‘Be open. Life is better when you’re open,’ David’s dad tells him kindly as he prepares to attend another wedding on his own. This ambitious romantic fantasy takes us on the big, bold, beautiful journey of the title, delving into the disastrous dating history of both David (played by Colin Farrell) and that of his partner on this quest, Margot Robbie’s similarly cynical Sarah. This striking pair meet at the aforementioned wedding, after hiring cars from an idiosyncratic rental service, which seems to specialise in mending broken hearts. It’s staffed by a sweary German, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and her slightly dishevelled partner-in-crime (Kevin Kline), in scenes that are as delightful as they are bizarre.

After agreeing to throw caution to the wind and submitting themselves to an adventure, a magical GPS directs David and Sarah to a series of free-standing doors that lead them back into their painful pasts and reveal their true selves to each other. Written by Seth Reiss (The Menu), directed by Kogonada (Columbus, After Yang, TV’s Pachinko) and enhanced by the presence of two of the most charismatic movie stars around, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is sometimes funny, frequently philosophical, sincere yet occasionally saccharine, with pomposity-pricking moments, and an abundance of visual pizzazz. There’s a theatricality to the dialogue and the film’s artificiality acts as a barrier to its emotion which, given how much it wants you to buy into it, can feel frustrating. Still, in a world of sequels and safe bets, its audacity is impressive as it reaches for the cinematic stars.

A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is in cinemas from Friday 19 September.