Janet Planet

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2:19

Janet Planet

PG-13

2024

1h 50m

Drama

Fantasy

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

141 Reviews

47%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

In rural Western Massachusetts, 11-year-old Lacy spends the summer of 1991 at home, enthralled by her own imagination and the attention of her mother, Janet. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker captures a child's experience of time passing, and the ineffability of a daughter falling out of love with her mother, in this singularly sublime film debut.

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Critics Consensus

Unfolding at a gentle pace with an even more subdued sense of drama, Janet Planet revolves around Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler's outstanding performances.

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Katie McCabe

Sight & Sound

The film has enough empathy to go round – for a mother overwhelmed by a child’s bottomless need, and a child’s agony over the changing rules of their bond.

Feb 10, 2025

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Dana Stevens

Slate

The playwright Annie Baker shows a deft cinematic touch in her largely autobiographical directing debut.

Dec 20, 2024

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Ty Burr

Ty Burr's Watch List (Substack)

A tender yet subversive memory play set in western Massachusetts during the summer of 1991, about a dour little girl.

Rated: 3.5/4

Nov 1, 2024

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Sammie Purcell

Rough Draft Atlanta

In its moments of humor – and those little moments of shock – “Janet Planet” really finds its footing, particularly within Ziegler’s stellar performance.

Jul 21, 2025

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Anna Hoang

Boston Hassle

The intimacy of this experience will feel reminiscent of a summer that didn’t entirely go to waste, but isn’t something that could be quite explained vividly in the first day of the school year’s round of summer vacation summaries.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 13, 2025

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Louisa Moore

Screen Zealots

This offbeat film is slow and introspective, but it beautifully captures a deep dive into human dynamics and the very real pains of growing up.

Feb 4, 2025

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Samantha

this movie is a little slow paced but wonderful none the less.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/24/24

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Dorothy Y

It was a very beautiful movie with great natural sound, and talented child actress, and adult actress's and actors and subtle comedy.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/07/24

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Suzanne

Very slow moving and so depressing! Both mother and daughter needed therapy!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/05/24

Full Review

Scott

Truly one of the most boring and pointless movies I've ever seen. It went nowhere and had no discernable point.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/04/24

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Kelvin G

A movie where nothing happens. I honestly don't get what the point of the movie was. The acting was fine but that was about it.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

07/03/24

Full Review

Roy J

I'm not familiar with Annie Baker, the playwright, but I'm definitely a fan of the filmmakers after watching her exceptional debut. Love the ending.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/02/24

Full Review

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Annie Baker

Director

Julianne Nicholson

Janet

Zoe Ziegler

Lacy

Elias Koteas

Avi

Will Patton

Wayne

Sophie Okonedo

Regina

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Janet Planet: Trailer 1

2:19

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Synopsis

In rural Western Massachusetts, 11-year-old Lacy spends the summer of 1991 at home, enthralled by her own imagination and the attention of her mother, Janet. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker captures a child's experience of time passing, and the ineffability of a daughter falling out of love with her mother, in this singularly sublime film debut.

Director: Annie Baker
Producer: Dan Janvey, Derrick Tseng, Annie Baker, Andrew Goldman
Screenwriter: Annie Baker
Distributor: A24
Production Co: A24, BBC Film, Present Company
Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Elements|Some Drug Use|Brief Strong Language)
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 21, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 30, 2024
Box Office (Gross USA): $258.0K
Runtime: 1h 50m

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