Writer / director Joe Swanberg is a key figure of US independent cinema, particularly when it comes to the mumblecore genre, which are essentially no budget films, where scenerios were written about what a certain scene wanted to explore, and the actors filled that space with their own dialogue. They are highly improvisational, usually dialogue heavy, and not always the most cinematic of films due to their lack of budget. The positive of the mumblecore films is that they usually exhibit some form of human truth within them, and they feel very real. They are not for everyone, and I would say that I have a limited tolerance for them, although there are some quite good ones out there. Back in 2013, MIFF showed what was then Joe Swanberg's latest feature “Drinking Buddies”, but with this film he had something of a budget to work with, so it was a lot more polished than his previous films. I took a chance on seeing it, and absolutely fell in love with it, and the film even made my top ten of that year (it came in at #9). Strangely though, after being so impressed by “Drinking Buddies”, I haven't bothered to follow up on whatever Swanberg made after. “The Sun Never Sets” is Swanberg's brand new film, and his first in almost a decade, and is about the complexities of romantic relationships, and after I saw the trailer for it, I decided it was time for me to dip my toe in the Swanberg pool once more, and I am glad that I did because I had a really great time with “The Sun Never Sets”, even if it does have a few problems.
One of Swanberg's secret weapons in his films is actor Jake Johnson, who is something of a muse for the director, as he is often the star of his later films in particular. I have always loved Johnson's screen persona, as he always comes across as a real genuine guy, a lovable loser of sorts. His performances often have a lighter edge to them because he seems like a funny guy, he likes to laugh and enjoy himself, but he is always able to find the real human elements of any character he plays when the situation calls for him to be more serious. Johnson plays Jack in “The Sun Never Sets” and again, he is fantastic in the role. He is a divorced father of two, in a committed relationship with Wendy, who is ten years his junior, and the two get along great. Jack is very set in his ways though, and has no intention to either marry again or have any more children, something Wendy wants in her life. Johnson plays Jack as a guy who thinks he knows what he wants, and is happy with where his life is right now. What makes the film work so well though is the stunning chemistry Johnson and Dakota Fanning, who plays Wendy, have together. They work so well off of each other, and their timing together is exquisite. In happy times or during scenes of conflict, these two actors just click perfectly together and it is very easy to see why Wendy is willing to settle down with Jack, even though she wouldn't be getting everything she wants out of life if she does. Now as good as Jake Johnson is in “The Sun Never Sets”, Dakota Fanning is even better. I thought she was absolutely incredible in this, and this is her best performance since she has been doing adult roles. Wendy is in a constant state of confusion during the film, torn between two men she loves, and Fanning does an exemplary job of showing all this. You can see that she loves being with both men, but when she is alone, the weight of it all starts to show and she crumbles. I also loved the relationship that she has with Jack's kids, who adore her; it is so cute to see them all together.
“The Sun Never Sets” is Joe Swanberg's biggest budget film to date, and it looks it with cinematographer Eon Mora taking full advantage of the Alaskan landscapes where the film is set, while shooting on 35mm film. It is such a wise move from Swanberg to use Anchorage, Alaska for the location of his film, because it appears that no matter where you point the camera, the imagery is stunning, which adds huge production value too. The fact that the sun barely sets in Alaska, during the time when the film takes place (and part of the reason for the film's title), it adds an otherworldly quality to the place, and it is just gorgeous to look at. There is a scene late in the film when our characters head out to a bar one night for the weekly trivia competition, with their new partners, unaware that their exes will be there too. It culminates in probably the film's best scene when Wendy follows Jack into the men's room to yell at him for bringing another woman to the bar, just to make her jealous. The two of them start the scene screaming at one another, before they burst out laughing at the absurdity of what they are doing and where they are, and suggest they should get back together. When Jack leaves the bar with his new woman to have a serious talk, they are greeted with the blazing sun, even though it is night time, which shocks you initially and then you remember where the film is set.
I mentioned that “The Sun Never Sets” had a couple of problems, so lets talk about what small issues I had with the film now. My biggest problem with the film is actually the main premise of Jack encouraging Wendy to take six months out of their relationship to find herself again, and if she is still happy after that time, he will be waiting for her. I do understand why he wants Wendy to do this, because she has always wanted to get married and have kids, things he has already done, and doesn't want to do again and he doesn't want her to miss out and in the future end up hating him because she settled with him. I do get it. However, Wendy is so happy with the life she has with Jack that she has no interest in doing what he wants her to do, and yet he forces her to do it. That is the bit I do not understand, she is happy and content with her life, why destroy something good over a what if in the future. Now you would think that having a problem with the main crux of a film would be a problem, but I like the journey Wendy goes on after the fact, but it is such a boneheaded move from Jack in the first place.
The other problem I had with the film, which is a bigger issue for me than the first, was the repetitive nature of the tug-of-war within the love triangle, and the constant push and pull. When one member is finally ready to commit, the other is not, so they get more cosy with the next person, and then they are ready to commit, and the other is not, for what ever reason. It happens more than a couple of times in the film, which is a shame, because despite this constant repetition, “The Sun Never Sets” does a fantastic job of examining the complexities of relationships and how messy they can be, especially when you have history with these people. The only other “negative” I had was that I knew early on exactly how the film would end, and who she would end up with. I mean it is not always the destination that is important to a film, it is the journey getting there, so I do not really consider this a negative because I liked Wendy's journey which felt very real, it was just a bit predictable.
Two brief things I do want to mention though was I loved the relationship between Jack and his ex-wife, which wasn't hostile at all, but showed they still cared about each other even though they were no longer together. You can tell they meant something to each other once in the past, and they still respect one another while they are apart. It is not something you see done in movies very often and as well as it is done here. The other thing I wanted to mention was the oh so awkward date that Wendy goes on with poor Brad, a friend of hers who has always had a fixation on her. It is cringey, but I felt so bad for Brad, but I loved that you could feel absolutely no chemistry between them at all (despite how much Brad wants there to be), and the complete opposite when Wendy bumps into Chuck and you can immediately feel her going weak at the knees. These are just moments that I find so true and real, that make the film special to me.
Overall, I had a wonderful time with “The Sun Never Sets” thanks largely to it's two lead actors Jake Johnson and Dakota Fanning, who have wonderful chemistry together and make every moment they have together feel very real, and lived in, be it happy or painful times. I actually thought Dakota Fanning was absolutely incredible as Wendy and it was her best adult performance yet. While, the film is a little predictable, and becomes repetitive at times, it is a perfect film to sit back on a lazy day and watch and be entertained by it, as it explores relationships and how messy they can become when there is history attached to it.
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