I'm trying to comprehend how such a milquetoast excuse for a theatrical release film came into existence. I imagine there was some type of meeting that went like this.
Exec: The Meryl wants to do a role where she plays rock guitar, and Mamie is only allowed to be in A-LIST MOVIES WITH A-LIST PEOPLE. Round up whatever Oscar winners you can find who need a quick couple of million.
... A bit later
Exec: Diablo, HIIIII! Write something.
Diablo Cody: Um, like what?
Exec: Oh, it doesn't matter. Just string together English words that follow each other. Oh, oh, I know. Make it about a mother daughter relationship because then it will be a bit like Postcards from the Edge - but now we have real life mother and daughter actors available. And make Mamie's hair be all messy at the beginning, because we think she can manage to act that.
Jonathan Demme: What do you want me to do?
Exec: Well, maybe tell someone to turn on the camera at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day shout CUT - do whatever you like in between.
OK, so this wasn't the most egregious example I can think of where a movie was made apparently as a paid vacation for the madly-remunerated ATLs while the audience, spending their own hard earned money had zero amount of fun (A Good Year, The American, Last Vegas etc.), but it's up there in the same league.
Feeble.
Exec: The Meryl wants to do a role where she plays rock guitar, and Mamie is only allowed to be in A-LIST MOVIES WITH A-LIST PEOPLE. Round up whatever Oscar winners you can find who need a quick couple of million.
... A bit later
Exec: Diablo, HIIIII! Write something.
Diablo Cody: Um, like what?
Exec: Oh, it doesn't matter. Just string together English words that follow each other. Oh, oh, I know. Make it about a mother daughter relationship because then it will be a bit like Postcards from the Edge - but now we have real life mother and daughter actors available. And make Mamie's hair be all messy at the beginning, because we think she can manage to act that.
Jonathan Demme: What do you want me to do?
Exec: Well, maybe tell someone to turn on the camera at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day shout CUT - do whatever you like in between.
OK, so this wasn't the most egregious example I can think of where a movie was made apparently as a paid vacation for the madly-remunerated ATLs while the audience, spending their own hard earned money had zero amount of fun (A Good Year, The American, Last Vegas etc.), but it's up there in the same league.
Feeble.