Magical ‘Lost in Starlight’ is sure to melt your heart
Adult romance is a too rare subgenre of animation, which makes Netflix’s “Lost in Starlight” such a charming treat. Hailing from South Korea, the film, co-written and directed by Han Ji-won, is as visually stunning as it is swoon-worthy. Even better, it’s about something real and painful, and not easily resolved, a question of being true to yourself or to the person you love.
Ever since she was a little girl, NASA astronaut Nan-young (voiced by Kim Tae-ri) has dreamed of leading an expedition to Mars, just like her mother did a quarter century earlier. Albeit with an equally important goal of returning to Earth safely, a fate not afforded her mom, who lost her life in a violent storm while on the Angry Red Planet in 2026.
When we first meet Nan-young, she’s in Houston undergoing grueling preparation for the first Mars mission since the failed one that took the lives of her mother and crewmates. But soon comes the devastating news that she’s been designated a backup on the flight because she – like Mr. Spock – lacks empathy. Her superior suggests she return to Korea for some R&R and a re-evaluation of her suppressed grief over her mother’s death.
Back in Seoul, Nan-young continues working to detect life on Mars, but she’s not the least bit happy about it – until she literally runs smack into Jay (voice of Hong Kyung) in front of an electronics store. The collision sends Nan-young’s vintage turntable crashing to the pavement. Jay offers to fix it. She accepts and we’re off on an unforgettable journey in which the two don’t just fall in love, they connect on the highest plain possible.
Watching their relationship blossom is awe-inspiring, as Han and her crew of animators render falling in love as a multi-colored spiritual journey in which Nan-young learns to open her heart while lending Jay the confidence to reconnect with his abandoned musical pursuits. The two are adorable, to the point you completely forget they’re animated. They become as human as you and me. And the world Han creates for them is as exciting and vibrant as their growing affection for each other.
How Han and co-writer Kang Hyun-joo envision Seoul in 2051 is jaw-dropping, with driverless taxis, swarms of drones, and gleaming glass towers that provide an idealistic setting for Nan-young and Jay to find themselves and their deepening connection. It’s so gorgeous that neither you nor they can imagine anything coming between them, which makes it all the more affecting when Nan-young is forced to face what she’s long feared – her lifelong dreams clashing with her dream lover.
They are hardly the first couple on Earth to face such a dilemma, but you’ve become so invested in them and their courtship that it breaks your heart when Nan-young is forced to choose. And kudos to Han and her team for allowing Nan-young to be true to herself and not to any man, even one as perfect as Jay. True, he’s a secondary character, but the movie doesn’t forget him when the distance between him and Nan-young grows.
Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he incorporates all that he learned from Nan-young and the inspiration she’s provided him to pick up the pieces of his shattered musical career and be as fierce as she is in his pursuit of his goals. Though millions of miles apart, their love transcends physical presence and enters the metaphysical, revealing the very essence of what it means to love someone.
Did I mention the film is a visual treat? If so, it bears repeating because the animation is breathtaking, perhaps too busy for some, with a dozen things going on in almost every cel. You’ll want to watch the film multiple times to catch the numerous accoutrements Han squeezes in. But I must warn my brethren on the autism spectrum that there is quite a bit of strobing involved, particularly early on, and it can easily become a sensory overload. But stick with it, you won’t be disappointed.
Movie review
Lost in Starlight
Rated: PG for thematic elements
Voice cast: Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung,
Director: Han Ji-won
Writers: Han Ji-won and Kang Hyun-joo
Runtime: 96 minutes
Where: In theaters and streaming on Netflix beginning May 30
Grade: B+
