Janet Planet (2023)

This story of sensitive 11 year old Lacy living with her acupuncturist mother, the title character, in 1991 rural western Massachusetts is what I would call languid and, in one scene, Lacy learns the word languorous. I liked it and Jack didn't hate it. We both agree that young Zoe Ziegler, in her debut, is terrific and I always like Julianne Nicholson, who plays Janet. We also see Will Patton, Sophie Okonedo, Elias Koteas, and more.

Director/writer Annie Baker, a celebrated playwright, makes her film debut and was inspired by her own childhood with a single mom in the same geographical area. Baker won an Obie Award for her very first play in 2009, two more later, and a Pulitzer for one of them, among her accolades. There is a creative theatrical piece within the movie and lots of slow, thoughtful pauses.

No composer is credited––instead, we have a list of songs on the soundtrack.

Nicholson was last blogged for Blonde, Patton for Minari, and Okonedo for Catherine Called Birdy. Koteas looks familiar and his name rings a bell, but none of his dozens of roles rings a bell.

Rotten Tomatoes' critics are heading out of this world with an 85% average (it's on many top ten lists), while its audiences are earthbound at 49. We streamed it on Max on December 13 and it can be rented.