Unfortunately, though, none of the eccentric characters are able to bring life to the film. Even Galifianakis is surprisingly restrained in his role as the American who’s taken over the Viking museum. The result is a quiet, moody film, playing out on a beautiful backdrop. And while its setting and its story hint at some kind of transformation on the part of the young artist, it’s all a little hazy in the end.
The remote setting and stunning scenery make for a striking backdrop for this unhurried story of an artist’s quest to find herself. It isn’t an especially powerful film—or even a memorable one. It simply doesn’t have the impact that it could have had. But if you’re missing your own travels, The Sunlit Night will transport you for a while.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
