One Day in Sedona
Two strangers in their 50s, both going through pivotal moments in their lives, meet on a hike in Sedona and share a deep connection as they talk about life, love, legacy, and the betterment of humankind.
Excerpt
These sorts of passion projects can lend themselves to being overly pretentious or preachy, but Sorgen has created a near perfect balance that gives the viewer lots to love and think about.
One Day in Heaven
I’ve ranted at length about films that sermonize – the proclivity to make a film touting your beliefs and thoughts on everything whether it’s relevant to the plot and setting or not. It’s very hard to accomplish without being cloying and even harder to do so successfully. So imagine my surprise when Monique Sorgen’s One Day in Sedona graced my screen. It’s a simple film made simply and features two main characters who walk and talk for 90 minutes. And it’s glorious.
We follow Julie (Alysia Reiner) as she weaves through Sedona’s baffling traffic grid, appearing to write a eulogy for her father. She’s thinking about legacy and heads to a local hike spot to clear her mind. She parks next to a motorcyclist that has shown up spontaneously and completely unprepared. Will (Wallace Langham) suddenly found himself with a lot of free time and many more intrusive thoughts. Unfortunately he doesn’t have nearly enough water and Julie graciously offers her tumblr to him. She’s packed a 3 litre pouch in her backpack – another thing Will doesn’t have.
Through happenstance for Julie and out of necessity for Will, the two decide to brave the 5 mile hike together. Sedona, Arizona is basically the desert, but also claims to have several mystical properties like being amenable to crystal energy and vortexes. Whether it’s a holdover from the age of the hippies or a result of the magnetic fault lines, there’s something magical in Sedona that seems to enhance already existing energy. Like the kind that sparks instantly between Julie and Will.
A good romance is built on a connection that is fostered by both parties, whether smooth or bumpy. Will and Julie have initial awkwardness – Julie clocks Will’s first question as coming from the New York Times “36 Questions That Lead to Love” article . Wallace admits to his nerves and that vulnerability allows Julie to deliver some back. Instead of 36 questions she suggests The Gratitude Game that’s pretty self explanatory. Julie adds the stipulation that they can’t repeat each other’s gratitudes and this leads to charming banter between the two.
Two Hearts Become One
Along the way we discover Wallce and Julie have a past connection and other coincidences point to the two possibly being romantically involved. There’s something really lovely about finding new love later in life. There’s a lot less time for beating around the bush and as the walk continues the two ask each other’s thoughts on marriage, children, long distance dating, politics, religion, gender disparity and anything else that could present a barrier to their budding relationship. A relationship that hasn’t been offered or accepted, but seems to exist none-the-less. It’s an interesting contradiction that works beautifully and stays positive and stimulating.
Along their hike they run into a couple of notable characters including the Fiddler on the Rock, a local musician who travels the Sedona trails with his violin sharing his art. They’re also gifted crystals and told about the energy vortexes. They continue, speedrunning their relationship to the point of making out. A young couple remarks they hope they’re as in love when they grow “old” causing Julie and Will to wince and laugh with recognition. Julie proposes that they make their new life mission to make out in front of young people to provide inspiration for them, but when they’re told to “get a room” by an even younger influencer, Julie decides to rethink her plans. Will is still on board.
You might wonder how you can keep 90 minutes of walking and talking interesting, but Monique Sorgen has written a surprisingly complex script that she’s laid out in as simple a premise as possible. Steiner has had several memorable roles in projects like Orange is the New Black (2013), Ms. Marvel (2022), The Diplomat (2023) and more. She’s a strong actress who has the type of extrovertism that makes her able to mold to anyone. Langham is probably best known as Hodges on CSI (2000), but he was also a regular on The Larry Sanders Show (1992) and appeared in The Social Network (2010). Langham has worked with Sorgen before and I think that comfortability helped him excel in this casual falling-in-love story.
So it’s no wonder that this frankly stacked cast can hold a drama full of gripping lines, exciting conversations and goes to realistic yet surprising places. One Day in Sedona encourages rooting for both characters separately and as a couple. Sorgen also added elements of Julie’s grief that affect both her and Will and lead to them thinking about legacies and their place on this earth. The film is dedicated to Sorgen’s father, Michael Steven Sorgen who passed in 2023. You can tell much of the film was personal to her and these sorts of passion projects can lend themselves to being overly pretentious or preachy, but Sorgen has created a near perfect balance that gives the viewer lots to love and think about.
Making Room for Love
Their debates aren’t arguments, they’re not trying to find a solution. They just want to know that the other has thought about it in the same way they have. It’s like a litmus test of their compatibility – finding someone who cares the exact same amount as you do. So when the couple are separated near the end of the film, we know they will do whatever they can to find their ways back to each other.
A special mention should be given to cinematographer Avi Kaye. Though the beauty of the desert certainly did a lot to provide picturesque backgrounds, the desert can also provide a lot of issues to overcome. At one point it rains and the skies change, but it doesn’t remove the beauty from the screen. It takes an able hand to maintain the golden beauty of the arid landscape, but Kaye stepped up to the challenge and delivered.
One Day in Sedona doesn’t aim to make you believe in love, but it kindles the belief that is already there – no matter how dormant. It’s a beautiful film that had me screaming for joy and kicking my feet. You’ll want to watch it again and again!
One Day in Sedona is currently on the Festival circuit awaiting distribution. Please check the website for festival dates near you!
Trailer: