Janet Planet

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Janet Planet
Janet planet poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Annie Baker
Written byAnnie Baker
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMaria von Hausswolff
Edited byLucian Johnston
Production
companies
Distributed byA24
Release dates
  • September 1, 2023 (2023-09-01)(Telluride)
  • June 21, 2024 (2024-06-21)(United States)
Running time
113 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$805,694 [2] [3]

Janet Planet is a 2023 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Annie Baker in her directorial debut. It stars Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Elias Koteas, Will Patton, and Sophie Okonedo. It follows a single mother and her young daughter who navigate their complex relationships in 1990s rural Massachusetts.

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on September 1, 2023, and was given a limited theatrical release in the United States on June 21, 2024, by A24. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised Baker's direction and screenplay and Ziegler's performance. At the 40th Independent Spirit Awards, it earned three nominations: Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.

Plot

In 1991, Lacy is an 11-year-old girl who lives in western Massachusetts with her single mother, Janet, an acupuncturist to whom she is very close. At summer camp, Lacy calls her mother at night and matter-of-factly tells her that she will kill herself if she doesn't pick her up, but regrets the decision after a friendly interaction with two of her fellow campers.

Janet is dating Wayne, a taciturn man prone to odd behavior and migraines. Lacy befriends Wayne's daughter, Sequoia, after a trip to the mall, but dislikes Wayne himself. During one of his migraines, Lacy pesters Wayne until he charges at her; later, Janet asks her what to do, and Lacy suggests that she break up with Wayne.

After breaking up with Wayne, Janet and Lacy attend a performance by a troupe of actors led by Avi, a charismatic spiritual leader who lives with his troupe in a commune. Janet recognizes one of the actors as an old friend of hers, Regina, who leaves the commune and moves in with Janet. Lacy is friendlier with the free-spirited Regina than she was with Wayne, but tension arises between Janet and Regina over their worldviews. Eventually, Avi visits and takes Regina back to the commune. Janet soon begins seeing him.

On the first day of sixth grade, Lacy is stricken by a headache; despite her mistrust of antibiotics, Janet acquires them from a pharmacy for Lacy's sake before going on a date with Avi. They hike and have a picnic, and he reads her poetry. Suddenly he disappears, and Janet drives home alone.

Lacy recovers from her illness and begins attending middle school. In the fall, Janet and Lacy attend a contra dance. Lacy is asked whether she wants to dance and declines. She watches her mother from a distance. Her mother then disappears and Lacy smiles.

Cast

Release

Janet Planet had its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival. [4] It also screened at the 2023 New York Film Festival [5] and the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in the Panorama section. [6] [7]

The film was released in the United States on June 21, 2024. [8]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 84% of 130 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10.The website's consensus reads: "Unfolding at a gentle pace with an even more subdued sense of drama, Janet Planet revolves around Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler's outstanding performances." [9] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 83 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [10]

Filmmakers Joanna Arnow, R. J. Cutler, Lena Dunham, and Savanah Leaf cited Janet Planet as one of their favorite films of 2024. [11]

References

  1. "Janet Planet (12A)". British Board of Film Classification . Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  2. "Janet Planet". Box Office Mojo . IMDb. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  3. "Janet Planet". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  4. Thompson, Anne (August 30, 2023). "2023 Telluride Film Festival Lineup Leans on Filmmakers Like Lanthimos, Fennell, Haigh, Triet, and More". IndieWire. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  5. "Janet Planet". Film at Lincoln Center. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  6. Shafer, Ellise (January 17, 2024). "Martin Scorsese's 'The Departed' to Screen at Director's Berlin Golden Bear Ceremony". Variety . Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  7. "Janet Planet". Berlin International Film Festival . Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  8. McPherson, Chris (April 4, 2024). "A24 Debuts First Trailer for Annie Baker's Critically Acclaimed 'Janet Planet'". Collider . Retrieved April 4, 2024.
  9. "Janet Planet". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved June 28, 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  10. "Janet Planet". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  11. O'Falt, Chris (December 30, 2024). "65 Directors Pick Their Favorite Films of 2024". IndieWire. Retrieved February 4, 2025.