Release date: TBC
The cast: John C Reilly, Marisa Tomei, Jonah Hill, Catherine Keener.
The pitch: Sad sack Reilly meets cute but lonely middle-aged Tomei. Romance blossoms, but Tomei’s unhealthy relationship with her 23-year-old son (Hill) threatens to throw a spanner in the works.
The strapline: TBC
The buzz: The latest movie by Jay and Mark Duplass premiered at Sundance this week to enthusiastic reviews, with particular praise directed at Hill’s portrayal of the manipulative, pathetic son. Previously known for so-called mumblecore comedies such as The Puffy Chair, the Duplass brothers are now set to bring their good-natured brand of indie dramedy to a multiplex audience with the help of a starry cast led by Apatow alumni Hill and Reilly. Cyrus has already been picked up by Fox Searchlight, who will no doubt rebrand it with a redband trailer upping the gag count before its nationwide release, but until then we have this Sundance promo to whet our appetites.
Reasons this could be good: The Apatovian school of improvised comedy actually fits quite well with mumblecore, whose practitioners have a similar, make-it-up-as-you-go-along ethos. However, the Duplasses are in a good position to harness Hill and Reilly’s in-your-face improv into gently-rounded character comedy. The trailer is certainly more about chuckles than belly laughs, though there are some good lines in there. “I like your hair. It’s like a crippled tree, reaching for heaven.”
Reasons this could be bad: The plotline (and Reilly’s starring role) brings back memories of Step Brothers, one of the lazier efforts from the Apatow stable. Hill has so far limited himself to foul-mouthed bit-parts, and it’s far from clear whether he can carry a film like this. Is no-one else getting tired of Reilly playing a lovable doofus? He’s essentially played the same role in every film he’s been in since Magnolia.
We think: Judging from this and the forthcoming Greenberg, it looks like 2010 will be the year mainstream comedy goes from lowbrow to lo-fi. We can’t say we’re too disappointed. Although it has the potential to be silly, advance word says this is a likeable, funny comedy with a truthful emotional centre. We can’t think of too many of those since Alexander Payne’s Sideways. We hope it’s a huge sleeper hit, and Hollywood starts taking people like Jay and Mike Duplass seriously.
Music: From the beginning: Don’t You Want Me, by the Human League. Then, Animal by Miike Snow. Then, Take Five by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. THEN, Home by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes. Most pop songs in a trailer ever?
Did you spot?: Cyrus is holding a knife at 1:31. Creepy.
Odds of you seeing it: Tired of mainstream comedies that veer between queasy sentimentality and gratuitous boob/puke shots? Fan of Sideways? Then you’ll be keen on this.
