How to Be (2008)

A young man having an existential crisis convinces a Canadian self-help guru to come to London and become his personal life coach.

Director:

Oliver Irving

Stars:

Robert Pattinson, Rebecca Pidgeon, Powell Jones

6 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Pattinson	...	Art
Rebecca Pidgeon	...	Mother
Powell Jones	...	Dr. Ellington
Jeremy Hardy	...	Jeremy
Michael Irving	...	Father
Mike Pearce	...	Nikki
Johnny White	...	Ronny
Alisa Arnah	...	Jessica
Joe Hastings	...	Dave
Biddy Rowe	...	Woman at Old House
Tim Rowe	...	Boy at Old House
Bart Kusse	...	Child Art
Augustin Irving	...	Child Father
Mirabel Kelly	...	Woman in Supermarket
Bernard Kelly	...	Landlord

Storyline

At first fancying himself an "enigmatic poet", twenty something Art gradually realizes that he must take action if he's going to escape his depressed life as a struggling musician in London. A solution comes in the shape of a book titled "It's Not Your Fault". Not content to just draw inspiration from its pages, however, Art invites the elderly author of the book to come live with him and his parents, which quickly becomes a painfully funny journey about dysfunction and growing up.

---

Plot Keywords:

self help | musician | question in title | camaro | break up | 

---

Taglines:

Sometimes we all need a little help

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 August 2009 (Italy)

Also Known As:

How to Be - Das Leben ist kein Wunschkonzert

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

How To Be Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The song in the trailer is the 'Hammond Song' by The Roches.

---

Goofs

During the bar scene, the level of beer in Art's glass jumps around several times, from nearly full to nearly empty and back again.

---

Quotes

Mother: Why are you smiling?
Art: I got a surprise for you and dad.
Mother: Don't say that dear.

---

Connections

References Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

---

Soundtracks

"Hell Awaits"
Written and Performed by The Rollercoaster Project

User Reviews

Not for everyone, but I loved it

The funny thing about this film is in the first 3 minutes I'm saying to myself, that's Cedric Diggory, being the ignorant American I am. But after the 4th minute I could see no one but Art, the lovable and pathetic loser who just doesn't know how to get a handle on his life because he has no one to validate his existence. His parents loath him, his girlfriend dumps him, and his new age therapist seems to need Art more than Art needs him in the end. I came home from seeing this movie at Slamdance and described it to someone as "my life, except 20 something, and a guy, and in London, but other than that, EXACTLY my life!" The people I saw it with at Slamdance didn't get it, but they had much more "normal" upbringings. Like I said, I loved this movie because I could identify so much with it, and at the same time it was almost unbearable to watch because I saw so much of myself, the parts I'd rather leave to my own past. I commend the cast and crew for a very funny and heartfelt movie, and recommend everyone watch it with an open mind. It may not be your life, but it was someone's.