Out of the Woods

January 6, 2025
The married couple at the center of this realistic contemporary from Bonam-Young (Out on a Limb) work to rejuvenate their struggling relationship. High school sweethearts Caleb and Sarah Linwood are experiencing growing pains 17 years into their marriage. After committing herself to wealthy and successful Caleb at 19 while her single mother was dying from ALS, Sarah wonders who she would be without his constant support and hopes to prove herself by hosting a benefit for ALS research. This plan backfires when Caleb provides the large donation needed to get the event over its fundraising goal without consulting Sarah first. Three weeks later, the household tension is so thick it’s almost unbearable. Sarah’s bestie suggests that the couple go on the Reignite retreat, a seven-day wilderness trip run by marriage counselors. Though they’re initially reluctant, the trek through nature leads them back to each other. Bonam-Young excels in creating nuanced characters on complicated emotional journeys and she makes Caleb and Sarah’s reconnection believable through both sweet and heat-filled moments. This is a delight.