“The Sun Never Sets” is a frustrating but intermittently insightful look at love, timing, and the emotional limbo of adulthood. Written and directed by Joe Swanberg, the film leans heavily into his signature mumblecore style which means favoring loose, improvised conversations that sometimes feel raw and intimate, but just as often drift into repetitive, low energy filler. I’ve never been fond of Swanberg’s work, and he does nothing to change my mind here.
The story follows Wendy (Dakota Fanning), whose life is upended when her older, divorced boyfriend Jack (Jake Johnson) suggests they take a step back. That emotional pause gets a whole lot messier when she reconnects with her ex Chuck (Cory Michael Smith), setting off a volatile and emotionally murky triangle that forces Wendy to confront what she actually want out of life.
Where the film works best is in its thematic honesty. It taps into the anxiety of being at a crossroads where you’re torn between stability and freedom, between building a family and holding onto independence. Swanberg captures that specific phase of adulthood with an authenticity that will likely resonate with thirtysomethings who’ve wrestled with similar questions. Wendy’s sense of emotional stagnation and her avoidance of long term decisions feels painfully real, too.
The Alaska setting adds a unique texture, giving the film a quiet, isolating backdrop that mirrors Wendy’s internal uncertainty. It’s a refreshing change of pace visually, even when the narrative itself takes time to find momentum. Once the love triangle fully takes shape and the film becomes more engaging, you can feel the character dynamics carrying the weight more than the thin plot ever could.
Swanberg’s looseness as a filmmaker remains a double-edged sword. While he shows signs of growth, the film often feels overstuffed with meandering scenes that dilute its emotional impact. Not to mention that the story tends to drag on and on (and on).
Anchored by a strong lead performance from Fanning and a few moments of insight, “The Sun Never Sets” is a mixed but thoughtful exploration of modern relationships, even if it struggles to fully escape the limitations of its own style.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 