Ready for the latest in May December romances following Netflix’s, uhh, “May December”? Well, the streamer has another film in this vein, admittedly very different in tone and style in “Lonely Planet,” a new romantic drama set against the spectacular backdrop of Morocco starring Oscar winner Laura Dern (“Marriage Story,” “Jurassic Park”) and Liam Hemsworth (“The Hunger Games,” the upcoming season of “The Witcher”) that is arriving on Netflix in October.
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Directed by Susanah Grant (“Catch And Release”) the film centers on a reclusive novelist (Dern) who arrives at a writer’s retreat in Morocco, hoping the remote setting will unlock her writer’s block. While there, she meets a young man (Hemsworth)— what starts as an acquaintanceship evolves into an intoxicating, life-altering love affair.
What drew me to the story was the exploration of identity and self-worth within relationships, especially in a world as intellectually charged as the literary scene,” Dern told Tudum recently. “The dynamic between the younger man and the older, established writer intrigued me because it’s not just about romance — it’s about finding someone who truly sees and understands you, which is something deeply human and relatable.”
Despite the age difference, the two had good chemistry and found a fast friendship.
Liam was pure magic,” Dern said. “He became not only a buddy and a confidant through our Moroccan adventure, but our shared longing honesty and intimacy in all relationships was very moving to me. We were very aligned, so getting to tell this story together meant the world … and he is friggin’ hilarious, so I laughed the entire time.”
“Lonely Planet” premieres October 12 on Netflix. Watch the first trailer below.
