Review by John Delia
VERY GOOD! The Sunlit Night is one of the most genuine films that bleeds romance, inspiration and a whole lot of life. The acting is superb, direction pin point and the camerawork outstanding. The story has a lot of heart and takes you from the ordinary to something different. Now on VOD the movie is a must see for romantics and young women who look forward to a life beyond their college years.
Twenty something fledgling artist Frances (Jenny Slate) has just been dumped by her rich boyfriend who lives in the Hamptons and her recent show of her art was judged as substandard at best. Returning to her Manhattan home where she lives with her parents and bunks with her sister Gaby (Elise Kibler), things are not working out for her there as well. With her younger sister about to leave the nest and get married, she also has to tackle looking new living quarters with the announcement of the separation about to happen between dad and mom as well. Frances can’t take much more unpleasant news. Well, there’s more as the assistant art job in Tokyo has fallen through.
Puzzled about her future, Frances gets a call from her placement contact that famous Norwegian painter Nils Ourman (Fridtjov Saheim) is looking for an apprentice to replace the one he just fired. It’s her chance to get away and start anew, but to Norway where daylight is not something that changes much? Her options looking bleak she agrees to work as an assistant to Nils painting a barn yellow for a major national project. Director David Wnendt does a nice job of bringing the story to the point of inspirational for young women who have found themselves in a rut. But, that said the film is even more. It’s entertaining, provocative, compelling and over too soon, it’s that good.
CREDIT: Eirik Evjen
The acting all around makes the film work, but Jenny Slate finally has an opportunity to get herself another starring role she can sink her teeth into and nails it. From almost giving up, Frances decides to take one more chance to put her life on track. In her “way†is a headstrong artist that will not budge when it comes to people skills. But, Frances sees things In Nils that she can change and with a little additional courage she sets out to do just that. When a young man Yasha (Alex Sharp), from America, enters her life determined to give his father a Viking funeral, Frances gets sidetracked. But, that’s just one more reminder that makes her realize the importance of family.
The Sunlit Night has not been rated, but contains explicit nudity, sex and some language. The film is certainly adult oriented, but mature older teens should find value in Frances’s determination, realization and understanding of life’s pitfalls.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A very good film for romantics and an inspiration for those on the way up. (4 out of 5 stars)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Jenny Slate, Zach Galifianakis, Gillian Anderson and Alex Sharp.
Directed by: David Wnendt
Based on a novel by: Rebecca Dinerstein
Genre: Comedy, Romance
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, contains nudity and sex.
Running Time: 1 hr. 46 min.
Opening Date: July 17, 2020
Distributed by: Quiver Distribution.
Released in: VOD