Lonely Planet: Is Netflix’s No. 1 Movie Based on a True Story?

Although Lonely Planet is currently at the top of the Netflix charts, subscribers are wondering if it is inspired by a true story. The director and screenwriter of the film, Susanna Grant, spoke about this topic.

Morocco, the ideal environment for personal transformation

Since Feed, Pray, Love hit the big screen in 2010, the stories of journey and self-discovery that lead to profound change have clearly struck a chord with audiences. Netflix understood this well and released its own version of the theme with Lonely Planet, starring Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth, a film that is shaping up to be one of the biggest hits of the last quarter of 2024.

The film tells the story of a novelist who writes in Morocco in the hope that isolation will help him overcome the lack of inspiration that prevents him from finishing his book. There she meets a young man, Owen, and what begins as a casual acquaintance turns into a love story that changes her life.

A fictional story, but with deeply human themes

Although the characters of Laura Dern and Liam Hemsworth may seem familiar, they are not based on real people or a specific story. However, the director of Lonely Planet built his story on deep human qualities and universal themes. As he explained to Tudum:

With Lonely Planet, I wanted to make a film about the transformative power of travel – how sometimes traveling thousands of miles from everything you know can allow you to see your life and yourself in a new light.

Catherine and Owen arrive in Morocco – far from all the familiar sights of their daily lives – more ready for change than they think. A chance meeting connects them during a rough trip to the suburbs.

Neither is looking for a new friend, but as they explore this new place together and acclimate to a foreign culture, a surprising bond develops between them, making them realize they’re not quite who they thought they were.

Although the love story is not based on true events, Lonely Planet explores themes of creative liberation and the impact travel can have on one’s life. It also gives pride of place to the May-December phenomenon – an Anglo-Saxon expression that refers to a relationship between two people with a large age gap, and which is growing on our screens in 2024.

Lonely Planet is currently available on Netflix.