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Stars at Noon (2022 film)

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Stars at Noon
Theatrical release poster
Directed byClaire Denis
Screenplay by
Based onThe Stars at Noon
by Denis Johnson
Produced byOlivier Delbosc
Starring
CinematographyÉric Gautier
Edited byGuy Lecorne
Music byTindersticks
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • Ad Vitam Distribution (France)
  • A24 (United States)
Release dates
  • 25 May 2022 (2022-05-25) (Cannes)
  • 14 October 2022 (2022-10-14) (United States)
  • 3 May 2023 (2023-05-03) (France)
Running time
137 minutes
Countries
  • France
  • Panama
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2,638[1]

Stars at Noon is a 2022 French romantic thriller film directed by Claire Denis, based on the 1986 novel The Stars at Noon by Denis Johnson, starring Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn, Benny Safdie, Danny Ramirez, and John C. Reilly. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix. It was released in the United States by A24 on 14 October 2022. The film received generally positive reviews from contemporary critics, most of whom praised the direction and the cast's performances, whereas some criticized the pacing and lack of romantic chemistry.

Plot

A young American journalist stranded in present-day Nicaragua falls for an enigmatic Englishman who seems like her best chance of escape. She soon realizes, though, that he may be in even greater danger than she is.[2] The film, unlike the novel, which is set during the Nicaraguan Revolution, is set in the pandemic-era present day.

Cast

  • Margaret Qualley as Trish
  • Joe Alwyn as Daniel
  • Benny Safdie as CIA Man
  • Danny Ramirez as Costa Rican Cop
  • Nick Romano as Subteniente
  • Stephan Proaño as Vice-Minister
  • Monica Bartholomew as La Señora
  • Carlos Bennett as Mercado Taxi Driver
  • Sebastián Donoso as Taxi Driver Trish
  • Hector Moreno as Travel Agent
  • Robin Duran as Costa Rican Border Captain
  • Jose Leonel Hernandez as Nightwatchman
  • Cristian Pulido as Taxi Driver Daniel
  • John C. Reilly as American Magazine Editor

Production

Margaret Qualley
Joe Alwyn

Claire Denis read Johnson's novel a decade earlier and assessed it as a love story between two people who develop a relationship solely due to the context of the revolution. She added, "It's also about the fear and the terror of love, the fear of failure."[3]

In April 2019, Denis tentatively announced the film's development and casting of Robert Pattinson after a screening at the Brattle Theatre of her 2018 film High Life, which also starred Pattinson.[4][5] It was announced in February 2020 that A24 had acquired North American distribution rights to Claire Denis' next directorial effort, with Robert Pattinson and Margaret Qualley. Filming was planned to begin that summer.[6] Filming was then expected to begin in April 2021 but did not begin at that time.[7] Pattinson would exit the film due to scheduling conflicts by July, with Taron Egerton replacing him, and filming now set for an October 2021 start in Panama.[8] This did not come to pass, and in November Egerton left the project due to personal reasons, being replaced by Joe Alwyn.[9] In January 2022 Danny Ramirez was announced as part of the cast.[10] Additional casting including Benny Safdie and John C. Reilly was revealed in April.[11]

Filming took place in Panama, beginning by December 2021.[3] Production wrapped later that same month.[12] Denis wished to shoot the film in Nicaragua but the re-election of President Daniel Ortega swayed her away from doing so, saying, "I knew I could not, it would have been immoral."[3]

Music

Stars at Noon (Original Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Tindersticks
Released14 October 2022
Label
Singles from Stars at Noon (Original Soundtrack)
  1. "Stars at Noon"
    Released: 6 October 2022

The music of the film was composed by the English alternative rock band Tindersticks, who have contributed the music to many of Claire Denis's previous films. The soundtrack was officially announced on 6 October 2022, with the title track released as a single the same day.[13] The soundtrack was released on 14 October 2022, via City Slang.[14]

Original track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Introduction"0:34
2."Opening"2:36
3."Taxi Across Town"2:30
4."Hotel Bar"4:32
5."Dawn Walk Home"3:14
6."Los Periquitos"2:02
7."The Mercado"1:15
8."Motel Rain"1:40
9."The Costa Rican"2:54
10."Stars at Noon"3:39
11."Blood Hands"1:57
12."Burning Car"3:24
13."The Consultant"1:38
14."Blood Hands (Version)"1:53
15."Apache"1:35
16."The Bridge"1:14
17."The Crossing"1:12
18."The Costa Rican (Reprise)"2:54
19."Stars at Noon" (instrumental)3:32
Total length:44:15

Release

The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival,[15] where it had its world premiere on 25 May 2022.[16] At Cannes, it was the co-winner of the Grand Prix.[17] It was released by A24 in the United States and on demand on 14 October 2022.[18] The film will begin streaming on Hulu on 28 October 2022.[19] Wild Bunch International handled the international distribution sales for the film. The film is scheduled to be released in France on 3 May 2023.[20]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 61% based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The website's consensus reads, "Short on romantic sparks and frustratingly sedate, Stars at Noon is carried by a talented cast and Claire Denis' formidable control of her craft."[21] According to Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average score of 64 out of 100 based on 27 critics, the film received "generally favorable reviews".[22]

Guy Lodge of Variety wrote, "The American setting and perspective may be new for her; the rest, from the film's bristling, dust-licked atmospherics to its frank, corporeal eroticism to yet another shivery, enveloping score by longtime collaborators Tindersticks, is vintage Denis."[23] David Ehrlich of IndieWire praised the film's dialogue, writing that it is "only strengthened by its occasional awkwardness, as it subsumes Trish and Daniel into the same disordered humidity that swamps the film around them. The frequent sex scenes become a dialogue of their own — the lovers feeling each other out in search of something they can actually trust."[24] Ben Croll of TheWrap praised Denis' "tonal control" and Qualley's "non-verbal tics" for elevating the dialogue.[25] Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph wrote, "Stars at Noon is at its best when it has Trish and Daniel suspended in horny limbo, with Denis building an atmosphere of sultry languor that makes the film feel as if it's constantly stretching and circling, like a sleepy cat."[26] In a 4 out of 5 star review, Nicholas Barber of BBC praised the film's "beguiling, immersive" quality and Qualley's "firecracker energy" but found the dialogue confusing and the plot drifted too much.[27]

David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter deemed the film to be "a major misfire."[28] Charles Bramesco of The Playlist called it "marred by compromise at every phase of its production, it's a rare misfire from one of our most accomplished living auteurs, excusable only on merit of her past successes."[29] In a 3 out of 5 star review, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian felt the film was "reasonably acted" but concluded that "the romantic passion and duplicity don't come across as strongly as they might have done with leads who had a stronger chemistry." Bradshaw characterized Qualley and Alywn's performances as sometimes "callow" and felt they were both "outclassed" by Safdie's performance, however Bradshaw commended Qualley for "nicely [conveying] neediness, alcoholism and self-reproach" in her performance.[30] Caspar Salmon of The Daily Beast agreed, writing, "Both are miscast, both lack chemistry, and neither of them has a very fun time with the dialogue."[31] Todd McCarthy of Deadline Hollywood wrote that "Qualley is pretty engaging in the early going" but lamented that the film is "thoroughly lacking in political context, psychological nuances, investigation of local conditions and simple suspense that the whole thing just collapses from the lack of any sturdy dramatic fortifications."[32] Tara Brady of The Irish Times gave the film 1 out of 5 stars, writing that the film was "undone by bad timing, repetition, general disarray, and the framing of the female lead as Holly Golightly."[33] Ryan Leston /Film called the film "so slow it doesn't really seem to go anywhere."[34] Iana Murray of The Skinny said the film "moves so slowly that it's stagnant" and criticized Alwyn's performance and casting, but called Qualley's performance "magnetic".[35]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Cannes Film Festival 28 May 2022 Grand Prix Claire Denis Won [17]
Palme d'Or Nominated [36]

References

  1. ^ "Stars at Noon (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  2. ^ "STARS AT NOON - Festival de Cannes 2022". www.festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c de la Fuente, Anna Marie (5 December 2021). "High Life Director Claire Denis Talks in Panama About Shooting The Stars at Noon". Variety. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  4. ^ Erbland, Kate (11 June 2019). "Robert Pattinson Drops Out of 'Souvenir' Sequel Due to Scheduling Conflicts — Exclusive". IndieWire. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  5. ^ Desrues, Antoine (3 April 2019). "Claire Denis va refaire équipe avec Robert Pattinson". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  6. ^ A24 Swoops On North American Rights To Claire Denis' Next Movie 'The Stars At Noon' With Robert Pattinson & Margaret Qualley To Star – EFM
  7. ^ Wild Bunch International launches sales on Zhang Yimou's pulled Berlin title 'One Second' (exclusive)
  8. ^ Taron Egerton boards Claire Denis' 'Stars At Noon' (exclusive)
  9. ^ Joe Alwyn To Co-Star Opposite Margaret Qualley In A24's 'The Stars At Noon' From Claire Denis
  10. ^ Kroll, Justin (14 January 2022). "Danny Ramirez Joins A24's Stars At Noon From Claire Denis". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  11. ^ Raup, Jordan (30 April 2022). "Benny Safdie and John C. Reilly Revealed to Be in Claire Denis' Stars at Noon". The Film Stage. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  12. ^ Barfield, Charles (23 December 2021). "Claire Denis Finishes Production On 'Stars At Noon' Which Might Lead To 2 Features From The Director Next Year". The Playlist. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  13. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (6 October 2022). "Tindersticks – "Stars At Noon"". Stereogum. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  14. ^ Arnone, Joey (6 October 2022). "Tindersticks Announce Soundtrack For Forthcoming Claire Denis Film "Stars at Noon"". Under the Radar. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  15. ^ Marshall, Alex (14 April 2022). "David Cronenberg and Claire Denis Will Compete at Cannes Film Festival". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  16. ^ "Les horaires des projections 2022" (PDF). www.festival-cannes.com (in French). 11 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  17. ^ a b Tartaglione, Nancy (28 May 2022). "Cannes Film Festival Winners Announced – Live". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  18. ^ Kenigsberg, Ben (8 September 2022). "159 Films, for Every Taste, Coming This Fall". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  19. ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller (14 October 2022). "Stars at Noon movie review & film summary (2022)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  20. ^ "Stars at Noon". Ad Vitam Distribution. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  21. ^ "Stars at Noon". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  22. ^ "Stars at Noon Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  23. ^ Lodge, Guy (25 May 2022). "'Stars at Noon' Review: Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn Work Up a Sweat in Claire Denis's Seductive Central American Escapade". Variety. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  24. ^ Ehrlich, David (25 May 2022). "'Stars at Noon' Review: Claire Denis' Sweaty Romantic Thriller Shines Bright". IndieWire. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  25. ^ Croll, Ben (25 May 2022). "'Stars at Noon' Film Review: Claire Denis Keeps Things Chilly in a Balmy Spy Thriller". TheWrap. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  26. ^ Collin, Robbie (25 May 2022). "Stars at Noon, review: an erotic thriller whose sexiness swirls off the screen". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  27. ^ Barber, Nicholas (25 May 2022). "The Stars at Noon review: A 'beguiling, immersive film'". BBC. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  28. ^ Rooney, David (25 May 2022). "Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn in Claire Denis' 'Stars at Noon': Film Review | Cannes 2022". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  29. ^ Bramesco, Charles (26 May 2022). "'The Stars At Noon' Review: Margaret Qualley & Joe Alwyn Sweat It Out In Claire Denis' Seductive Misfire [Cannes]". The Playlist. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  30. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (25 May 2022). "Stars at Noon review – languid tale of sex, lies and intrigue in the Nicaraguan heat". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  31. ^ Salmon, Caspar (25 May 2022). "Mr. Taylor Swift and Margaret Qualley Have Lots of Sex in 'The Stars at Noon.' If Only They Had Any Chemistry". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  32. ^ McCarthy, Todd (25 May 2022). "Cannes Review: Claire Denis' 'Stars At Noon'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  33. ^ Brady, Tara (27 May 2022). "Cannes 2022: Taylor Swift dodges a bullet by missing her boyfriend's premiere". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  34. ^ Leston, Ryan (26 May 2022). "The Stars At Noon Review: A Lifeless Romance Unravels Slowly And Excruciatingly [Cannes]". /Film. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  35. ^ Murray, Iana (26 May 2022). "Cannes 2022: Stars at Noon". The Skinny. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  36. ^ "The films of the Official Selection 2022 - Festival de Cannes". www.festival-cannes.com. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
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