Lonely Planet

Ok, so this is really hard to write because I do genuinely like Laura Dern and as a Hannah Montana girlie (lol) I always had a crush on Liam Hemsworth which is why I was very excited for this romance/drama Netflix film.

It's no news that Liam always plays the same character in every film he is in but there is just no spark between him and Laura. I was really not convinced that a 30 yo man is hot for an older woman.

The biggest disappointment was the rest of the casting. The girl who plays his girlfriend is so unlikable and is really unconvincing as an actress.

I do think the story had potential but it was unfortunately portrayed very sad and depressing throughout the entire film!

Well, the plot is nothing new but still pretty watchable. I just did not feel the chemistry (on Laura Dern's part) that would make the story believable. I did not find anything appealing with Katherine's character. Let's face it: for a young, hot person to like someone this older, you would expect this older person to be wise, charming, interesting, etc. Katherine's character was nothing like that for me, just a pale, ill-tempered, shallow author. I wonder what would ignite a spark for Owen, maybe just his vulnerability at that time. I would also have liked to see more depth in Owen's previous relationship. Now I just feel bad for him in both of his relationships. Katherine's tantrums were hard to watch 😃

There is a retreat of sorts in Morocco for writers, many of the attendees are acclaimed authors, some have won prestigious awards. One attendee is Laura Dern (mid 50s) as Katherine Loewe. Being well known in this situation works to her disadvantage, she needs to finish a manuscript, she has her laptop to work on, but she has difficulty finding quiet time.

Liam Hemsworth (early 30s) is Owen Brophy who is NOT a writer. In fact he rarely if ever reads fiction. He doesn't know who the well-known authors are and when he is sucked into an evening social game with authors, with his clue of "PIP", all he can think of is the old singing group, "Gladys Knight and the Pips."

He is there because his fiancée, one of the successful writers, has brought him along. He is miserable there but finds solace in meeting Katherine and having meaningful conversations. They both recognize the 23-years age gap is unusual and are hesitant but their friendship deepens.

Fans of action movies would likely find this movie to be overly dull but my wife and I found it interesting and entertaining. The beautiful and unusual scenery in Morocco was a good addition. Plus an event, during a road excursion which resulted in Katherine and Owen in an unplanned visit to the home of a Moroccan family, was an interesting addition. Things that happened in Morocco had positive effects on both of them and, after going their separate ways, were reunited some time later in New York City.

We watched it at home, streaming. With 2.7K votes the median rating is a clear "6" which puts it just above the 5.5 midpoint of IMDb's 1 to 10 rating scale.

I was pretty tired when I selected this movie on a Friday night after a long stressful week. Almost thought I'd fall sleep. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the characters were easy to understand. Setting was beautiful and no side characters or stories to distract the viewer. I was very much in the story and loved it. Liam acted very well and did justice to the character. One thing I didn't understand was "why did she have to lose her luggage?". Having to watch one of the main characters in the same outfit was unnecessary. Lazy writing or cost saving? Apart from this it was a feel good movie that had a happy ending. Perfect for winding down with a glass of wine.

Susannah Grant returns to directing, bringing to life the script she wrote for Netflix in this romantic drama about writers, Morocco and age differences.

Laura Dern, the lead actress, gives us a nice character that transports us to the talent of the actress who at this stage of her career can afford to give us even these romantic dramas where she does not have to play the best role of her career, but she makes us fall in love with a love story that fits her like a glove in her most mature stage. Being a recognized writer who falls in love with the always gallant Liam Hemsworth who provides a correct character with whom we can sympathize and at times identify. The couple is not overwhelmed by complete chemistry, but they allow us to validate their moments of romance and their interesting dialogues that are the great strength of the film.

The story has its highs and lows, but I think it balances out in its final summary, giving us a drama that we spend a pleasant time with, without any major demands and without having any major expectations of what it ends up delivering. It helps a lot that its director knows how to keep the pace and capture this world of writers looking for inspiration or finding themselves. As it usually happens, it supplies itself with certain simplistic clichés, but in the end they end up being more of a contribution than a disaster, which ends up benefiting the overall result of the film.

It is a romantic drama that is good for a weekend for couples or for those who enjoy this genre, it delivers, has good moments, and gives us a story that is believable. It is still a movie that we have seen before, with a correct result, without any major daring, with effective dialogues and a romance that will leave everyone happy.

Netflix's Journey Through Morocco will please fans of the genre, will leave those looking for something more novel wanting more, and will leave those who detest simplicity hating it. In short, a Netflix-style film, for Netflix and by Netflix, which is what you already know you'll find when you decide to watch it.