In ‘A Beautiful Day’, writer/director Ryan Nunes draws us into a chance encounter between two young women in 1950s dress, seated together on a park bench. What begins as a quiet exchange unfolds into a tender dialogue about grief, regret, and the heavy truths we sometimes find easier to share with strangers than with those we love. Dorothy (Jennifer Drummond) opens up first, reflecting on the loss of her mother with a striking line: “They’re there, and then they’re not.” Her words resonate with Charlie (Dhanya Lott), who responds with her own personal story.
The conversation flows naturally, deepening with each confession. Dorothy speaks of her sister, a distant figure with whom she’s had a strained, regret-filled relationship. Charlie, in turn, reveals her experience caring for her mother, whose dementia has led her to sacrifice much of her personal life. These are the kinds of reflections that don’t often come out so easily, yet here, under the light of an unremarkable afternoon, they feel safe enough to share.
Cinematographers Ethan De Aguiar and Dan Goldsmith capture this simplicity with high-quality visuals that don’t distract from the characters, instead allowing their expressions to tell the story. The twist, when it comes, is both surprising and meaningful, a jolt that fits seamlessly into the film’s quiet yet emotionally charged rhythm. Nunes’ script is beautifully and cleverly written, blending sweetness with poignancy in a way that feels genuine.
Nunes skillfully guides us through a journey of memory and perception, subtly passing clues that only come into focus as the film reaches its poignant climax. What seems like a fleeting encounter is, in fact, laced with layers of memory, loss, and the haunting persistence of love. By the final scene, ‘A Beautiful Day’ leaves us reflecting not just on the beauty of fleeting connections, but on the fragile, mysterious ways we hold on to those we love, even as time and memory fade.
