Sundance 2021 Reviews Day 6

The festival is winding down but I have a few more reviews to share before going over some of the award winners today. So here are my thoughts on a couple new movies I was able to see yesterday.

TOGETHER TOGETHER

Together Together examines the unlikely friendship that forms between a single man who desperately wants to become a father and the surrogate he hires to carry his baby. This film felt so refreshing to just exist on its own terms and not try to be something conventional; it never crosses into romantic comedy territory and it never gets too melodramatic. Instead it's all about a platonic friendship that arrises out of an unusual circumstance and how to navigate the boundaries of such a shared intimacy. I loved the film's insights into these two characters' different stages of life and the mindsets they've formed through their individual experiences. While I would have loved a more conclusive ending, I still completely appreciate this film's beautiful simplicity. RATING: 7.5/10

LAND

A grieving woman makes a new life for herself living off the land in the Wyoming wilderness in Land. It's truly unfortunate that Land comes out so close on the heels of Nomadland because comparisons are just going to be inevitable. It feels like we've seen this before and done better which again is bad luck for Robin Wright who definitely puts her heart into this-- both in front of and behind the camera-- as she stars in her directorial debut. While the film does feel overly familiar, it also features some stunning cinematography and breathtaking locations. Ultimately though, while it's a promising start for Wright as a director, the film needs something more to stand apart from other movies that have treaded the same territory. RATING: 6/10