Janet Planet
| Janet Planet | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Annie Baker |
| Written by | Annie Baker |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Maria von Hausswolf |
| Edited by | Lucian Johnston |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | A24 |
Release dates |
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Running time | 113 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $800,544[2][3] |
Janet Planet is a 2023 American coming of age drama film written and directed by Annie Baker in her feature directorial debut. It stars Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, and Sophie Okonedo. It premiered at the 50th Telluride Film Festival.[4][5][6]
Plot
[edit]Lacy is an 11 year old girl who lives in western Massachusetts with her single mother Janet, an acupuncturist with whom she is extremely close. At summer camp in 1991, Lacy calls her mother at night and matter-of-factly tells her that she will kill herself if she doesn't pick her up, but regrets the decision after a friendly interaction with two of her fellow campers.
Janet is first shown dating Wayne, a taciturn middle-aged man prone to odd behavior and migraines. Although Lacy befriends Wayne's daughter, Sequoia, after a trip to the mall, she dislikes Wayne himself. During one of his migraines, Lacy pesters Wayne until he charges at her; later, Janet asks her what to do, and Lacy suggests that she break up with Wayne.
After breaking up with Wayne, Janet and Lacy attend a performance by a troupe of actors led by Avi, a charismatic spiritual leader who lives with his troupe in a commune. Janet recognizes one of the actors as an old friend of hers named Regina, who leaves the commune for unknown reasons and moves in with Janet. Lacy is friendlier with the free-spirited Regina than she was with Wayne, but tensions begin to rise between Janet and Regina over matters such as rent money and unspecified mistakes Janet made in her past. Eventually, Avi visits and takes Regina back to the commune, soon striking up his own relationship with Janet.
On the first day of sixth grade, Lacy is stricken with headaches; despite her mistrust of antibiotics, Janet acquires them from a pharmacy for Lacy's sake before going on a date with Avi. They hike and have a picnic, and he reads her poetry. However, mid-sentence, he disappears, and Janet drives back home alone.
Lacy recovers from her illness and begins attending middle school. In the fall, Janet takes Lacy to a contra dance, where she freely moves between partners while Lacy watches from a distance.
Cast
[edit]- Julianne Nicholson as Janet, an acupuncturist hippie
- Zoe Ziegler as Lacy, Janet's 11-year-old daughter
- Elias Koteas as Avi, a theatre group leader
- Sophie Okonedo as Regina, Janet's friend
- Will Patton as Wayne, Janet's boyfriend
- Mary Shultz as Davina
- Edie Moon Kearns as Sequoia
- June Walker Grossman as Susanna
- Abby Harri as Emily
Release
[edit]Janet Planet had its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival.[7] It also screened at the 2023 New York Film Festival.[6] and was screened at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in the Panorama section in February 2024.[8][9]
The film was released in the United States on June 21, 2024.[10]
Critical response
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 84% of 130 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Unfolding at a gentle pace with an even more subdued sense of drama, Janet Planet revolves around Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler's outstanding performances."[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 83 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "Janet Planet (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. July 12, 2024. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
- ^ "Janet Planet". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ "Janet Planet". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
- ^ Debruge, Peter (September 2, 2023). "'Janet Planet' Review: Mom Means the World to an 11-Year-Old in Playwright Annie Baker's Indelible Debut". Variety. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ Rooney, David (September 2, 2023). "'Janet Planet' Review: Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler Redefine the Mother-Daughter Portrait in Annie Baker's Exquisite Debut". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ a b "Janet Planet". Film at Lincoln Center. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ Thompson, Anne (August 30, 2023). "2023 Telluride Film Festival Lineup Leans on Filmmakers Like Lanthimos, Fennell, Haigh, Triet, and More". IndieWire. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ Shafer, Ellise (January 17, 2024). "Martin Scorsese's 'The Departed' to Screen at Director's Berlin Golden Bear Ceremony". Variety. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ "Janet Planet". Berlin International Film Festival. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ McPherson, Chris (April 4, 2024). "A24 Debuts First Trailer for Annie Baker's Critically Acclaimed 'Janet Planet'". Collider. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "Janet Planet". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
- ^ "Janet Planet". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Janet Planet at IMDb
- 2023 films
- 2023 directorial debut films
- 2023 independent films
- 2020s English-language films
- A24 (company) films
- BBC Film films
- 2020s American films
- American drama films
- American independent films
- English-language drama films
- English-language independent films
- Films set in 1991
- Films about mother–daughter relationships
- Films about theatre
- Films set in Massachusetts
- Films shot in 16 mm film
- Films directed by Annie Baker
- Films with screenplays by Annie Baker
- Stage 6 Films films