THE SUNLIT NIGHT (2019)

Genre: Romance
Director: David Wnendt
Cast: Jessica Hecht, Gillian Anderson, Jenny Slate
Runtime: 1 hr 22 mins
Rating: NC16 (Scene of Intimacy And Some Nudity)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:

Opening Day: 22 October 2020

Synopsis: Set between New York City and the far north of Norway, The Sunlit Night follows American painter Frances (Slate) and Russian émigré Yasha (Sharp) as an unlikely pair who find each other in the Arctic circle. Frances has arrived to jumpstart her career while Yasha has come in search of a proper Viking funeral only to find that the Chief, Haldor, (Galifaniakis) is but a re-enactor from Cincinnati. Together under a sun that never quite sets, they discover a future, and family, they didn’t know they had.

Movie Review:

The common perception about artists is that because they are special, they need a unique environment to get inspiration, before they produce their great works. They are continually searching for locales, occasions and people for them to fully feel alive. Painters probably belong to this category of people, and what you see in galleries and museums are likely to have stories behind them.

This film directed by David Wnendt seems to be exploring this theme, where the female protagonist is in search of a particular purpose, and her artwork is the result of whatever happens in the 81 minute movie. In this story written by Rebecca Dinerstein based on her novel of the same name, we follow Frances the painter as she finds her way to Norway. There, she tries to find her place in the art scene (and business). Along comes a guy (but of course) who is planning to bury his father in the breathtaking land of the Vikings.

You should know what happens next – the two will meet, hit it off, talk about their aspirations, and discover things they never realised about life. Sounds romantic? It is made possible by Norway’s scenic backdrop where the movie was filmed.

Cynics will ponder what the point of this movie is, as viewers are expected to spend almost one and a half hour to watch the characters on a relatively inconsequential journey to connect with each other. Don’t get us wrong – we are not prudes. There are other non blockbuster films where characters are on a similar journey, but this one feels negligible.

We can’t pinpoint a particular reason, because Jenny Slate and Alex Sharp’s performances feel breezy enough for us to stay engaged. There is an easy going chemistry between them that works in a laissez faire manner. Gillian Anderson and Zach Galifianakis show up as minor characters to lend star power to the movie. Besides the agreeable cast, the postcard pretty sceneries are pleasing to the eyes. It makes you miss travelling, especially during the current COVID-19 situation.

So what is it lacking in this movie which premiered at last year’s Sundance Film Festival? Maybe it’s because the story seems to go nowhere, or perhaps there isn’t a dramatic turn of events to leave an impression. As the movie opens and closes with discourses on a painting, you get the feeling that the movie is all talk and fluff. Since it is based on a novel, the story might have worked better if it stayed within the pages and readers could imagine the wondrous journey that the protagonist is experiencing.  

Movie Rating:

(The premise of this independent production is inspiring, but its the result on screen feels inconsequential)

Review by John Li