The Loneliest Planet

The Loneliest Planet [NR]

Everything can change in a moment, one tiny event can turn the person you thought you knew into a stranger and steal away the things you take for granted.  What happens when everything changes?  That is the question The Loneliest Planet asks as it follows a young couple backpacking through the Caucasus mountains.

The story progresses at a contemplative and wordless pace.  We are drawn into their lives in the film almost without thinking, being accustomed to more direct American film-making we look for the plot devices and film tropes which aren't to be found, but while we're searching the film wraps around and draws us into its world without us noticing.  This style of storytelling is not for everyone, many people will find its slower pace boring and even I think it could have lost 30 minutes without sacrificing the message, but in a way the banality of the events are what make the question so powerful.

On display is the beautiful Caucasus mountain range, with many gorgeous wide shots.  But there were almost no views of the sky, which I thought was interesting.  I don't know if this was a stylistic choice or just a coincidence, but combined with many very close shots  it created a feeling of being isolated and more present in each moment, a little claustrophobic in some cases, which made the loneliness we see in the title that much more poignant.

It was a fascinating movie that I needed time to think about to fully appreciate.  I was left with the question I opened with, but not in the way I expected.  What if everything changes, but what if the stranger is me?  How much do we really know, not only about those we love, but about ourselves as well?

2 1/2 of 5 stars.