Charlie is devoted to having Indiana-born career woman June take a pause and return to her beer-drinking, Big Mac-eating authentic self. June starts crying when she sees a deer on the drive to Hudson, and Charlie’s career is rooted in “fixing things,” such as June’s hardened heart. The whole “world’s ending” backdrop is where “Alone Together” fumbles, and it’s quite a fumble indeed. Sure, this could just be our projection that “Alone Together” quietly debuts the same summer as “Top Gun: Maverick” and the “M:I 7” trailer, but Holmes seems happiest writing, directing, and producing, while also starring as the lead. (And yes, we judge films based on font.) But seeing Holmes onscreen again on her own terms has a “you go, girl” sense of empowerment. The opening of Holmes’ sophomore directorial effort “Alone Together” makes for a stomach-gripping drag: A cover of “Blue Moon” plays as a Lifetime-type font rolls out the credits. Upon arriving at the rental, June is confronted by Charlie (Jim Sturgess), who apparently double-booked the same French chateau-inspired cottage. June travels upstate to Hudson, NY to camp out at an Airbnb which John booked John, however, opts to stay behind in New York City to care for his parents.
“Alone Together” centers on June (Holmes), a restaurant critic who is suddenly out of a job and on a relationship hiatus with her boyfriend John (Derek Luke, with whom Holmes is set to work again on another film, “Rare Objects”) starting Mawhen Manhattan is at a standstill and COVID-19 leads to a city-wide exodus.
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But don’t get too dreamy-eyed for the rom-coms of days past: the film, which premiered at Tribeca 2022, has a jarring reminder that the world is a heartbreaking place, full of death, betrayal, and traumatic loss. It’s easy to get lost in the nostalgic parts of “Alone Together,” like the effortlessly picturesque Anthropologie home furnishings and stylish wardrobes of a “woman on the go in the Big Apple.” It’s even easier to get lost in Jim Sturgess and Holmes’ simple yet charming banter. “ Alone Together,” while set in 2020 amid the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, infuses the genre with the comfort of a matching cashmere bralette and cardigan sweater from the late 2010s, per the trend writer-director-producer-star Katie Holmes made famous then.
Vertical Entertainment releases the film in theaters on Friday, July 22.ĭon’t let this film fool you: It’s not great, but it is a cozy reminder of rom-coms past. Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival.