The minor key novel “Alone Together” is a humble affair, credibly portraying the kind of conversations about relationships that many people faced in the early days of the pandemic. The simplicity and lack of cinematic fantasy strikes a note of surprising relief.
Written and directed by Katie Holmes, who also stars in it, the film follows two strangers who fall in love after they’re both booked into the same Airbnb in March 2020.
June (Holmes) plans to get through the early days of the pandemic with her boyfriend John (Derek Luke). But her plans are thwarted when John chooses to stay home in New York City. Her hopes for a peaceful retreat meet another roadblock upon arrival: the rental house turns out to be inhabited by another traveler, Charlie (Jim Sturgess).
Both characters are initially annoyed to meet each other. But finding each other during a period of global isolation is a reason to get in touch. The attraction quickly develops and the characters fall in love as they discuss how the pandemic has changed their life plans.
The film’s strongest appeal lies in the resonance between what the characters experience and what the world is like now. But Holmes also finds grace notes as a director. She stages painterly angles for upstate interiors and keeps the mood soft, allowing her characters to talk without laughing or using sentimental theatrics. Her film is a silent performance: a film that does not flee from reality.
Alone together
Rated R for language and brief nudity. Running time: 1 hour 33 minutes. In theatres.
