Warning: Spoilers ahead for Lonely Planet!At the end ofLonely Planet, Katherine Loewe (Laura Dern) titles her latest novelThe Swing Route, which is an ode to something Owen Brophy (Liam Hemsworth) shares with her in Morocco. Nonetheless, the peculiar book title is interesting, especially when looking into why, exactly, Katherine settles on that name. Written and directed byErin Brockovich’s Susannah Grant,Lonely Planetfeatures an age-gap romancebetween Katherine and Owen — but that’s far from the romantic drama’s only focus. At the beginning of the film,Katherine, an acclaimed novelist, heads to a writer’s retreat in Moroccoin the hopes of finding solitude.
Instead of discovering a quiet place to finish her latest book, which has been two years in the making,Katherine has a chance encounter with Owen. Although Owen isn’t a writer, he has accompanied his long-term girlfriend, Lily Kemp (Diana Silvers), on the retreat. Owen thinks he’s being supportive, but it becomes clear that he and Lily are on different life paths. Meanwhile, Katherine is weathering the end of her 14-year marriage. While Owen is dangerously complacent, Katherine is eager to cut and run. Ultimately, the pair help each other make drastic life changes byLonely Planet’s ending.
“The Swing Route” Is A Football Term That Owen Shares With Katherine
Owen Says The Play Is About “Finding Hope In A Big Mess”
Toward the end of the film, Owen has a realization about his recent life choices: they aren’t unlike the swing route in football. A former quarterback, Owen took pride in being in charge on the field, but through his relationship with Lily, he gradually lost command of his life. An early chat with Katherine reminds Owen of who he used to be — and clearly,Owen misses that non-complacent person. After realizing that his relationship with Lily can’t be salvaged, Owen asks Katherine to join him on a new adventure without the rest ofLonely Planet’s cast of characters.
Lonely Planet Soundtrack Guide: All 3 Songs Explained
Unlike other romantic dramas, Lonely Planet’s soundtrack contains just a handful of needle drops, but they are well worth listening to after the film.
In classicromantic drama fashion,Lonely Planet’s coupleis just happy to start a new journey together. Both Katherine and Owen want to get “unstuck” in their personal and professional lives. Against all odds,their connection helps both Katherine and Owen take life-changing — and life-bettering — steps forward. Once Katherine and Owen sleep together, she finds the clarity needed to overcome her writer’s block, while Owen decides to essentially kill the amoral real-estate deal that would’ve made his firm millions.
While at the beach, Owen tells Katherine that he’s been thinking about the swing route, which he describes as a “passing pattern in football.” According to the former QB, the swing route is something football teams use when things aren’t going their way in a given game. Owen explains that the swing route hinges on one’s ability to trust their instincts, make a hard call, and follow through. Without a doubt, this describes the chances Katherine and Owen are taking on each other. As Owen puts it,the swing route is all about “finding hope in a big mess.”
How The Concept Of The Swing Route Inspires Katherine’s Latest Book In Lonely Planet
Owen Is Surprised That Katherine Took His Words To Heart In Lonely Planet’s Ending
InLonely Planet’s closing moments, Katherine and Owen reconnect in New York City months after they parted ways in Morocco. When a thief nabs Katherine’s laptop (and novel draft), the writer decides to cut and run again. The chance run-in with Owen in New York inspires Katherine to apologize for her behavior. She realizes that running away, especially from someone who really sees and loves her, has been her modus operandi for years. Katherine also shares that her new novel is calledThe Swing Route, suggesting thatKatherine really did find hope in the big mess of their meeting.
