Netflix’s Lonely Planet, which promised an exotic romance set against the vibrant backdrop of Morocco, sadly fails to deliver on almost every front. The film was directed by Susannah Grant. It aimed to blend love, travel, and self-discovery in a picturesque setting. Unfortunately, it stumbles in execution. The performances are lackluster. The writing is uninspired. Lonely Planet leaves viewers wondering what could have been if a bit more thought and care had gone into its creation.
Plot: A Familiar, Underwhelming Journey
Lonely Planet follows the story of Alex, a travel writer on a soul-searching adventure in Morocco. She encounters Ben, a mysterious American ex-pat, and the two form a connection that is supposed to explore the complexities of love, self-discovery, and cultural identity. However, the plot quickly devolves into a predictable series of clichés. The storyline leans heavily on worn-out romance tropes and fails to add any refreshing twists to the genre. Scenes that could have been moving and introspective are instead stilted and lack emotional depth, leaving the plot feeling hollow.
Acting: Flat and Unconvincing
Perhaps one of the most disappointing aspects of Lonely Planet is the acting. The film’s leads, despite their commendable past work, appear disengaged and disconnected from their roles. The chemistry between Alex and Ben feels forced, with both actors struggling to convey the passion and curiosity that are essential for a compelling romance. Their dialogues should have been intimate and insightful. Instead, they come across as hollow and artificial. This makes it hard to invest in their relationship.
Supporting characters don’t fare much better. They’re primarily stereotypes and serve as little more than scenery in Alex’s journey, with little personality or motivation of their own. They’re so thinly written that it’s difficult to remember them once they’ve left the screen.
Writing: Cliché-Ridden and Emotionally Flat
The writing in Lonely Planet is disappointingly weak, lacking the kind of thoughtfulness one would expect from a story set in such a culturally rich setting. Conversations between characters feel forced, unnatural, and devoid of authenticity. Many lines are painfully predictable, relying on worn-out phrases and shallow reflections on love and life. The lack of nuance in the dialogue means that much of the film feels like a poorly scripted soap opera rather than a sincere exploration of relationships and personal growth.
Moreover, the film’s attempts to address the cultural beauty and challenges of Morocco are superficial at best. The story skirts around deeper issues, missing opportunities to explore the complexities of living abroad, cultural sensitivity, or the true nature of self-discovery. Instead, it reduces Morocco to a series of picturesque backdrops and one-dimensional characters, glossing over any meaningful engagement with the setting.
Direction and Pacing: Awkward and Plodding
Susannah Grant’s direction doesn’t manage to elevate the weak script or subpar performances. The pacing is uneven, with scenes that drag on without any sense of purpose or progression. Some moments are unnecessarily prolonged, making the film feel far longer than its runtime. Key scenes that could have built tension or connection between the characters feel rushed, leaving viewers without any real understanding of why Alex and Ben are drawn to each other in the first place.
Furthermore, Grant’s choice of scenic shots often feels like an over-reliance on visual beauty to compensate for a lack of storytelling depth. The Moroccan landscapes are indeed stunning, but they’re not enough to carry a film. Without a meaningful narrative or well-developed characters, the beautiful shots only highlight the shallowness of the story being told.
A Missed Opportunity for Cultural Depth
One of the biggest disappointments of Lonely Planet is its lack of cultural engagement. Morocco is a country with rich history, diverse traditions, and deep-rooted cultural significance, yet the film reduces it to a mere travel destination. Rather than providing any meaningful exploration of Moroccan life or the challenges faced by those who live there, the setting is simply a backdrop for the romance. It’s a missed opportunity to create a narrative that could resonate more deeply with audiences and reflect a genuine appreciation for the place in which the story unfolds.
Final Verdict
In the end, Lonely Planet is a letdown on almost every level. It’s a film that could have offered viewers a rich story of self-discovery, romance, and cultural immersion, but instead delivers a forgettable narrative filled with clichés, flat performances, and uninspired writing. There’s very little here that makes the film stand out, and despite the stunning Moroccan setting, it lacks the heart and soul that make a good travel romance truly memorable.
For those looking for a movie that captures the magic of a foreign land and the thrill of a cross-cultural romance, Lonely Planet is likely to disappoint. While Netflix has been successful in producing engaging, travel-themed romances in the past, this one falls flat, feeling more like a superficial travel commercial than a genuine love story. Save this one for a background watch at best—or skip it entirely. Lonely Planet had the potential to take us on a meaningful journey, but unfortunately, it’s just a missed flight.
