Warm Chemistry, Cool Plot: Swanberg’s The Sun Never Sets at SXSW

The Hollywood Reporter’s SXSW review of Joe Swanberg’s The Sun Never Sets paints it as a sun-drenched Alaska-set romantic dramedy anchored by Dakota Fanning and Jake Johnson. The film follows a couple on a six-month break while a past flame enters the mix, with improv-driven dialogue that emphasizes warm chemistry and naturalistic dynamics. While the performances and the Alaska setting—shot on 35mm—give the film a light, appealing mood, the plot is ultimately deemed repetitive and not fully illuminating about desire and commitment.