Sundance Review: JULIET, NAKED is the Rom-Com We’ve All Been Waiting For
Based on the novel by Nick Hornby, Juliet, Naked tells the story of Annie (played by Rose Byrne) and her boyfriend Duncan (Chris O’Dowd) whose one main quirk is that he is obsessed with a now MIA musician named Tucker Crowe (Ethan Hawke). Duncan runs an online blog/forum about Tucker and obsesses over his music, specifically one particular album titled “Juliet”.
At her wit's end, Annie one day infiltrates the online forum and posts a negative comment, to which she receives an email applauding her honesty from none other than Tucker Crowe himself. The two begin emailing back and forth, mainly sharing regrets that they haven’t lived their best lives up to this point. Their exchanges are innocent and platonic, but shortly after Duncan and Annie break up, Annie finds herself frantically picking an outfit and hopping on a train to meet Tucker, who is visiting his daughter in nearby London.
Rose Byrne shines as the quick-witted yet awkward lead and Ethan Hawke is as charming as ever as the washed-up rockstar who’s really trying to be a better person. And it’s impossible not to like Chris O’Dowd, even when he’s being an ignorant jerk. I’m not big on romantic comedies, especially not any made outside the 1990s, but this movie was great. It’s nothing flashy. It’s simple, sweet, and really enjoyable. Plus, despite its suggestive title, they keep the mushy stuff at a minimum. Some may be disappointed by that, but I appreciate a movie that leaves the audience wanting more.
