Tumbledown (2015)

A young woman struggles to move on with her life after the death of her husband, an acclaimed folk singer, when a brash New York writer forces her to confront her loss and the ambiguous circumstances of his death.

Director:

Sean Mewshaw

Writers:

Belled, Sean Mewshaw (story)

Stars:

Rebecca Hall, Jason Sudeikis, Blythe Danner

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Rebecca Hall	...	Hannah
Jason Sudeikis	...	Andrew McDonnell
Blythe Danner	...	Linda
Joe Manganiello	...	Curtis
Dianna Agron	...	Finley
Griffin Dunne	...	Upton
Richard Masur	...	Bruce
Maggie Castle	...	Shannon
Alex Quijano	...	Ben
Mary-Bonner Baker	...	Heidi
Bates Wilder	...	Metal Head
Pepper Binkley	...	Girl Fan
Meredith Prunty	...	Student
Haley Pine	...	Girl getting ice cream
Zachariah Supka	...	Bookstore Kid

Storyline

Hannah (Hall) is beginning to move on with her life after the death of her husband, an acclaimed musician and the subject of her latest biography, when she meets Andrew (Sudeikis), a brash writer from New York, who has a different take on her husband's life - and death. The unlikely pair must collaborate to put together the famous singer's story and begin to write the next chapter of their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

musician | journalist | grieving widow | song writer | widow | 

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Taglines:

Turn the page. Start a new chapter.

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Genres:

Comedy | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a sex scene

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Tascam 4-track "Portastudio" cassette deck seen in this film was a revolutionary device, allowing a musician to record three tracks, mix them to the fourth track and then add more tracks. It supported external guitar-style effects processors, had a variable speed control for tuning and special effects, and you could even flip the tape for reverse recording. Originally introduced in 1979, it later evolved in to the current digital version. This would have been an ideal tool for the songwriter in this movie, as it was heavily used for demos. It could also be used for creating fully-produced elaborate arrangements as advanced as the Beatle's four-track system in their day. In fact, Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album was actually created on one.

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Goofs

The portable 4-track machine does not have built-in speakers and would have needed to be hooked up to the sound system. As it was stored in a canvas bag and didn't have any audio cables connected, it should not have been able to produce any sound.

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Quotes

Andrew McDonnell: I see what's going on here, you're just a crazy person.

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Soundtracks

Maine Stays
Written by Damien Jurado
Performed by Damien Jurado and Barry Uhl
Produced by Gary Mula, and Barry IJhl
Brown Coat Music BMI
Damien Jurado appears courtesy of Secretly Canadian & House of Hassle, by Arrangement with Bank Robber Music

User Reviews

Inspired and entertaining study on the inevitable selfishness of grief

Understated, honest and soulfully choreographed. The cast is engaging, authentic and surprisingly interesting even in the most ordinary situations, of which there are few. Grief may be the premise of this film, but the result is a calm escape into a world you'll be happy to spend some time in.

After reading about the film, I did expect an Indie movie with the usual predictable story lines and romantic frou frou, and there is no shortage of that, but there is another layer of depth that caught me off guard. The intimate warmth of the soundtrack, like the weightless smoke of a dying candle in a quiet room, lingers long after the end credits are over. Some of the songs really are beautiful enough to warrant this type of language, trust me. So do the memories of other musicians who left behind their timeless creations along with the shock and mystery of a lifetime cut short. Martyn Bennett and Jeff Buckley, however different the circumstances of their departure, come to mind.

Whenever an Indie movie finds the perfect balance between lighthearted, mainstream entertainment and the relatability of a smaller story and budget, it proofs that a solid Indie production can transcend the restrictions of a genre and touch the audience beyond 90 minutes of entertainment.

I couldn't think of a single studio produced movie in recent months that achieved 'Tumbledown's subtlety and depth with the same simplicity and grace. To proof my point, this movie would work even without the romance and succeed as a relevant reflection on grief and the responsibility of moving on.

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 February 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tumbledown

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,331, 7 February 2016

Gross USA:

$135,026

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$282,083

Company Credits

Production Co:

BRON Studios, Hahnscape Entertainment, Rusticator Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Color:

Color