Two-Time Academy Award Winner Robert De Niro Leads an All-Star Cast, Including Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, Edie Falco, Charles Grodin, Cloris Leachman, Patti LuPone and Harvey Keitel in THE COMEDIAN
Two-time Academy Award winner Robert De Niro (Best Supporting Actor, The Godfather: Part II, 1974; Best Actor, Raging Bull, 1980) stars as an aging insult comic trying to reinvent himself for acclaimed filmmaker Taylor Hackford (Ray) in the comedy-drama THE COMEDIAN. De Niro’s eight-years-in-the-making passion project also stars Leslie Mann (Knocked Up), Danny DeVito (“Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”), Charles Grodin (Dave), Academy Award winner Cloris Leachman (Best Supporting Actress, The Last Picture Show, 1971), Patti LuPone (“Penny Dreadful”), and Academy Award nominee Harvey Keitel (Best Supporting Actor, Bugsy, 1991), with a cast that includes Lucy DeVito (Leaves of Grass) and Billy Crystal (When Harry Met Sally…). In addition, the film features a veritable who’s who of stand-up comedians, including Jessica Kirson, Jim Norton, Jimmie Walker, Brett Butler, Richard Belzer, Freddie Roman, Stewie Stone, Gilbert Gottfried, Greer Barnes, Hannibal Buress, Bill Boggs, Sheng Wang, Ryan Hamilton, Aida Rodriguez, Dov Davidoff and Nick Di Paolo. THE COMEDIAN debuts on Blu-ray™, DVD and digital May 2 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Bonus materials on the Blu-ray, DVD and digital versions of THE COMEDIAN include deleted scenes, “The Comedian At AFI Fest,” a lively Q&A featuring Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito and Taylor Hackford,” and the behind-the-scenes featurette “Backstage With The Comedian” where the director and cast discuss the making of the film.
An aging comic icon, Jackie (Robert De Niro), has seen better days. Despite his efforts to reinvent himself and his comic genius, the audience only wants to know him as the former television character he once played. Already a strain on his younger brother (Danny DeVito) and his sister-in-law (Patti LuPone), Jackie is forced to serve out a sentence doing community service for accosting an audience member. While there, he meets Harmony (Leslie Mann), the daughter of a sleazy Florida real estate mogul (Harvey Keitel), and the two find inspiration in one another, resulting in surprising consequences.
Directed by Taylor Hackford, THE COMEDIAN has a screenplay by Art Linson & Jeff Ross, Richard LaGravenese and Lewis Friedman from a story by Art Linson. It was produced by Mark Canton, Courtney Solomon, Taylor Hackford, Art Linson and John Linson; with Scott Karol, Wayne Marc Godfrey, Robert Jones, Iain Abraham, Dennis Pelino, Fredy Bush, Mark Axelowitz, Lawrence Smith and Peter Sobiloff serving as executive producers.
Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Special Features Include:
Deleted Scenes
“The Comedian At AFI Fest: Q&A Featuring Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito and Taylor Hackford”
“Backstage With The Comedian,” featurette
.THE COMEDIAN has a runtime of 120 minutes and is rated R for crude sexual references and language throughout
Nearly 35 years ago DeNiro truly stunned film fans (yes, he could do that back then) when they learned of his next big screen collaboration with Martin Scorsese. It was crazy enough that the duo would follow the brutal one-two punch of MEAN STREETS and TAXI DRIVER with a glossy homage to big splashy MGM-style movie musicals, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, but this? They seemed to be back in their comfort zone with the classic RAGING BULL, when they made another big detour. A look at comedy, namely a portrait of a failed stand-up comic (he’d be dubbed a “hack” today) named Rupert Pupkin. 1982’s THE KING OF COMEDY even co-starred the iconic Jerry Lewis, who often claimed that royal title. The film was then considered a box office flop, but the years have been most kind to it (in stand-up parlance, maybe it was “too hip for the room”). Now, all those years later Mr. D grabs the microphone once more, but without Scorsese to guide him, and toss insults and one-liners as THE COMEDIAN.
The story begins with the downward trajectory of the roller coaster career of stand-up comic Jackie Burke (DeNiro). The highest peak may have been thirty years ago when he had his own network TV sitcom. Now, he’s playing the “nostalgia” circuit, taking a cab to a far-away-from Manhattan club to join other past tube stars Brett Butler and Jimmie “JJ” Walker. Despite the drunken bachelorette party that’s too close to the stage, Jackie’s doing fairly well, easing the concerns of his manager Miller (Edie Falco), the daughter of his late manager. Then the heckling from one table escalates. Jackie engages in a verbal “smack down” with the burly dude when he notices his date recording everything with her phone. They’re grabbing free material for their internet show. A tug-of-war with the mike begins, then ends with the heckler down for the count. The duo take Jackie to court, and insist on an apology, which prompts a string of scathing insults from the star. The judge is not amused, and tacks a month in jail on to her 100 hours of community service sentence. When he’s released, Jackie immediately visits his brother (Danny DeVito) and hits him up for a loan ,while avoiding the cold shoulder from his sister-in-law Flo (Patti LuPone). Meanwhile, a woman named Harmony (Leslie Mann) is surprised by a visit from her Florida-based papa, Mac (Harvey Keitel). He insists that she return to the sunshine state with him, since she can fulfill her court sentence (?) by working at the senior center he owns. No, she’ll stay in the big apple, but will join him for his birthday dinner. Harmony goes to the local church’s homeless outreach center where she fulfills her service requirements next to new helper…the one and only Jackie B! Despite a rocky start the two agree to help each other out. He’ll be her present for her pop’s birthday (Mac’s a big fan of that old sitcom) while she’ll be his date for the wedding of Jackie’s niece. The booze and laughs flow, and the two wind up back at Harmony’s place. The next morning she’s history, on her way to Tampa, and blocking all of Jackie’s calls and texts. Over the next few months his career as many more ups and downs, but he still hopes to connect with her once more.
First off, the obvious: DeNiro is much more believable as a lousy, unpopular comic (as in the earlier KING) than a successful (though hitting the skids) one. His line delivery (knowing which words to “hit”) and stage command (showing the audience who’s in charge) are severely lacking. Of course his bits aren’t that funny (looking downward to give himself a “pep talk”). But he’s putting a lot more energy into this role than in most of his non-David O Russell work, so it’s not a complete slide into “does he ever turn anything down?”.The character is meant to be a foul-mouthed lovable rascal, but he’s more like the embarrassing uncle you hope won’t make the next family bash (the wedding scene is a prime example). Although there are many comics on screen playing themselves (Jim Norton, Gilbert Gottfried, etc.), DeNiro never seems to be part of the cabal, let alone their idol/leader. At least he finds a match in Harmony (no, not the web dating site), as they’re both disruptive, human firecrackers tossed into the library of life. Mann does some of her best non-hubby work (though she’ll be working with Judd Apatow again, hopefully). She’s just as silly and tough, a sparkly “b#@lbuster”, as in her other roles, but that script lets her down. Harmony seems under-written, never letting us understand her dark side (it doesn’t help when she’s suddenly gone for a good third of the flick). Mann certainly fares better than Falco, who’s mainly a devoted, fretting, loyal nanny to the tantrum-throwing “baby-man” Burke. The flick flickers back to life briefly when DeNiro gets to verbally spar with early career co-star Keitel. Mac may enjoy being in Jack’s company, but the thought of his daughter with….errr…well, you can see his BP rising (cue the cartoon stem puffs). The two circle each other like sumo wrestlers, locating each other’s weaknesses, thinking they know exactly what’s on the other’s mind. Otherwise Mac’s really a one-note flashy jerk, a “rat pack-wannabe”. DeVito has a nice believable rapport (they could be bros) with DeNiro, but he gets no chance to unleash his wild comic style (a real Louie DePalma explosion would’ve helped things). Charles Grodin and Cloris Leachman just appear bewildered and befuddled in a Friar’s Club Roast subplot that just fills time. But the biggest waste of talent may be casting Broadway royalty LuPone as a tired cliché, the sour, emasculating shrew. C’mon Hollywood, she deserves better, otherwise we’ll lose her to “the boards” for good!
Director Taylor has made several terrific music-based films (RAY, THE IDOLMAKER), but the world of stand-up is more difficult for him to command. Too many quick cuts to the audience, and too tight on the performers. Once he’s out of the stages and clubs, Hackford is more in control, but the situations seem too artificial. Perhaps it’s the old “too many cooks” problem with the script credited to five (!) writers. I’m wondering if each one contributed a storyline, giving the film a TV sitcom ‘arc” feel, like several episodes of the “first season” patched together (“Jackie at the Roast”, “Jackie Pitches a Show”, “The Big Wedding”, etc.). Perhaps that’s why Jackie is often inconsistent. He serves up bestiality routines along with the yams to the street folks at the church, but he balks at hosting an edgy “endure pain and humiliation for cash and prizes” cable TV game show. And the jabs at “viral stardom” are heavy-handed and silly. Jackie doing a sing-a-long with some feisty seniors about incontinence set to the melody of an Eddie Canter classic? Hmmmm, really? And what’s their idea of a “daring”, provactive final scene? Let’s have a sweet-faced little six year-old drop an “F-bomb”. Feels more lazy and desperate than anything edgy. But it represents the rest of the flick, because THE COMEDIAN never becomes a “top banana”. More like an over-ripe, mushy one. Don’t forget to tip your servers!
WAMG is giving away one signed poster for THE COMEDIAN, the upcoming movie starring Robert De Niro! Don’t miss De Niro, Leslie Mann, and Danny DeVito in director Taylor Hackford’s new film.
An aging comic icon, JACKIE BURKE (Robert De Niro) has seen better days. Despite his efforts to reinvent himself and his comic genius, the audience only wants to know him as the former television character he once played.
Already a strain on his younger brother (Danny DeVito) and his wife (Patti LuPone), Jackie is forced to serve out a sentence doing community service for accosting an audience member.
While there, he meets HARMONY (Leslie Mann), the daughter of a sleazy Florida real estate mogul (Harvey Keitel), and the two find inspiration in one another resulting in surprising consequences.
Through the alchemy of their unlikely friendship, Harmony and Jackie overcome their own emotional damage and emerge as better people.
For a chance to win a poster signed by the cast, enter your name and email address in our comments section below.
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An aging comic icon, JACKIE BURKE (Robert De Niro) has seen better days. Despite his efforts to reinvent himself and his comic genius, the audience only wants to know him as the former television character he once played. Already a strain on his younger brother (Danny DeVito) and his wife (Patti LuPone), Jackie is forced to serve out a sentence doing community service for accosting an audience member. While there, he meets HARMONY (Leslie Mann), the daughter of a sleazy Florida real estate mogul (Harvey Keitel), and the two find inspiration in one another resulting in surprising consequences. Through the alchemy of their unlikely friendship, Harmony and Jackie overcome their own emotional damage and emerge as better people.
Jackie Burke, embodied by De Niro in THE COMEDIAN, has been struggling for years to get back to the place he most wants to be—at the mic in a club where the comedy is cutting edge and the audience is hip and appreciative. Like its central character, THE COMEDIAN is a triumph of tenacity. Back in 2009, the original concept sprang from conversations and ideas shared by De Niro and his friend and colleague ART LINSON, screenwriter and producer of THE COMEDIAN. Today, director Taylor Hackford’s new drama about comedy illuminates Jackie’s journey.
De Niro, legendary for immersing himself in his characters and their environments, transformed himself into a veteran stand-up performer through intensive and physical training, coaching and practice. With characteristic understatement, De Niro says simply, “Actors aren’t comics. It’s a very different way of performing. Working with comics was very helpful—getting the timing and movement right, the mic handling, working on delivery.”
Hackford elaborates: “We’ve never seen Robert De Niro like this before. From the very first club scene, if the audience doesn’t believe that he’s a comedian, there’s no movie.”
THE COMEDIAN will have a one week qualifying run in LA/NY theaters beginning Dec 2nd. Opens in NY/LA January 13th.
Okay fellow film fans, are we ready for another flick attempting to replicate the BRIDESMAIDS box office bonanza? Hollywood has been frantically trying to clone that hit since it astounded the nay-sayers nearly five years ago. Back then none of the studio chiefs believed that audiences would flock to an “R” rated comedy that primarily focused on a group of woman (and mostly TV actresses at that!). Its success turned supporting player Melissa McCarthy into an “above the title” film star who headlines at one major comedy each year (she’s nearly a film franchise on her own). Now the execs want to tap into a slightly younger market, maybe the Rogen/Franco/Hill late 20’s crowd, but just a tad older than THAT AWKWARD MOMENT. And they’re banking on one of the minor BRIDESMAIDS players, the Aussie firecracker that stole scenes from lead Kristen Wiig, Rebel Wilson, who later headlined the PITCH PERFECT flicks. She’s now dishing out sage advice to Dakota (FIFTY SHADES OF GREY) Johnson on HOW TO BE SINGLE.
Wilson practically explodes off the screen when the film begins. As Robin she’s a one woman party, always on the move, and bouncing from club to club in NYC. But then the film abruptly backtracks to the story’s main focus, recent college grad Alice (Johnson). We first encounter her as a freshman when she has a “meet cute” with future beau Josh (Nicholas Braun). Jump to graduation as she tells a crest-fallen Josh that she wants to take a “break” from their relationship. After all, she’s moving to the “big apple” and wants to keep her options open. Josh begrudgingly agrees. Alice crashes at the plush apartment of her single big sis, Meg (Leslie Mann), a hard-working obstetrician, then begins a paralegal gig at a big law firm, where receptionist Robin introduces her to the singles scene, mainly the “do’s and the “don’ts”. One of the “do’s” is a hunky bartender Tom (Anders Holm). He’s slingin’ drinks while verbally sparring with the pub’s upstairs neighbor Lucy (Alison Brie). She’s taking advantage of the free Wi-fi essential to her determined online search for “Mr. Right”. Meanwhile Meg suddenly comes down with “baby fever” and searches for a “donor”. This later complicates her fling with the decade or so younger Ken (Jake Lacy). As for her kid sis, will Alice re-unite with Josh once she has “sewn her wild oats” or will she embrace Robin’s “wild style”?
Though Wilson is most prominently featured in the ads and TV spots, this is really the story of Johnson’s Alice (she takes over the film’s narration from Robin early on). The talented second (no, third) generation actress helped make GREY more tolerable than it deserved which serves this often sluggish script well. Her screen presence makes the flighty, impulsive Alice somewhat sympathetic. As mentioned earlier, Wilson is a comedic force of nature making Robin’s irresponsible antics (blacking out drunk and waking in a stranger’s bedroom is more dangerous than wacky) a touch more palatable. For several scenes she comes off merely as a less musical cousin to PITCH’s Amy (both make men turn to jelly). Unfortunately, like many award show comic hosts, she just disappears from the stage for great clumps of time (at lest 20 minutes it seems), making the producers guilty of “bait and switch” marketing. Mann builds on the mature, no-nonsense character she’s aced in her hubby’s flicks (especially THIS IS 40), and beams as the woman who decides to travel down a different path (and she can really draw blood with her verbal jabs). These ladies fare much better than the very talented Ms. Brie (so fabulous as Annie on TV’s “Community”), whose comic skills are wasted with the ludicrous, lazily conceived Lucy. Why can’t she be as sharp and smart as the other characters? And to top it off, just as in last year’s trifle SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE, Brie must again behave inappropriately in front of a gaggle of toddlers! C’mon! The male actors have even less to work with, script-wise. This hampers the gifted Damon Wayans Jr. as a “could have been interesting” suitor for Alice, whose story arc seems brutally cut short. Braun is an affable boy next door who at least gets to move past being Alice’s doormat (unfortunately right into “Jerktown”). Holm is never completely convincing as an irresistible “babe magnet” and seems like a revamp of TV’s sitcom stud Sam “Mayday” Malone, particularly in exchanges with Brie there’s a big “Cheers” vibe (but not nearly as clever). The best of the boys may be the energetic and charming Lacy (perhaps the only bright light of the dismal LOVE THE COOPERS) who has a real leading man comic charisma (check out OBVIOUS CHILD). May he find a film more worthy of his talents…the future of the “rom com” just may depend on him.
The best that can be said about the whole “she-bang’ is that it’s a bright candy-colored “infomercial” for Manhattan with cute shops and fun, safe bars on every corner and no piles of garbage in sight…ever! This helps peg this flick as the wilder kid sister of the SEX AND THE CITY films and TV series (heck, Meg references that HBO hit). The tepid direction is definitely high-end tube style (aside from a nicely framed shot of Alice alone on a fire escape) with far too many montages (Alice and Robin having fun shopping, Meg tends to her patients, Lucy endures lousy dates, Alice decorates her new digs) set to turgid pop tunes. Once again, just as in the PITCH flicks, Wilson is used as an easy laugh, to energize the flagging pace. When one scene falls flat cut to Robin, the boozing, toking, fornicating live action blond Tasmanian Devil. In the last act she is almost humanized by delivering a “wake-up call” to Alice (finally good advise!), but it doesn’t quite mesh with the previous debauchery. As I mentioned earlier, the sloppy subplot with Alice and David tries to invoke pathos, but it seems rushed. Perhaps the Lucy scenes could have been jettisoned (her desperate debacles are tiresome) to give it room to breathe and be truly moving. Or it might just feel as flat as most of the film. Rebel is often raunchy fun, but there’s really no need to mingle with HOW TO BE SINGLE. As they say in “speed-dating”…next!
There’s a right way to be single, a wrong way to be single, and then…there’s Alice. And Robin. Lucy. Meg. Tom. David. New York City is full of lonely hearts seeking the right match, be it a love connection, a hook-up, or something in the middle. And somewhere between the teasing texts and one-night stands, what these unmarrieds all have in common is the need to learn how to be single in a world filled with ever-evolving definitions of love. Sleeping around in the city that never sleeps was never so much fun.
HOW TO BE SINGLE stars Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Damon Wayans, Jr., Anders Holm, Alison Brie, Nicholas Braun, Jake Lacy, with Jason Mantzoukas and Leslie Mann.
Check out the first trailer now.
Christian Ditter (“Love, Rosie,” “The Crocodiles”) directed the comedy from a screenplay by Abby Kohn & Marc Silverstein (“The Vow,” “He’s Just Not That Into You”) and Dana Fox (“Couples Retreat,” “What Happens in Vegas”), screen story by Kohn & Silverstein, based on the book by Liz Tucillo (TV’s “Sex & the City,” He’s Just Not That Into You).
Ditters’ behind-the-scenes creative team is headed by his frequent collaborator, director of photography Christian Rein, as well as production designer Steve Saklad (“Juno,” “Up in the Air”), editor Tia Nolan (“Friends with Benefits”) and costume designer Leah Katznelson (“Enough Said,” “21 Jump Street”). The music is by Fil Eisler (FOX TV’s “Empire”).
HOW TO BE SINGLE opens nationwide on February 12, 2016.
Oh, can ya’ hear it? That infectious, steady beat emanating from your local multiplex’s state of the art speakers? Is that Lindsay Buckingham imploring you to join him and cruise down the “Holiday Road”? Why of course it is! It’s time again to load up and head out on another VACATION! Oh, but hold up, this isn’t just another excursion, we’re about to switch lanes and take a different route, via the “sequel/reboot highway”. First, lets; a take a glance at our rearview mirror. In the late seventies, the National Lampoon magazine (the counter-culture’s humor monthly of choice) ran a terrific prose article called “Vacation 58” written by freelancer John Hughes (yes, the future “Brat Pack” patron saint). Jump to 1978 when the mag exploded into movie houses with the smash NATIONAL LAMPOON’S ANIMAL HOUSE. The studios desperately wanted more hit flicks from NL. Unfortunately the next few comedies sputtered at the box office (CLASS REUNION, MOVIE MADNESS). Finally, in 1983, Warners produced a film based on that old Hughes piece, albeit with some changes (invading Disneyland and plugging Uncle Walt? Uh, no, along with the 50’s nostalgia). This surprise smash spawned three more adventures with Clark Griswold and the family. But now we’re cruisin’ with Clark’s son Rusty and his own family. Can this new crew continue the comic chaos, or will a “stay-cation” with the DVD boxed set prove a better bet?
Yes, Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) is all grown up, and as we meet him (after a very funny opening title sequence inspired by a popular website), he’s just returned to Chicago. Midway Airport actually, for he’s a pilot for one of those bargain airlines. Soon he’s in the loving bosom of his family. There’s his gorgeous wife Debbie (Christina Applegate) and his two sons, gangly, awkward James (Skyler Gisondo), and his constant tormentor, pre-teen Kevin (Steele Stebbins). That night they have their neighbors over for dinner, who regale the Griswolds with their tales of their recent vacation in Paris. Rusty brags that, once again, they’re heading to their cabin on a lake up in Michigan. It’s then that he realizes that the fam, particularly Deb, is not that excited about the same spot (going through the scrapbook he sees the smiles morph into a lackluster stare). He’s gotta’ make new fun memories for them, maybe by revisiting one of his golden past trips. The next day Rusty makes the big announcement: they’re driving to California to experience the killer coaster “the Velociraptor” at the premiere amusement park “Wally World”. He piles them into an odd rental vehicle and begins this quest to bring them closer. As they say, it’s not the destination, but the journey, so they make several stops along the way. Hey, let’s drop in on Debbie’s old college, then a natural hot spring. Soon they arrive on the doorstep of Rusty’s sister Audrey (Leslie Mann) and her dim, hunky TV weatherman hubby Stone (Chris Hemsworth). Maybe they’ll make the time to drop in on the grandparents (Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo). But will Rusty’s plans cause his wife and kids to drift even further away?
So, is Helms another Chevy? Well no, he’s an outstanding comic leading man in his own right. After being part of the “wolf pack” in the HANGOVER trilogy, he proves that he can carry his own flick. His take on Rusty combines the panic of the dentist from those flicks along with the awkward bravado of Andy from TV’s “The Office” with the clueless enthusiasm of his CEDAR RAPIDS role to make an endearing doofus daddy. But he’s really not carrying the whole thing on his able shoulders. Applegate reminds us that’s she’s quite a gifted comic actress. Sure she went toe to toe with Ron Burgundy in several funny verbal jousts, but here (specifically in the college sequence) she shows off a skill for slapstick we’ve not seen since she was the Bundys’ blonde bombshell on TV. D’Angelo spent much of her time being exasperated and annoyed at her on-screen hubby, while Ms.A gets down and dirty right alongside the boys. Speaking of the boys, Gisondo (so terrific as young Moe in the recent THREE STOOGES feature) really shines as the nervous, fumbling elder son. There’s a real comic energy and rapport in his scenes with Helms. And he really embodies the terrors of puberty, especially in his encounters with the gorgeous Catherine Missal, the teen dream gal who always pops up at whatever dingy roadside motel the Griswolds occupy for the night. While Gisondo’s James is clumsy sweetness, Stebbins as Kevin is the ultimate “bad seed” who makes the torture of his older bro’ his sole reason for living. He brings a lot of evil energy to his part, often gleefully spouting profanity that would make a sailor, no the whole fleet, blush (a bit the producers too often relay on to get a cheap chuckle or to end a scene). Mann has little to do as the flashy Audrey (she’s much better served in her hubby’s flicks), but Hemsworth shows off his keen comic chops (Thor could be funny, but not this hilarious) particularly as he takes great care to explain the TV controls (oh, that “red band” trailer). Chevy and Beverly do make an appearance in a stilted cameo, but we must make note of the unofficial fifth Griswold on the trip, the mysterious blue oblong enigma, the “Tartan Prancer”, that “all that was left” rental vehicle. It may not be as ugly as the “Wagon Queen Family Truckster”, but “TP” takes its place alongside that classic car in addition to the “Bluesmoble”, “Ecto 1”, the Delta’s “Deathmobile” and even Jack Benny’s “Maxwell” in the comedy car hall of fame. It comes with two gas tank openings, an electrical cord with odd prongs, and an indecipherable remote key (“What is this muffin symbol?”) that produces unexpected actions (“Why would they program that?!”). And the navigation system, that bounces from a calm Nordic voice to an extremely angry Asian, becomes a hysterical narrator to the mayhem.
The writing/directing team of John Frances Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein, best known for the first HORRIBLE BOSSES, ably carry on the tradition established by the late, great Harold Ramis. Yes, too many gags were used in the ads and trailers, but Rusty’s pep talk about the trip remains a really clever take on current Hollywood marketing. They don’t pull back from the raunch (no wimpy PG-13 remake here), while also going for the family pathos. Sure, yeah, the “heart’ stuff is okay, but we’re just marking time till the next outrageous gag or gross-out. There are countless comedy stars from TV and films that pop up in often very funny bits, but this doesn’t offset the now-familiar comedy flick third act “lull”. So yeah, it could use a 5 or 10 minute trim. But fans of the original series are just here for the big laughs and there are plenty (happily not just pop culture references. I’m, looking at you TED 2!), and to be truthful, it’s a lot better that the EUROPEAN and VEGAS entries (Hmm. just the opposite of the STAR TREK series, whose even-numbered flicks were usually better). The new VACATION is a familiar, but still often riotous comedy re-invention that won’t sully your memories of ole’ Wally World. Just make sure that you listen to the moose out front!
VACATION stars Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Lesley Mann and Chris Hemsworth are the next generation of Griswolds who set off on a good old family road trip to Walley World in the new red-band trailer.
The next generation of Griswolds is at it again. New Line Cinema’s VACATION starring Ed Helms (“The Hangover” films) and Christina Applegate (the “Anchorman” films), takes the family on the road for another ill-fated adventure. The film marks Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley’s directorial debut.
Following in his father’s footsteps and hoping for some much-needed family bonding, a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Helms) surprises his wife, Debbie (Applegate), and their two sons with a cross-country trip back to America’s “favorite family fun park,” Walley World.
Rounding out the cast are Leslie Mann (“The Other Woman”) as Rusty’s sister, Audrey; Skyler Gisondo (“Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,” “Hard Sell”) and Steele Stebbins (“A Haunted House 2”) as Rusty’s sons, James and Kevin; with Chris Hemsworth (the “Thor” films) in the role of Stone Crandall, Rusty’s irritatingly successful brother-in-law, Beverly D’Angelo and Chevy Chase as Ellen and Clark Griswold from the classic “Vacation” comedies.
Goldstein & Daley (“Horrible Bosses,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2”) wrote the script, based on characters created by John Hughes.
The directors’ behind-the-scenes creative team also includes director of photography Barry Peterson (the “Jump Street” films, “We’re the Millers”), production designer Barry Robison (“Wedding Crashers,” “Pitch Perfect”), Editor Jamie Gross and costume designer Debra McGuire (“Ted”). Music is by Mark Mothersbaugh.
VACATION opens in theaters on July 29; in UK cinemas on August 21.
In the all new 20th Century Fox comedy THE OTHER WOMAN directer Nick Cassavetes takes a new approach to the classic cheater story that we’ve all seen before… but does it work?
Carly (Cameron Diaz) is a strong, independent New Yorker lawyer who has finally traded in her little black book for Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), a handsome, well dressed man who has swept her off her feet. She seems to have everything going for her… until she accidentally meets Mark’s wife Kate (Leslie Mann). With nowhere else to go Kate tracks down Carly, and the two slowly turn their pain into an unlikely friendship, that turns into a trio after discovering a third woman in the mix. Together Carly, Kate, and now Amber (Kate Upton) team up to teach Mark a lesson once and for all, and exact revenge on their three-timing man.
First, this film needs to be taken for what it is – a comedic chick flick that sets out to empower women. This isn’t one of those movies with a hidden message, everything is laid out for the audience. The film takes a light-hearted approach at holding the cheating party, rather than the unknowing mistress accountable. All too often anger is aimed at the wrong person, and this film sets out to point that out. It’s also about friendship, and the rare bond that the girls form under a devastating circumstance. Mostly, it’s just one of those films that you go to with your girlfriends for a good laugh.
Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann have an incredible chemistry together. Both are no strangers to comedy, and it shows. Their scenes together are what carry this film. I was also quite impressed with Kate Upton. Not only is her character likable, but she holds her own with Diaz and Mann… in her first film! That is quite an achievement. I think Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (‘Game Of Thrones’) also deserves some credit. Not only was his character put through the ringer, but he plays a convincing womanizer in this film. He paired nicely with the ladies, and complimented them well.
Despite the girls bringing the laughs, the story could have been a little stronger. I feel like it was only secondary to the comedy. Diaz, Mann, and Upton’s interactions, jokes, and physical comedy took center stage, while the story of adultery and betrayal faded into the background until the last fourth of the movie where they start to take their revenge. I don’t expect a deep, meaningful script, but I would like a little more than laughs to carry this film. If this story is really about friendship, then a few more heartfelt moments between the girls would have been nice to see. Also, I think they should have concentrated a bit more on Mark’s financial deviancy, and making him even more unlikeable. This would have, at least for me, made the last part of their revenge a little more enjoyable. It also went a little too slapstick towards the end, which doesn’t mesh with the tone of the first half of the movie. These women are funny enough on their own. For example, they don’t have to show Mark’s reaction to laxatives as it’s happening. Instead, they could have simply implied his bathroom ordeal, rather than showing his freak out on the toilet. At least then it would have fit with the comedic tone of first half of the film.
Even though there are problems with the story, THE OTHER WOMAN is still a fun, lighthearted film to go see with your friends. Oh, and ladies… if you want to bring a date with you just, tell them “that guy from ‘Game Of Thrones’ is in it. You’re welcome.
In THE OTHER WOMAN, the all new 20th Century Fox comedy, three women form a bond after they find out that they are all sleeping with the same man. Rather than getting mad at each other, they form an unlikely friendship, and together they set out to settle the score with their three timing lover to make sure that he learns his lesson…
Last week WAMG sat down with stars Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Taylor Kinney in a small press conference moderated by Giuliana Rancic to talk about cheating, soul mates, and horse whips. Check it out below!
After discovering her boyfriend is married, a woman (Cameron Diaz) tries to get her ruined life back on track. But when she accidentally meets the wife he’s been cheating on (Leslie Mann), she realizes they have much in common, and her sworn enemy becomes her greatest friend. When yet another affair is discovered (Kate Upton), all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on their cheating, lying, three-timing SOB.
We’ll start with the ladies… I was saying that I loved this movie so much because it’s called THE OTHER WOMAN, so you’re thinking that it’s about the relationship about a man and the different women, but really, ultimately, it’s about a friendship. Friendships that develop amongst three women that you would never, in a million years, see happen. Is that one of the things that drew you all to the script, and to this project? Cameron, would you like to start?
CAMERON DIAZ : Sure. Yeah, absolutely. I felt that this was such a unique film. When Julie Yorn, the producer, came to me with the idea for Melissa Stack, the screenwriter, to write the script I though it sounded like a great idea. There’s nothing else out there like that. Usually when it’s a story about three women who are all involved with the same man it usually ends in somebody’s eyeballs being scratched out, and some weaves being snatched off. [Laughs] We decided that that wasn’t the story that we wanted to tell, and we didn’t really want to focus either… we didn’t want it to be a story about revenge. We wanted it to be a story about utilizing the commonality of the three of them having a relationship with the same man to be a catalyst to bring them together, because otherwise, like you said, these three women would not know one another otherwise. It’s not only a story of friendship, and women, and how we support one another, and how we are there for one another, but it also shows us how different these women are. They each have their own strengths, and their own weaknesses, and those strengths and weaknesses help each one of them in their own way. They actually empower one another because of those strengths and weaknesses.
LESLIE MANN : We help each other learn, and grow.
KATE UPTON : Yeah, and I know that in my life, my girlfriends are one of the most important relationships that I have… from going through the good times and the bad times. It was a really amazing script because i think it really shows that it’s true in real life.
LESLIE MANN : And, it’s written by a woman… [Laughs]
KATE UPTON : … so, automatically it’s better.
LESLIE MANN : … so, it’s better… [Laughs] It seems like a lot of the other movies with the same kind of idea have been written by men, and maybe directed by men… not that that’s a bad thing. They like to perpetuate this idea of women fighting over them [laughs] and get us into believing that that is what we are supposed to do. So, it’s nice. It’s refreshing to have this new twist on it.
It is empowering. I felt very empowered in the movie. I think we’re so quick when something like this happens in our lives – whatever degree it is… maybe not to the degree that it happens in the movie… but, we feel the need to immediately blame the woman even though she’s probably in the dark half the time, and it’s really the man [nods toward Nikolaj] that we should be looking at…
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : What does it tell us about these women? They all fall for this kind of man. [Laughs]
CAMERON DIAZ : That he’s really good! That he’s really good at what he does! [Laughs]
I wanted to ask you guys a couple of questions. I’ll start with you Nikolaj. In ‘Game Of Thrones’ you definitely come up against some fierce enemies. How does that compare to what you go through in this movie? Especially in the end… you go through quite a bit.
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : Yeah. They take their revenge, you know. All he did was – he wanted to give them pleasure. [Laughs]
CAMERON DIAZ : Oh, this is how this is going? [Laughs]
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : No. I mean, it doesn’t really compare. I think he’s a real prick, and he gets what he deserves. No question about it.
How was it working with these women?
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : It was amazing! I mean, all three girls were amazing. Leslie, Cameron, they are very brilliant actresses. They’ve done this for a long time, and they have impeccable timing. They both like to, how do you say, keep the scene open as long as possible to come up with ideas, and I really had to stay on my toes to keep up with them, and try not to get in their way. I learned a lot from them. I have to say, Kate… [to Kate] Is this your first movie? [Kate nods] I’m just absolutely amazed at how she pulled it off, cause it’s not easy playing the naive, young, what do you call it? To play that character. It’s difficult. I don’t know how to say what I was saying without sounding stupid…
CAMERON DIAZ : You have to be really smart to play that dumb! [Laughs] Amber [Kate’s character] wasn’t dumb, she was…
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : So, yeah. It was a real thrill to meet them.
LESLIE MANN : It was a thrill for me too, because I was super excited to make out with the hot guy from ‘Game Of Thrones’ [Laughs] because I’ve been married for seventeen years, and I was like “Yes!” [Laughs]. You know how people say… actors say “Yeah, it’s really technical, and the sex scenes… they’re just so technical. It’s like work, you know. It’s not…” and I’m like “That’s bullshit! [Laughs] That’s such bullshit!”. So, anyway I was really excited, if you [To Nikolaj] don’t mind me telling this story. I was so exited to make out with him, and then we did the kissing scene, and he’s got this scruff, and I got, you know, red… but not just red. I had broken out into full hives! They thought that maybe it was his aftershave, or something…
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : It was just me.
LESLIE MANN : … so they made him wash his face, and we did it again, and I broke out into hives again!
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : It didn’t happen with Cameron, though.[Laughs]
LESLIE MANN : But, I was so bummed!
CAMERON DIAZ : I have a sturdy constitution. [Laughs]
LESLIE MANN : I finished the job. I go the job done, because I’m a professional.
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : You did. You did. You were very professional.
You were a professional. And Taylor…
TAYLOR KINNEY : I think the most exciting part, or challenging… I remember working with Leslie and trying to keep a straight face. You’re in the middle of a scene, and she’ll just throw a curve ball, and then someone just laughs, and has to turn around, and you start going, and then I just would do [makes a serious face while trying to keep from laughing] so that she could keep going. Your head just goes, so it was a testament to her talent. It was great.
What did you think, Taylor, when you read this script for the first time?
TAYLOR KINNEY : I hope I get this. [Laughs] No, I loved it. It changed a lot. It evolved a lot. I know that with Melissa, and Nik, and the girls… there was a template, and then it just kind of evolved into what it is. I hope it turned out great. I didn’t see it yet.
Cameron, you were involved in petitioning the MPAA for this movie. How come, and how common is it for actors to get involved? What did you say to convince them to drop the rating down to PG-13?
CAMERON DIAZ : Um, I’m not certain how common it is for other actors to do it, but myself, and the studio of course, and the producers all felt very strongly that… Well, one, I have to say that I completely admire, and understand, and respect that there are guidelines in which we have to be under in order to get a certain rating. I appreciate the MPAA for what they do, and how they structure that. We just felt that it wasn’t a Rated R film. It was a PG-13 film, and we just felt very strongly about that. In the end, we got what we… we were able to plead the case that showed that, and they agreed as well.
Was there a specific thing that turned them around?
CAMERON DIAZ : I’m not certain because I don’t know why they voted it the way they did. All I know is that we went, and pled our case, and they gave it to us. We’re very grateful, and happy for that, because we really think that it is a PG-13 film. There’s nothing that, to us, feels like an R rated film in this movie.
LESLIE MANN : We just have the one ‘fuck’, right?
CAMERON DIAZ : Yeah. [Laughs]
LESLIE MANN : Just the one!
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : Is that all you get?
CAMERON DIAZ : You just get one for PG-13.
LESLIE MANN : You just get one.
KATE UPTON : It’s amazing that we only ended up with one after the whole, entire shoot!
LESLIE MANN : I know!
KATE UPTON : After our shoot, knowing what happened behind the scenes, it’s surprising to know that only one made it into the movie. [Laughs]
CAMERON DIAZ : There are plenty of opportunities.
I’m from the generation where we saw 9 TO 5, and this sort of reminded me of that. I was just wondering, for all of you, did you look at that film, or do you remember it? Which one of you is the Dolly Parton? Which is the Lily Tomlin? Which is the Jane Fonda? And [To Nikolaj] how did you like playing Dabney Coleman?
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : I loved it.
CAMERON DIAZ : 9 TO 5 is actually one of my favorite movies. I watched it a thousand times as a child. Literally a thousand times. My girlfriend had a VCR, and she had four movies, and that was one of them. We watched it constantly. That was something that I loved about this movie – was the same thing – where it was three women who would have never had come together for any other reason except they had this one thing in common, which was this common cause. That’s really a feeling that I wanted this movie to have. It was a huge influence for it, so…
You guys all did a fantastic job, but I have to single you out Leslie. You have played some spectacular drunks… [laughs] What is your secret? You’re married to a funny guy. What is that like?
LESLIE MANN : Well, I observe a lot of you drunk people at bars. [Laughs] I don’t know. I think that, what I do is I just let myself go there, and just fully commit to that drunk thing… cause I’ve never done that myself. [Laughs] I’ve had a lot of practice! I’ll just be honest. [Laughs] Thank you though.
For Nikolaj, I understand that during your scene with Ms. Upton she got a little ‘method’ on your ass… literally…
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : Yeah, she did! The scene was cut, and I thought the only way I could…
KATE UPTON : Ok, well let’s start off first with… I said that I didn’t feel comfortable with the scene and somebody [looking at Nikolaj] said that he was totally down for the scene. [Laughs]
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : Absolutely! Absolutely. I was fine with it. And, you know, I thought she did a terrific job. I’ve never seen colors that beautiful on my ass before. But yeah, it never made the cut, so I feel like we have to talk about it! I have to get something out of it. I still have it. I’m still walking with it. But, you know, it didn’t hurt that much. Well, it did when she hit me…
KATE UPTON : You had your hand taken off in ‘Game Of Thrones’… [Laughs] It was a bruise on your butt. What does that even mean? [Laughs]
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : You’re absolutely right! There was just something about the whole setup. It was so funny, and then those pictures… they looked… it was just funny. And Kate did exactly what she was told to do, and she did it full on, and she gave it her best. She’s a strong girl.
KATE UPTON : I’m a horseback rider. I know how to use a whip. [Laughs]
In the film you talk about soulmates. Can you each talk about whether you believe that there is one soulmate out there in your life, or if there are different ones out there throughout your life?
LESLIE MANN : Well, my therapist says [laughs] that because I’m like “It’s really hard”… “I’m having a… It’s really tough” and he’s like “But that means that you guys are meant to be together, to work out all of your problems together.” I’m like “Really? I thought your soul mate… You’re just supposed to be happy all of the time, but…” [Laughs] I think that…god… I guess Judd is my soulmate, cause we have a lot of hard times, but it’s great at times too, so maybe that means that he’s my soulmate? Maybe? [Laughs] I don’t know!
CAMERON DIAZ : Yes! I believe that there are many soulmates… cause my soul has a lot of different facets, and it needs a lot of different…
LESLIE MANN : …different men… [Laughs]… for every facet!
CAMERON DIAZ : I’m just sayin’, you know… But in friendships, too. You’re [to Leslie] one of my soulmates, and you’re [to Kate] one of my soulmates. Our souls are mates, and some parts of our souls are mates…
LESLIE MANN : Yeah!
KATE UPTON : And they found each other.
LESLIE MANN : That’s true!
CAMERON DIAZ : Friendships, I think, can also be soulmates.
You guys have a fun tackle scene in this film. How many times did you do it, and what was it like? What did you discover while working together?
CAMERON DIAZ : That I’m strong.
LESLIE MANN : We discovered that we have a fun chemistry, physically. Cameron’s got really long legs, and a shorter torso, and I have a really long torso, and shorter legs…
CAMERON DIAZ : So, her center of gravity is, like, really low… and I’m always kind of, like, up here teetering and tottering…
LESLIE MANN : We kind of discovered that our bodies…
CAMERON DIAZ : Her torso is, like, all torque. It’s kind of like… a combustion engine has torque… and it just, kind of, revs up. She just powers up, and she torques, and twerks, and twerks, and then all of a sudden she just explodes. I’m holding her, doing it, and I’m like ‘Ahhh!”, and then her leg locks around on me, and hocks in, and one hand is here, and then I pull it off, and then there’s another one here… [laughs] and then I pull that off. It just became, basically… like, you know ‘sticky balls’? Where you throw it on, and it just sticks. It kind of turned into that.
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : Who would win, though, if you guys were to…
CAMERON DIAZ : I don’t know. I think that we always got stopped before it got too far…
LESLIE MANN : Right?
CAMERON DIAZ : But it was funny, because in the script there was no physical comedy, sort of scripted… We just, sort of, started finding it in these little places. She would just basically hold on to me, and then I wouldd writhe in any way possible to try to get her off.
LESLIE MANN : … but you couldn’t get me off…
KATE UPTON : Cameron was also always wearing these huge stilettos, and like, a leather pencil skirt while…
CAMERON DIAZ : … or, a tiny bikini [laughs]. I was like “Excuse me guys, I’m gonna be… my ass is going to be facing this way, so do you mind, maybe, just standing over there during this take, cause something’s gonna happen?”
KATE UPTON : Yeah. It’s weird how many men went over that direction [laughs] as soon as that scene started happening.
CAMERON DIAZ : “What are you guys doing here?” “Uh, we’re holding the flag… ” No, we had a great time, and we had a great crew.
Whether reading the script, or while shooting the film was there any point where any of you felt any empathy toward the character of Mark?
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : I did. [Laughs] .
TAYLOR KINNEY : Yeah. I did. I felt bad for him.
CAMERON DIAZ : You felt bad for Nikolaj or for his character?
TAYLOR KINNEY : No. Yeah. Well… I remember reading that scene and just being glad that I wasn’t… getting whipped in the ass. No thanks! [laughs]
CAMERON DIAZ : … dangling from a contraption?
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : It was fun!
KATE UPTON : He could have said no! [Laughs]
NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU : No?
CAMERON DIAZ : That was not the safe word! [Laughs]
The film is about friendship, but it does involve cheating. Have any of you been cheated on. and is there a moment in the film that you could relate to or had to draw back?
CAMERON DIAZ : [Sarcastically] That we had this cathartic moment where we’re like “Oh my god! I totally know how this feels!”… [Laughs] Well, I think we’ve all gone through some kind of betrayal, whether it’s with a boyfriend, or a friend, or a family member. I think that’s why this is, sort of, relatable to everybody – because we all know what it feels like to feel that betrayal.
In the movie, your characters had to relate under crazy circumstances. For you guys, how did you relate to each other in real life?
LESLIE MANN : To each other as friends? We just, kind of, hit it off right away, luckily. We all did. We had a couple of dinners together, and Cameron and I had a four-hour dinner, and talked about everything! W had a cast dinner, which was really nice. We just… I think we’re different, but we are very similar in a lot of ways, and we really compliment each other in real life, and onscreen too. Cameron’s kind of like, for me, she’s like ‘the teacher’ and Kate’s like my daughter. She’s only five years older than my daughter, and so I was always wanting to protect her. I just love these girls, and these boys too.
Kate, how was your experience working with these ladies on your first movie?
KATE UPTON : It was so amazing. I am so lucky. I didn’t know what to expect when I first came on set, and they opened their arms to me, and made me feel really comfortable instantly. They supported me every step of the way. When I was shooting the bikini scene – Normally, when you go to a beach, everybody is wearing a bikini, but on a film you’re the only one [laughs] and there were, like, sixty people staring at you. They’re doing their jobs, but they’re still staring at you, and I was so uncomfortable, and these girls saw that I was uncomfortable, and came out, and ran off camera with me… just encouraging me, and not letting me be alone. They were like that the whole way filming, and I’m just so blessed to have them on my first film.
NIKOLAS COSTER-WALDAU : I just remembered that there was another girl in the movie that I thought was amazing… I don’t know if she’d done movies before… Nicki Minaj did an amazing job.
CAMERON DIAZ : She was fantastic.
NIKOLAS COSTER-WALDAU : Of course, the writer Melissa with her beautiful script. I think we should also mention Nick Cassavetes, who did a great job directing this. And, at least for me, it was great to have at least one guy on set to have fun with, cause these girls are a force to be reckoned with. Shoutout to Nick.
CAMERON DIAZ : And these guys, honestly, mean… Nikolaj plays one of the ugliest villains.We had to create such a horrible guy, because he is the bad guy in the movie. We took him as far as possible, as pathological as possible, and I really feel that Nikolaj did such an amazing job of bringing that character so that we could have the fun of the revenge. He made it so we looked good [laughs] and he looked bad, and we appreciate that. Taylor’s character portrayed the essence of a man that we all love, and appreciate. He’s a brother, and he’s a best friend, and he gives heart to the movie that is otherwise stolen by the revenge of it all. These two guys really showed up for us, and they were great partners to the three women, and even though we did a movie about heartbreak, I feel that we also celebrate love in this movie, and we just appreciate that these guys were there for us to help us tell that story.
