Wander Darkly first came onto my radar at this year’s Sundance Film Festival after interviewing composer, Alex Weston. His description of the film’s artful intention and bold direction definitely piqued my interest. After bouncing around film festivals, the latest showing being at AFI FEST, Wander Darkly is finally making its way onto VOD this Friday.
Memories make us who we are; our personalities are, undoubtedly, shaped by our experiences. Without them, we’re lost. This is what Adrienne (Sienna Miller) struggles to understand after a traumatic incident leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew.
Adrienne and her partner, Matteo (Diego Luna), have a lot to be thankful for. The recent birth of their daughter and their role as soon-to-be first-time homeowners is exciting, but a lot to process all at once. Emotions are heightened after a night out, and a petty argument puts Adrienne and Matteo on the verge of breaking up. Then, a life-changing tragedy strikes.
The effects are devastating, initially rendering Adrienne unconscious. When she finally comes to, albeit with a hazy memory, she is convinced that she died and is living in a purgatory-world. Unexplainably, Matteo is the only one who can see her and, in an effort to get Adrienne to remember her life and the life they shared, the two embark on a spiritual journey through timelines and special moments as they try to make sense of her alternate reality.
Opposite of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Adrienne and Matteo desperately try to retain the memories they have by encouraging each other to share the thoughts and feelings they were too afraid to say to each other years ago.
Like Adrienne, we’re also caught in a grey area of blurred reality vs fantasy. She is simultaneously living through and processing her trauma by revisiting relationship milestones with a new perspective. Opposite of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Adrienne and Matteo desperately try to retain the memories they have by encouraging each other to share the thoughts and feelings they were too afraid to say to each other years ago.
Director Tara Miele’s take on remembrance and spirit is something to be celebrated. She begs the audience to question what makes one “alive”– a conscious spirit or an unconscious body? Visually, Wander Darkly is stunning; every scene is wrapped in sun-soaked imagery like something out of a Terrence Malik film. Adding to the film’s strength is Sienna Miller’s devastatingly stark portrayal of a woman dying to be seen. Her pain is powerfully felt and her vulnerability makes for one remarkable performance.
Wander Darkly is an emotionally-charged trip through life’s highs and lows. It also offers a poignant commentary that, although we are born and die alone, we don’t feel so alone when sharing our life with those we love.
Distributed by Lionsgate, Wander Darkly is streaming on VOD on Friday, December 11, 2020.
