Known for her work in the theatre, including the Pulitzer-winning play The Flick, Janet Planet is the directorial debut feature from playwright Annie Baker. The comedy-drama stars Julianne Nicholson and newcomer Zoe Ziegler as a mother and daughter in early-nineties Massachusetts. 11-year-old Lacy (Ziegler) lives with acupuncturist Janet and is overly attached to her mother. But as Janet tries to connect with others during the summer, Lacy manages to get in the way.
Loner Lacy sets the tone of the film very quickly – in the middle of the night, she calls her mum from summer camp with a simple yet succinct request: “I’ll kill myself if you don’t come and get me.” Baker quickly establishes Lacy’s reliance on her mother through an unspoken sense of aggression and ignorance to quite intense conversations for an 11-year-old. But in the eyes of the young protagonist, she has to fit in an adult world due to a lack of peers and close friends – a world that is not prepared for.
Janet Planet’s tone and pace resonate with slow cinema so its coming-of-age angle is overly subtle – so much so that audiences may not recognise it. Lacy’s lack of social skills also highlights her youth and childlike manner, with her attachment to Janet resulting in them sharing the same bed. Lacy also looks towards Janet’s connections to learn about life, resulting in the former’s intrusive and occasionally dark nature from her difficult questions doing more harm than good as they essentially further isolate the mother and daughter. But unknown to Lacy, Janet is also quietly lonely yet there is a gentle need for companionship, whether it is romantic or platonic, that needs to remind her that she is more than just a mother.
Due to their delicate performances, the dynamic between Nicholson and Ziegler mildly conveys frustration in their respective lives with the former’s growing irritation at her daughter lingering in the background. The supporting cast, which includes Janet’s boyfriend sullen Bruce (Will Patton), her creative friend Regina (Sophie Okenedo) and tender theatre owner Avi (Elias Koteas), bring different emotional aspects that lift Janet’s spirits, spurring the protagonist’s need for companionship, romantic or otherwise.
However, Baker keeps this urge for connection dialled down as her direction and sparse dialogue stick close to Lacy and Janet, keeping other characters at arm’s length. Furthermore, their unaddressed loneliness comes from an unknown place and it is never fully addressed or resolved. While the narrative’s slow pace accentuates their isolation, creating a frustrating monotonous tone that risks losing any intrigue in the initially curious mother-daughter relationship. The visuals may look quietly idyllic through Maria von Hausswolf’s lovely cinematography but audiences will be searching for substance amid the quiet – and chances are that it will remain hidden.
Alice Baker’s debut directorial delivers layers and contemplative performances from Nicholson and Ziegler but Janet Planet‘s slowness and isolated nature ultimately suffocate its poignancy, leaving its protagonists wandering for closure.
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Director: Alice Baker
Stars: Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Will Patton, Sophie Okonedo, Elias Koteas
Runtime: 113 minutes
Country: USA
