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Coming-of-age stories are not a new phenomenon in Cinema. In a generation where ‘Lady Bird’ and ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ are the cornerstones of growing up, the stories of characters becoming the person they are meant to be can sometimes be lost in the noise of the classics. However, a new coming-of-age story is rising to the occasion. ‘Janet Planet’ is the film debut of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Annie Baker, and the coming-of-age story is one not to be missed.
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Background
Annie Baker is a writer from Massachusetts, who graduated from New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts and earned her Master’s in Fine Arts from Brooklyn College in 2009. Baker’s first play ‘Body Awareness’ was her first hit play, premiering at Playwright’s Horizons in New York City. She won the Pulitzer Prize for her play ‘The Flick’ in 2014. ‘Janet Planet’ is Baker’s first film, despite being in-laws with Noah Baumbach, known for ‘Marriage Story’ and ‘Frances Ha’.
‘Janet Planet’ tells the story of an 11-year-old Lacy, who spends the summer in rural Massachusetts with her mother, Janet. The film follows the relationship between the two, and Lacy realizes that her spiritual mother isn’t all that she’s cracked up to be. The film is divided by the different relationships that Janet goes through within the film but mainly follows the journey of Lacy and her growing up.
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‘Janet Planet’ Is Real
Right off the bat, we are brought into Lacy’s world and her dry humor that plays a large part in the comedic moments of the film. Zoe Ziegler, who plays Lacy, is a hilarious and honest depiction of an 11-year-old girl who just wants to make it through. The film doesn’t demonstrate Lacy as overly cute or odd, which is an easy trap for films about tween girls. The character of Lacy was the perfect mix of angst, cuteness, and uniqueness that truly makes a character a person.
This film is an honest depiction of a young girl and her single mother against the world. As an only child of divorce, I was brought to tears by just how accurately this film depicted the relationship between a single mother and her daughter, feeling too real at moments. If this is a story that could resonate with this experience of growing up, be prepared to bring the tissues. While I am not sure if this film is intended to be autobiographical about Annie Baker’s life, it felt incredibly real. Well done, Annie Baker. That is what a writer does. They make fiction feel real and tangible on the screen.
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Authenticity In Acting
The acting performances in this film did the job of the film. They weren’t overly flashy or showy performances, which is exactly what they needed to be. Zoe Ziegler, who portrayed Lacy, gave a hilarious and honest approach to her character. Julianne Nicholson does a stunning job portraying Janet. A big part of Janet’s character is her spirituality and Nicholson steers clear of the stereotypical weirdness that can come with spirituality, and focuses on taking this part of her life seriously. Each actor took gentle care of their characters, and each character felt real, just like the story. I felt as though the journey these characters went on was full of growth and change, which is what a story like this calls for.
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Overall, ‘Janet Planet’ is a strong addition to the A24 family and the canon of coming-of-age films. Annie Baker’s work as a writer helped shape this film from a story that could easily be written off. Baker’s writing and shaping of the story and the characters is a true testament to her storytelling abilities. You can catch ‘Janet Planet’ in select movie theatres today.
Cast: Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, Sophie Okonedo
Director: Annie Baker
Writer: Annie Baker
Producers: Dan Janvey, Derrick Tseng, Annie Baker, Andrew Goldman
Cinematography: Maria von Hausswolf
Editing: Lucian Johnston
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Author
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Abigail Johnson is a New York City-based writing intern, screenwriter, actor, and director. Her main focus is women in the entertainment industry and authenticity, especially advocating for diverse storytelling and new perspectives. Abigail loves discovering indie films that may not be seen in a traditional movie theatre, as well as listening to pop music and trying to find the next big artist. Abigail connects to Hollywood Insider’s values of substance over scandal and focusing on compassion and philosophy in her writing at Hollywood Insider. Utilizing writing for good is the main Hollywood Insider value that Abigail connects with, as her main goal is to use her talents for good.
Abigail Johnson is a New York City-based writing intern, screenwriter, actor, and director. Her main focus is women in the entertainment industry and authenticity, especially advocating for diverse storytelling and new perspectives. Abigail loves discovering indie films that may not be seen in a traditional movie theatre, as well as listening to pop music and trying to find the next big artist. Abigail connects to Hollywood Insider’s values of substance over scandal and focusing on compassion and philosophy in her writing at Hollywood Insider. Utilizing writing for good is the main Hollywood Insider value that Abigail connects with, as her main goal is to use her talents for good.
