Sony Pictures is set to release the romantic fantasy film "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" on September 19, 2025, across North America. The film, starring Academy Award nominees Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, has garnered significant attention, though its initial critical reception has been notably mixed. With a current score of 55% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, critics widely agree that the movie lives up to its "big and bold" title but falls short on the "beautiful" aspect.

This marks a significant departure in critical success for director Kogonada, whose previous two feature films received widespread acclaim. His 2017 debut, "Columbus," which featured John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson, achieved an impressive 96% score. Similarly, his 2022 science fiction drama, "After Yang," starring Colin Farrell, earned an 89%.

A key difference noted by observers is that Kogonada himself wrote and directed both "Columbus" and "After Yang," whereas the scripting duties for "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" were handled by Seth Reiss, known for his work on "The Menu." Furthermore, with a budget of $150 million USD, "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" represents the largest production of Kogonada's career to date, significantly increasing the stakes for its commercial and critical performance.

Photo Credit: Yahoo

The plot centers on Dave (Colin Farrell), a lifelong loner, who needs to rent a car to attend a wedding. His quest leads him to two enigmatic rental employees, portrayed by Kevin Kline and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who provide him with a vintage 1994 Saturn. During his journey, Dave encounters the free-spirited Sarah (Margot Robbie), and the two unexpectedly fall in love.

Instead of returning home, they embark on an extraordinary odyssey in the Saturn, whose advanced GPS system guides them through their pasts and innermost thoughts. The central question the film explores is whether this profound voyage will ultimately unite them or drive them apart. The ensemble cast also includes Lily Rabe, Jodie Turner-Smith, Billy Magnussen, Sarah Gadon, Brandon Perea, Chloe East, and Hamish Linklater.

Collider's Ross Bonaime offered a more nuanced perspective on the film. While praising the compelling performances from Farrell and Robbie and acknowledging moments of genuine beauty, Bonaime also highlighted several criticisms. He found the screenwriting to be "clunky," described the ending as "extremely questionable," and generally felt the film was "overloaded with cloying quirkiness." This assessment aligns with the broader critical consensus that the film, despite its ambitious scope and talented cast, struggles with its narrative execution and tone.

Photo Credit: IMDb

As "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" prepares for its theatrical debut on September 19, 2025, it will share the release weekend with several other notable films. These include "Him," a sports horror film produced by Jordan Peele and starring Marlon Wayans; "Xeno," a science fiction family adventure; "Doin' It," a sex comedy featuring Lily Singh; and "The Lost Bus," a real-life disaster thriller with Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera, slated for a limited release. The film's performance will be keenly watched, especially given the high expectations surrounding Kogonada's work and its substantial budget.