Where to Land Review: Hal Hartley makes a comeback with a captivating and intriguing drama.

      “I’m finished with being a superhero.” Muriel (Kim Taff), an international movie star known for her iconic intergalactic role in a massively popular television series, finds herself at a creative impasse. She shares this realization with her boyfriend Joe Fulton (Bill Sage), a former romantic comedy director who is undergoing his own introspective journey towards a simpler existence by applying for a groundskeeper position at the local cemetery. Such moments of revelation unfold during a pivotal hangout scene in Hal Hartley’s wonderful new film *Where to Land*, a meandering and enchanting tribute to embracing change despite the overwhelming resistance of everyday life.

      Similar to the exceptional slapstick filmmaker Preston Sturges, Hartley has consistently been able to tap into the contradictions, uncertainties, and deep emotions of a particular time often ahead of his peers. His finest works delve into apocalyptic themes, and Joe’s earnest wish to engage in manual labor triggers a cascade of misunderstandings with his loved ones, ultimately exposing a crucial, contemporary question: what do we truly value when faced with impending doom?

      As Joe contemplates drafting a will to simplify matters, the notion of his mortality has the opposite effect. Those nearest to him start to panic, unintentionally prompting each to reevaluate what the future could hold. Meanwhile, Joe embarks on the pragmatic task of assessing his material possessions. However, Hartley sees this as merely a means to explore our contemporary obsessions with not only financial and emotional security but also the conformity that often accompanies it.

      Hartley’s circular dialogues remain invigorating, opening unexpected paths for discussion and reflection. Each character contributes to questioning whether their perspective on the world is sustainable, making just enough room to assert their individuality in a dynamic portrayal of New York City, which contrasts blustery, windswept exteriors with cozy interiors.

      *Where to Land* marks a reunion of the director’s cherished regulars. Robert John Burke plays the sincere and reserved groundskeeper Leonard, stepping away from his typical intense roles to embody endurance. Sage, a long-time collaborator with Hartley, portrays Joe, who serves as a proxy for the director’s own artistic journey, which has established him as one of the most significant and vibrant filmmakers of the past three decades.

      By the time *Where to Land* leaves Joe and his companions buzzing with possibilities in a communal setting, it feels more like a revival of purpose than a reckoning with ideology. Through its effortless execution, we begin to recognize just how chaotic and frantic things have become; it critiques America’s modern culture of assumptions and opportunism, which threatens to distract us from what truly matters in our daily lives. A remarkable film, it finds beauty in the rustling of trees and in the brief pauses of conversations, patiently inviting us to uncover its soothing strength.

      *Where to Land* premieres in theaters on Friday, September 12.