Director Joe Swanberg’s latest romantic comedy, “The Sun Never Sets,” follows a couple navigating relationship uncertainty in Anchorage, Alaska. After two years of dating, Jack, a single father played by Jake Johnson, suggests that his girlfriend Wendy, portrayed by Dakota Fanning, take a six-month break to explore other romantic possibilities and confirm her commitment to their relationship. What begins as a reasonable proposal quickly spirals into an unconventional love triangle.
The film’s premise introduces two competing suitors with opposing approaches to commitment. While Jack resists major life changes like marriage or additional children, an ex-flame named Chuck emerges offering the opposite—immediate proposals for marriage and a large family. As both men’s true personalities gradually emerge, Wendy finds herself choosing between equally problematic options, creating a relationship dynamic that feels increasingly bizarre and emotionally exhausting for everyone involved.
Critics note that despite Swanberg’s continued exploration of expanding romantic comedy conventions with mature content, the film struggles to achieve its ambitious goals. The naturalistic performances and deliberately subdued visual style create an awkward disconnect with the characters’ socially inappropriate behavior. The Anchorage setting, meanwhile, remains largely generic, offering little distinctive atmosphere beyond occasional local references and craft beer bars that could exist in any American city.
Ultimately, “The Sun Never Sets” falls short of delivering a satisfying viewing experience, presenting characters and situations that feel simultaneously strange and mundane without the stylistic flourishes needed to justify their peculiarity.
Originally reported by Variety →
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