Among this year’s Film Independent Spirt Award nominations for Best Feature were “Bones and All,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “TÁR,” “Women Talking,” and an under-the-radar, France-set thriller about an African refugee facing her past.
The film didn’t win given the stiff competition, but it was a worthy inclusion for its powerful portrait of a woman (Babetida Sadjo) grappling with terrifying events from her homeland that still haunt her now — and the introduction of a priest into her life who reactivates her trauma.
Written and directed by Ellie Foumbi, “Our Father, the Devil” will be released by Fandor and Cineverse in select theaters, including the Quad Cinema in New York City on August 25, and the Laemmle Royal in West Los Angeles on September 1. Watch the trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, below.
Per a synopsis, the film stars a riveting Sadjo as Marie, the head chef at a retirement home in small-town France.
The film didn’t win given the stiff competition, but it was a worthy inclusion for its powerful portrait of a woman (Babetida Sadjo) grappling with terrifying events from her homeland that still haunt her now — and the introduction of a priest into her life who reactivates her trauma.
Written and directed by Ellie Foumbi, “Our Father, the Devil” will be released by Fandor and Cineverse in select theaters, including the Quad Cinema in New York City on August 25, and the Laemmle Royal in West Los Angeles on September 1. Watch the trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, below.
Per a synopsis, the film stars a riveting Sadjo as Marie, the head chef at a retirement home in small-town France.
- 7/24/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
As A Little Prayer begins, the voice of an unseen singer floats into the still morning air of a strikingly leafy neighborhood. The spirituals she belts, heard a few times during this quiet drama, take on the role of a disembodied character, sparking responses from the other characters that help to define who they are. Some hear only noise, an intrusion, something to complain about. But for Bill and his daughter-in-law, Tammy, searching souls beautifully played by David Strathairn and Jane Levy, the songs are enchanting, a mystery to savor.
Bill and Tammy are, as she puts it, kindred spirits, but that’s not to say they’re fully in sync. Their bond is the heart of writer-director Angus MacLachlan’s understated film, yet so too is the gap between what Bill wants to believe and the way things are. At the helm of his third feature, after Goodbye to All That...
Bill and Tammy are, as she puts it, kindred spirits, but that’s not to say they’re fully in sync. Their bond is the heart of writer-director Angus MacLachlan’s understated film, yet so too is the gap between what Bill wants to believe and the way things are. At the helm of his third feature, after Goodbye to All That...
- 1/24/2023
- by Sheri Linden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A singular new voice born in Cameroon and based in New York, Ellie Foumbi is set to shine on the international scene at the Venice Film Festival, where her feature debut, “Our Father, the Devil,” will be presented as part of the Biennale College-Cinema section. Foumbi, who is represented by UTA, is the second Black female helmer to be selected in the festival’s history, following Regina King’s feature debut “One Night in Miami” in 2020.
A redemption tale weaving drama and psychological thriller, Foumbi’s film follows Marie, a reclusive African refugee (Babetida Sadjo) whose quiet existence in a sleepy mountain village in the south of France is overturned when she meets the charismatic new parish priest (Souleymane Sy Savane), who happens to be the warlord that slaughtered her family and recruited her as a child.
Through her protagonist’s journey, Foumbi sheds light on the lesser-known issue of...
A redemption tale weaving drama and psychological thriller, Foumbi’s film follows Marie, a reclusive African refugee (Babetida Sadjo) whose quiet existence in a sleepy mountain village in the south of France is overturned when she meets the charismatic new parish priest (Souleymane Sy Savane), who happens to be the warlord that slaughtered her family and recruited her as a child.
Through her protagonist’s journey, Foumbi sheds light on the lesser-known issue of...
- 9/5/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Ramin Bahrani, Oscar-nominated writer/director of The White Tiger, discusses a few of his favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The White Tiger (2021)
Man Push Cart (2005)
Chop Shop (2007)
99 Homes (2015)
The Boys From Fengkuei (1983)
The Time To Live And The Time To Die (1985)
The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie (1976)
Bicycle Thieves (1948)
La Terra Trema (1948)
Umberto D (1952)
Where Is The Friend’s Home? (1987)
Nomadland (2020)
The Runner (1984)
Bashu, the Little Stranger (1989)
A Moment Of Innocence a.k.a. Bread And Flower Pot (1996)
The House Is Black (1963)
The Conversation (1974)
Mean Streets (1973)
Nashville (1975)
Aguirre, The Wrath Of God (1972)
The Enigma Of Kaspar Hauser (1974)
Paris, Texas (1984)
Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962)
Vagabond (1985)
Luzzu (2021)
Bait (2019)
Sweet Sixteen (2002)
Abigail’s Party (1977)
Meantime (1983)
Fish Tank (2009)
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Malcolm X (1992)
Nothing But A Man (1964)
Goodbye Solo (2008)
The Spook Who Sat By The Door (1973)
Dekalog (1989)
The Double Life Of Veronique...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The White Tiger (2021)
Man Push Cart (2005)
Chop Shop (2007)
99 Homes (2015)
The Boys From Fengkuei (1983)
The Time To Live And The Time To Die (1985)
The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie (1976)
Bicycle Thieves (1948)
La Terra Trema (1948)
Umberto D (1952)
Where Is The Friend’s Home? (1987)
Nomadland (2020)
The Runner (1984)
Bashu, the Little Stranger (1989)
A Moment Of Innocence a.k.a. Bread And Flower Pot (1996)
The House Is Black (1963)
The Conversation (1974)
Mean Streets (1973)
Nashville (1975)
Aguirre, The Wrath Of God (1972)
The Enigma Of Kaspar Hauser (1974)
Paris, Texas (1984)
Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962)
Vagabond (1985)
Luzzu (2021)
Bait (2019)
Sweet Sixteen (2002)
Abigail’s Party (1977)
Meantime (1983)
Fish Tank (2009)
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Malcolm X (1992)
Nothing But A Man (1964)
Goodbye Solo (2008)
The Spook Who Sat By The Door (1973)
Dekalog (1989)
The Double Life Of Veronique...
- 4/20/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Writer and director Ramin Bahrani returns to the Independent Spirit Awards with “The White Tiger,.” This Netflix film just earned a Best Actor nomination for Adarsh Gourav. The multi-hyphenate Bahrani also adapted Aravind Adiga‘s Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name.
“The White Tiger” tells the story of Balram Halwai (Gourav), a young boy from a low Indian caste whose wit and intellect gives promise to a future of upward mobility. After his father’s death he’s forced to remain in his village and take a job in the tea house just to help ends meet for his family. But, determined to escape the trappings of life at the bottom of Indian society, Balram, called a “once in a lifetime white tiger” by a teacher, sets off to Delhi with a plan to be a driver for a wealthy man’s son. When life in the big city...
“The White Tiger” tells the story of Balram Halwai (Gourav), a young boy from a low Indian caste whose wit and intellect gives promise to a future of upward mobility. After his father’s death he’s forced to remain in his village and take a job in the tea house just to help ends meet for his family. But, determined to escape the trappings of life at the bottom of Indian society, Balram, called a “once in a lifetime white tiger” by a teacher, sets off to Delhi with a plan to be a driver for a wealthy man’s son. When life in the big city...
- 2/5/2021
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
A poor young man in India who longs for a life where the grass is greener. A stark but teeming portrait of the squalid underbelly of Indian poverty. A one-in-a-million shot that could catapult our hero to the place of his dreams. “The White Tiger,” written and directed by Ramin Bahrani, is a movie that clearly owes a major debt — maybe its very existence — to “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning fable of a former Mumbai street kid looking to flip fortune on its head. Yet Bahrani, adapting a novel by Aravind Adiga, is no feel-good fantasist. “The White Tiger” taps engagingly into the rags-to-riches, Horatio-Alger-on-the-Ganges mythology that made “Slumdog Millionaire” a global sensation, but the movie also recognizes the earlier film as a fairy tale, positioning itself in key ways as the anti-“Slumdog.”
That, of course, may be related to how much things have changed since the economic...
That, of course, may be related to how much things have changed since the economic...
- 1/5/2021
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Kim Min-hee began modeling when she was in middle school, and soon appeared as a cover girl in teen magazines. In 1999, she was cast in the campus drama School 2 as a rebellious high school girl, which launched her to stardom. She became a popular young star at barely 20 years old, appearing in TV dramas and movies. However, a string of poor acting performances brought her negative criticism. Critics and viewers disparagingly called her an “attractive but blank actress,” more famous for being a fashion icon and actor Lee Jung-jae‘s then-girlfriend.
In 2006, after reading the synopsis of TV series “Goodbye Solo”, Kim knew that she wanted the role of Mi-ri more than anything, saying “I was ready to do anything to play her.” She begged renowned screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung to cast her, and though Noh turned her down five times, Kim would not give up, and her determination eventually convinced...
In 2006, after reading the synopsis of TV series “Goodbye Solo”, Kim knew that she wanted the role of Mi-ri more than anything, saying “I was ready to do anything to play her.” She begged renowned screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung to cast her, and though Noh turned her down five times, Kim would not give up, and her determination eventually convinced...
- 12/28/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451,” published in 1953, describes a dystopian future in which books have become illegal artifacts, and where a fireman’s job is not to put out fires but rather to start them, torching contraband novels wherever they might be hidden.
To read “Fahrenheit 451” the old-fashioned way — in its (flammable) paper form versus an online reader — is to feel as rebellious as its heroes, who break the rules simply by owning a book. But to watch it on television, as in Ramin Bahrani’s new adaptation for HBO, is a curious kind of paradox, and one that its director didn’t shy away from embracing.
“It seemed that technology not only caught up to what Bradbury was talking about but went past it,” says Bahrani of our post-print world, where Borders has gone out of business and old-school libraries have scaled back their hours of operation. After taking on the U.
To read “Fahrenheit 451” the old-fashioned way — in its (flammable) paper form versus an online reader — is to feel as rebellious as its heroes, who break the rules simply by owning a book. But to watch it on television, as in Ramin Bahrani’s new adaptation for HBO, is a curious kind of paradox, and one that its director didn’t shy away from embracing.
“It seemed that technology not only caught up to what Bradbury was talking about but went past it,” says Bahrani of our post-print world, where Borders has gone out of business and old-school libraries have scaled back their hours of operation. After taking on the U.
- 5/16/2018
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Red West, a boyhood friend and member of Elvis Presley's "Memphis Mafia" who appeared in many of the singer's movies as well as in Road House, Black Sheep Squadron and Goodbye Solo, has died. He was 81.
West died Tuesday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis after suffering an aortic aneurysm, his wife, Pat, told The Commercial Appeal newspaper.
West appeared as a stuntman/actor on dozens of episodes of CBS' futuristic Western series The Wild Wild West in the 1960s and a decade later had a regular role as Sgt. Andy Micklin on another Robert Conrad-starrer, NBC's Black...
West died Tuesday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis after suffering an aortic aneurysm, his wife, Pat, told The Commercial Appeal newspaper.
West appeared as a stuntman/actor on dozens of episodes of CBS' futuristic Western series The Wild Wild West in the 1960s and a decade later had a regular role as Sgt. Andy Micklin on another Robert Conrad-starrer, NBC's Black...
- 7/20/2017
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The movies are becoming an increasingly vital source for stories about black life in America, but a film like “Dara Ju” is a valuable reminder that the medium is still just beginning to scratch the surface. Of course, white audiences, whom the western arts have conditioned to perceive race in largely monolithic terms, are the only ones who need reminding; the rest require only fair representation. Despite its clumsiness and its steadily increasing penchant for clichés, Anthony Onah’s debut feature has something to offer for both demographics. By respecting the specificity of a character who has seldom appeared on screen, its best moments provide a compellingly lucid testament to the idea that living in this country is a never-ending negotiation between who you are and who you might become. Some Americans have the luxury of ignoring that, of going through the motions on auto-pilot. Seyi Ogunde (Aml Ameen) is not one of those Americans.
- 3/13/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Im Global has acquired international rights to Boaz Yakin horror thriller Boarding School produced by Maven Pictures' co-founders (and prolific filmmakers) Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray and also produced by Scott Lochmus (The Joneses) and Jason Orans (Goodbye Solo). Currently in post, the film stars Will Patton (Remember the Titans), Samantha Mathis (American Psycho), Sterling Jerins (The Conjuring series), Luke Prael (Boy in a Backpack), and Tammy Blanchard (The Good S…...
- 11/4/2016
- Deadline
The last few days of 2015 are spent in reflection about the year that's just wrapping up and in anticipation of the year just ahead, at least for me, and since we had our ten best list last week, this week it's time for the runners-up, the fifteen films that also filled out our year. As always, I look at this list and I think it would make a perfectly spiffy top ten if that's how things had shaken out, which is to say that the only real purpose of any of these lists is to remind you of more of the experiences that were worth having in a theater. There are plenty of good films that aren't on either of my lists this year. That doesn't mean I didn't like them or they're not good. It just means that these films meant more to me for some reason. For now,...
- 12/31/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
A horror story of today’s economy, of America’s heartless culture in which maximizing profit is all. Michael Shannon brings his usual terrifying intensity. I’m “biast” (pro): really like the cast and the filmmaker
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart, Goodbye Solo) is the best American filmmaker working today whom you’ve never heard of, but perhaps that will change with 99 Homes, his most mainstream — and most insistently pertinent — movie yet. Andrew Garfield (happily getting back to his social-realist indie roots; Spider-Man does not suit him) is Dennis Nash, an out-of-work Orlando construction worker whose home is repossessed via realtor Rick Carver (Michael Shannon [They Came Together], bringing his usual terrifying intensity)… and while the scene of a stunned, scared Nash family forcibly removed from their home is gut-wrenching, it’s nothing to what comes next,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart, Goodbye Solo) is the best American filmmaker working today whom you’ve never heard of, but perhaps that will change with 99 Homes, his most mainstream — and most insistently pertinent — movie yet. Andrew Garfield (happily getting back to his social-realist indie roots; Spider-Man does not suit him) is Dennis Nash, an out-of-work Orlando construction worker whose home is repossessed via realtor Rick Carver (Michael Shannon [They Came Together], bringing his usual terrifying intensity)… and while the scene of a stunned, scared Nash family forcibly removed from their home is gut-wrenching, it’s nothing to what comes next,...
- 10/8/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
“Celebrity is the new religion, as far as I can see, along with money, power, status. It’s all the same umbrella — the seductive forces of evil, really,” Andrew Garfield told Vulture. It’s safe to say the years under the microscope of public scrutiny during “The Amazing Spider-Man” wasn’t the young actor’s favorite time in the whole world. He’s been backlashing on it hard on his recent press rounds, and who can blame him? So, as he transitions out of superhero movie world and returns back to indie films, including his latest movie, “99 Homes,” don’t be surprised if you see him dive into character actor roles for some time to shake off the aftertaste of Peter Parker. And if you expect him to take a tentpole gig any time soon you’re probably going to be disappointed. Read More: Review: Ramin Bahrani's '99 Homes'...
- 10/1/2015
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
“America doesn’t bail out losers,” real-estate-loophole master practitioner Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) tells victim-turned-protégé Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield). “This nation is rigged for winners.” He proceeds to milk Noah’s ark for a metaphor. “I’m not going to drown.” With rapid visuals, pounding music, characters constantly in motion, montages of exploiters in action, and his usual astute observations of processes that enable the marring of innocents, Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo, Chop Shop, Man Push Cart) impeccably dramatizes the reality behind this cynical point of view. One that, as the the chasm between the 99% and the 1% widens, is especially valid […]...
- 9/25/2015
- by Howard Feinstein
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
“America doesn’t bail out losers,” real-estate-loophole master practitioner Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) tells victim-turned-protégé Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield). “This nation is rigged for winners.” He proceeds to milk Noah’s ark for a metaphor. “I’m not going to drown.” With rapid visuals, pounding music, characters constantly in motion, montages of exploiters in action, and his usual astute observations of processes that enable the marring of innocents, Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo, Chop Shop, Man Push Cart) impeccably dramatizes the reality behind this cynical point of view. One that, as the the chasm between the 99% and the 1% widens, is especially valid […]...
- 9/25/2015
- by Howard Feinstein
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Michael Shannon is lip-smackingly good as a reptilian real-estate broker forcing hard-up homeowners on to the street
It so happens that this film gets its release here just as high-risk, high-yield mortgage bonds are making a cheeky comeback in the Us. The name has been changed from “sub-prime” to “non-prime”. There are higher safeguards, reportedly, although that new prefix weirdly makes it sound like fewer. So 99 Homes coincides with the financial world’s Windscale/Sellafield moment.
It first appeared at last year’s Venice film festival but it gripped me just as much on a second viewing – a piercing comment on the toxic-loan slump and the bailout bonanza that appears to underline Milton Friedman’s immortal words: socialism for the rich, free enterprise for the rest. Ramin Bahrani – who directed Goodbye Solo (2008) and Man Push Cart (2005) – has created a middle-class nightmare driven by the powerful engine of shame: the shame...
It so happens that this film gets its release here just as high-risk, high-yield mortgage bonds are making a cheeky comeback in the Us. The name has been changed from “sub-prime” to “non-prime”. There are higher safeguards, reportedly, although that new prefix weirdly makes it sound like fewer. So 99 Homes coincides with the financial world’s Windscale/Sellafield moment.
It first appeared at last year’s Venice film festival but it gripped me just as much on a second viewing – a piercing comment on the toxic-loan slump and the bailout bonanza that appears to underline Milton Friedman’s immortal words: socialism for the rich, free enterprise for the rest. Ramin Bahrani – who directed Goodbye Solo (2008) and Man Push Cart (2005) – has created a middle-class nightmare driven by the powerful engine of shame: the shame...
- 9/24/2015
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
As befitting his nuanced, observational approach toward narrative in his films (“Chop Shop”, “Goodbye Solo”), director Ramin Bahrani didn’t force his latest project “99 Homes” away from its path towards genre. “Initially when I went down to Florida [for research into the U.S. housing crisis], I thought I was making something more like my other films—a social drama,” explained Bahrani when we spoke with him recently in Los Angeles. “But Florida told me, 'No, you’re making a thriller.' Because every real estate broker carries a gun; because the corruption is so mind-boggling.” Following the swift eviction of the Nash family led by Dennis (Andrew Garfield), and Dennis’ uneasy partnership with the ruthless broker (Michael Shannon) who profited from it, the film also represents a step up in scale for Bahrani. His last feature “At Any Price” toyed with the combination of his humanist style with recognizable faces (Zac Efron, Dennis Quaid), but here he perfects that groove with.
- 9/22/2015
- by Charlie Schmidlin
- The Playlist
Chalk it up to image control and the studio weight behind them — comic book films have become a time-release truth bomb, with a contractually bound gap for its cast and crew between its release and when the “real story” can emerge. That can occasionally slip, but the full tale behind Marc Webb’s “Amazing Spider-Man” reboot — to which actor Andrew Garfield lent a dedicated two turns as Peter Parker before the role was reset again — is still to come. If the aftermath means more films and roles for Garfield like “99 Homes” (our review) though, then consider the shift a welcome one. Led by Ramin Bahrani, director of “Chop Shop,” “Goodbye Solo,” and “At Any Price,” the “Never Let Me Go” actor delivers an impassioned performance as Dennis Nash, on the losing side of the housing crisis in Florida when he and his mother (Laura Dern) and son (Noah Lomax) are evicted from their home.
- 9/21/2015
- by Charlie Schmidlin
- The Playlist
Writer-director Ramin Bahani in Deauville: "This is a global situation and something that everyone can understand:” Photo: Richard Mowe
Writer-director Ramin Bahani has crafted 99 Homes as a thriller (rather than a social drama) about the housing crisis in which families literally are thrown out on the streets and their homes repossessed. Michael Shannon incarnates a charismatic real estate agent getting rich on the proceeds with recent victim Andrew Garfield becoming his sidekick locked in a Faustian pact. Laura Dern plays Garfield’s mother, trying to hold the family together as well as claiming the moral high ground. Already the film is attracting awards attention and looks set to make the biggest impact of the director’s five films so far. With a Competition slot at the Deauville American Film Festival which continues until Sunday, Bahani (best known for Goodbye Solo in 2008, and Man Push Cart in 2005) gives the lowdown.
Richard...
Writer-director Ramin Bahani has crafted 99 Homes as a thriller (rather than a social drama) about the housing crisis in which families literally are thrown out on the streets and their homes repossessed. Michael Shannon incarnates a charismatic real estate agent getting rich on the proceeds with recent victim Andrew Garfield becoming his sidekick locked in a Faustian pact. Laura Dern plays Garfield’s mother, trying to hold the family together as well as claiming the moral high ground. Already the film is attracting awards attention and looks set to make the biggest impact of the director’s five films so far. With a Competition slot at the Deauville American Film Festival which continues until Sunday, Bahani (best known for Goodbye Solo in 2008, and Man Push Cart in 2005) gives the lowdown.
Richard...
- 9/7/2015
- by Richard Mowe
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Premiering a year ago at the Venice Film Festival, Ramin Bahrani's ("Man Push Cart," "Goodbye Solo") latest "99 Homes" has taken a little while to arrive in cinemas. But it's finally on the way, and a powerful new clip is here for the drama set against the backdrop of the worldwide economic crisis and foreclosure fallout of the past seven years. Read More: Venice Review: Ramin Bahrani's 'At Any Price,' A Patchy But Powerful Performance Melodrama With A Fantastic Performance From Dennis Quaid Starring Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon and Laura Dern, the story follows a young man recently evicted from his home who decides to get into the repo business himself and comes under the wing of a ruthless businessman. Here's the official synopsis: In this timely thriller, charismatic and ruthless businessman, Rick Carver (Academy nominee Michael Shannon), is making a killing by repossessing homes - gaming the real estate.
- 8/31/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
"Fifty dollars shouldn't be a joke to you, son!" Broad Green Pictures has finally debuted an official trailer for 99 Homes, the latest film from Ramin Bahrani, a very talented American filmmaker who has worked in the indie scene for years. A few years ago we were big supporters of At Any Price, but recommend any of Bahrani's previous films: Man Push Cart, Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo, etc. Also - see this one. 99 Homes stars Andrew Garfield as a young father, who decides to join the real estate business and work for the man that took his house from him. Michael Shannon co-stars, along with Laura Dern. The film is very powerful, and emotionally draining, but a very important film for these times. It's tough to watch, but so well made. Here's the official Us trailer for Ramin Bahrani's 99 Homes, found originally on YouTube: 99 Homes is directed by Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart,...
- 6/1/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Michael Shannon and Andrew Garfield in “99 Homes”
99 Homes
Written by Ramin Bahrani and Amir Naderi
Directed by Ramin Bahrani
USA, 2014
Director Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart, Goodbye Solo) constructs 99 Homes as a dismal assessment of desperation in hard economic times. Michael Shannon stars as ruthless, e-cigarette sucking realtor Rick Carver, who has used the carnage of the 2008 housing crisis to his advantage, helping the banks toss out homeowners who have defaulted on their bad mortgages. He carries a gun because of how personal and dangerous it can become. He is unabashedly invested in personal gain and his interests are always of the utmost importance. When he evicts Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) and his family, Nash comes after him, only to find that Carver sees potential in him to be as hard-working and ferocious as himself. With a pulsating score by Antony Partos and Matteo Zingales, 99 Homes frames an outstanding and...
99 Homes
Written by Ramin Bahrani and Amir Naderi
Directed by Ramin Bahrani
USA, 2014
Director Ramin Bahrani (Man Push Cart, Goodbye Solo) constructs 99 Homes as a dismal assessment of desperation in hard economic times. Michael Shannon stars as ruthless, e-cigarette sucking realtor Rick Carver, who has used the carnage of the 2008 housing crisis to his advantage, helping the banks toss out homeowners who have defaulted on their bad mortgages. He carries a gun because of how personal and dangerous it can become. He is unabashedly invested in personal gain and his interests are always of the utmost importance. When he evicts Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) and his family, Nash comes after him, only to find that Carver sees potential in him to be as hard-working and ferocious as himself. With a pulsating score by Antony Partos and Matteo Zingales, 99 Homes frames an outstanding and...
- 2/9/2015
- by Lane Scarberry
- SoundOnSight
The series will blend animation, comedy, nonfiction and narrative to investigate the current state of the Us economy. "We the Economy" will launch in October across VOD, online, broadcast, mobile and theatrical platforms. Here's the full list of directors, many of whom are respected film and TV actors and auteur filmmakers: Ramin Bahrani ("99 Homes," "Goodbye Solo")Bob Balaban ("Gosford Park," "The Exonerated")Joe Berlinger ("Brother’s Keeper," "Paradise Lost" trilogy) Jon M. Chu ("Step Up," "G.I. Joe: Retaliation") Marshall Curry ("Street Fight," "If a Tree Falls") Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady ("Jesus Camp," "Detropia")Adrian Grenier ("Entourage," "How To Make Money Selling Drugs") Catherine...
- 9/16/2014
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
If you’re a middle-class American with a mortgage and children, 99 Homes is a horror film, scarier than Halloween and Saw combined. The movie, which debuted in Venice and is looking for distribution at this week’s Toronto Film Festival, stars Andrew Garfield as Nash, a Florida construction worker circa 2006. Out of work and underwater on his mortgage during the housing meltdown, he’s evicted from his family home—along with his mother (Laura Dern) and young son (Noah Lomax). It’s the nightmare scenario: Police knock on the front door and give them two minutes to pack their essentials...
- 9/12/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
What do you get if you put Spider-Man and General Zod in a movie together? Lots and lots of swearing – according to the clip from 99 Homes that was just released. That hard-hitting dialogue is indicative of the tone of the film, which is the latest directorial effort from Ramin Bahrani (At Any Price). Starring Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man), Michael Shannon (Man Of Steel) and Laura Dern (The Fault In Our Stars), 99 Homes takes a swipe at the current global economic climate, through the crisis experienced by one family.
Written by Bahrani with Amir Nederi (Manhattan By Numbers) and Bahareh Azimi (Goodbye Solo), 99 Homes addresses the idea of the 99% versus the wealthiest of society, by pitching an everyday guy against a cold corporate entity. In what seems to be a tale of the will to survive, it asks the question, how far would you go to save yourself and those you love?...
Written by Bahrani with Amir Nederi (Manhattan By Numbers) and Bahareh Azimi (Goodbye Solo), 99 Homes addresses the idea of the 99% versus the wealthiest of society, by pitching an everyday guy against a cold corporate entity. In what seems to be a tale of the will to survive, it asks the question, how far would you go to save yourself and those you love?...
- 8/30/2014
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
"Ramin Bahrani has established himself as a filmmaker with a flair for dramatizing the experiences of new immigrant communities in the United States with excellent pictures like Man Push Cart and Goodbye Solo," writes the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw. Bahrani's 99 Homes, starring Andrew Garfield, Laura Dern and Michael Shannon, has premiered in Venice and will screen at Telluride and in Toronto. Bradshaw calls it "an exciting and emotionally grandstanding drama about temptation, shame, humiliation and greed—and it’s got something to say about America’s toxic-loan slump and how the taxpayer-funded bailout created a bonanza for big businesses who could make money out of the recession." We've got more reviews and a clip. » - David Hudson...
- 8/29/2014
- Fandor: Keyframe
"Ramin Bahrani has established himself as a filmmaker with a flair for dramatizing the experiences of new immigrant communities in the United States with excellent pictures like Man Push Cart and Goodbye Solo," writes the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw. Bahrani's 99 Homes, starring Andrew Garfield, Laura Dern and Michael Shannon, has premiered in Venice and will screen at Telluride and in Toronto. Bradshaw calls it "an exciting and emotionally grandstanding drama about temptation, shame, humiliation and greed—and it’s got something to say about America’s toxic-loan slump and how the taxpayer-funded bailout created a bonanza for big businesses who could make money out of the recession." We've got more reviews and a clip. » - David Hudson...
- 8/29/2014
- Keyframe
Andrew Garfield may have spent the summer swinging through New York City and battling bad guys as Peter Parker , but he faces a much different enemy in the upcoming drama "99 Homes." The first look at the highly anticipated movie just arrived, right before hitting the autumn film festival circuit. Co-starring Michael Shannon, the film tackles the difficult economic climate of the past several years. Here's the official synopsis: Desperate to save his family home, an unemployed construction worker (Andrew Garfield) joins an unscrupulous realtor in the dirty business of foreclosing on the disenfranchised, in this enthralling and timely drama from acclaimed director Ramin Bahrani. '99 Homes' is directed by Ramin Bahrani, the man behind the flawed but fascinating "At Any Price," "Goodbye Solo" and "Chop Shop." The movie premieres at the Venice Film Festival and will make its North American debut at the...
- 8/6/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
It's been nearly a year since the death of Roger Ebert, but Ebertfest is still going strong, and this year gives the festival a new way to honor the late critic. The 16th annual Ebertfest will open with Steve James's "Life Itself," the documentary based on Ebert's memoir. James was first brought to national attention when Ebert and his "At the Movies" co-host Gene Siskel named his documentary "Hoop Dreams" as the best film of 1994. The lineup includes Ebert favorites such as Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," Ramin Barhani's "Goodbye Solo," and Oliver Stone's "Born on the Fourth of July." All three filmmakers will be in attendance, along with actress Brie Larson and her "Short Term 12" co-star Keith Stanfield, comedian/actor Patton Oswalt, and New Orleans piano bluesman Henry Butler. Oswalt, whose film "Big Fan" played at Ebertfest 2012, will present his 2011 film "Young Adult" and...
- 3/20/2014
- by Max O'Connell
- Indiewire
Chiller TV will debut its newest special, "Killer Legends," on Sunday, March 16th. It is hosted and directed by Josh Zeman (Cropsey) and explores true crime stories behind popular urban legends. Right now we have another Exclusive clip from the show for you to check out!
The hair-raising two-hour event, which begins at 8 Pm Et, focuses on four timeless urban legends that haunt the psyche of the American public. This horror documentary follows filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate the true crimes that may have spawned these urban legends while exploring how these myths evolved and why we continue to believe.
The documentary probes the following legends:
The Candyman: The film takes viewers to Houston, Texas, to explore the legend of tainted candy that strikes fear in parents every Halloween. Though the legend is prolific, in actuality there is only one documented case of a child dying...
The hair-raising two-hour event, which begins at 8 Pm Et, focuses on four timeless urban legends that haunt the psyche of the American public. This horror documentary follows filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate the true crimes that may have spawned these urban legends while exploring how these myths evolved and why we continue to believe.
The documentary probes the following legends:
The Candyman: The film takes viewers to Houston, Texas, to explore the legend of tainted candy that strikes fear in parents every Halloween. Though the legend is prolific, in actuality there is only one documented case of a child dying...
- 3/7/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Having grown up in Brooklyn, New York, I can tell you first-hand there's no shortage of cool things to do. Well, if you're in the city that never sleeps, we are about to add something to the ever expanding list of coolness - we are giving away two tickets for the upcoming screening of "Killer Legends"!
Nitehawk Cinema (in Williamsburg/Brooklyn) presents a special one night only screening on Thursday, March 13, at 9:30 Pm of the new horror documentary Killer Legends" in celebration of its upcoming March 16 premiere on the Chiller Network.
The screening will also include a Q&A with filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills moderated by Fangoria’s Sam Zimmerman!
To enter for your chance to win, just send us an E-mail Here including your Full Name And Mailing Address. We’ll take care of the rest and inform the winner by 5 Pm on Tuesday, March 11.
The...
Nitehawk Cinema (in Williamsburg/Brooklyn) presents a special one night only screening on Thursday, March 13, at 9:30 Pm of the new horror documentary Killer Legends" in celebration of its upcoming March 16 premiere on the Chiller Network.
The screening will also include a Q&A with filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills moderated by Fangoria’s Sam Zimmerman!
To enter for your chance to win, just send us an E-mail Here including your Full Name And Mailing Address. We’ll take care of the rest and inform the winner by 5 Pm on Tuesday, March 11.
The...
- 3/4/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
On Sunday, March 16th, Chiller TV will debut its newest special, "Killer Legends," hosted and directed by Josh Zeman (Cropsey), which explores true crime stories behind popular urban legends. Right now we have an Exclusive clip for you to check out!
The hair-raising two-hour event, which begins at 8 Pm Et, focuses on four timeless urban legends that haunt the psyche of the American public. This horror documentary follows filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate the true crimes that may have spawned these urban legends while exploring how these myths evolved and why we continue to believe.
The documentary probes the following legends:
The Candyman: The film takes viewers to Houston, Texas, to explore the legend of tainted candy that strikes fear in parents every Halloween. Though the legend is prolific, in actuality there is only one documented case of a child dying from tainted candy: 8-year-old Timothy O’Bryan.
The hair-raising two-hour event, which begins at 8 Pm Et, focuses on four timeless urban legends that haunt the psyche of the American public. This horror documentary follows filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate the true crimes that may have spawned these urban legends while exploring how these myths evolved and why we continue to believe.
The documentary probes the following legends:
The Candyman: The film takes viewers to Houston, Texas, to explore the legend of tainted candy that strikes fear in parents every Halloween. Though the legend is prolific, in actuality there is only one documented case of a child dying from tainted candy: 8-year-old Timothy O’Bryan.
- 2/28/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
99 Homes
Director: Ramin Bahrani
Writers: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi‐Khoie
Producer(s): Ashok Amritraj (see pic above), Ramin Bahrani, Andrew Garfield, Justin Nappi, Kevin Turen
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Laura Dern, Michael Shannon, Tim Guinee
At Any Price came from the same earnest place as Chop Shop and Goodbye Solo and Ramin Bahrani had the luxury of working with a bigger budget/name cast garnishings, but the end result was a poorly conceived and executed cornhusk melodrama. My thinking is that this portrait of Americana will include a bit more bite. Employing the services of cinematographer Bobby Bukowski, with thesps Laura Dern and Michael Shannon in the mix, it’s fair to say that we might reach some authentic dramatic heights with the curiously titled, 99 Homes.
Gist: Set against the backdrop of the economic crisis, the drama revolves around an unemployed contractor who...
Director: Ramin Bahrani
Writers: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi‐Khoie
Producer(s): Ashok Amritraj (see pic above), Ramin Bahrani, Andrew Garfield, Justin Nappi, Kevin Turen
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Laura Dern, Michael Shannon, Tim Guinee
At Any Price came from the same earnest place as Chop Shop and Goodbye Solo and Ramin Bahrani had the luxury of working with a bigger budget/name cast garnishings, but the end result was a poorly conceived and executed cornhusk melodrama. My thinking is that this portrait of Americana will include a bit more bite. Employing the services of cinematographer Bobby Bukowski, with thesps Laura Dern and Michael Shannon in the mix, it’s fair to say that we might reach some authentic dramatic heights with the curiously titled, 99 Homes.
Gist: Set against the backdrop of the economic crisis, the drama revolves around an unemployed contractor who...
- 2/21/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
On Sunday, March 16th, Chiller TV will debut its newest special, "Killer Legends," hosted and directed by Josh Zeman (Cropsey), which explores true crime stories behind popular urban legends.
The hair-raising two-hour event, which begins at 8 Pm Et, focuses on four timeless urban legends that haunt the psyche of the American public. This horror documentary follows filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate the true crimes that may have spawned these urban legends while exploring how these myths evolved and why we continue to believe.
The documentary probes the following legends:
The Candyman: The film takes viewers to Houston, Texas, to explore the legend of tainted candy that strikes fear in parents every Halloween. Though the legend is prolific, in actuality there is only one documented case of a child dying from tainted candy: 8-year-old Timothy O’Bryan. Timothy was poisoned on Halloween by a real-life miscreant who...
The hair-raising two-hour event, which begins at 8 Pm Et, focuses on four timeless urban legends that haunt the psyche of the American public. This horror documentary follows filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate the true crimes that may have spawned these urban legends while exploring how these myths evolved and why we continue to believe.
The documentary probes the following legends:
The Candyman: The film takes viewers to Houston, Texas, to explore the legend of tainted candy that strikes fear in parents every Halloween. Though the legend is prolific, in actuality there is only one documented case of a child dying from tainted candy: 8-year-old Timothy O’Bryan. Timothy was poisoned on Halloween by a real-life miscreant who...
- 2/11/2014
- by Debi Moore
- DreadCentral.com
Chicago – Every year, the movie stars, actor/actresses and filmmakers come knocking, and HollywoodChicago.com is there to answer. Film Critics Brian Tallerico and Patrick McDonald have combined their best-of interviews for 2013, and it’s an intriguing and eclectic mix.
With so many promotional tours, conventions and shows coming through Chicago, the opportunity to get a wide range of celebrities, filmmakers and up-and-comers is one of the privileges of covering TV and film here. The following interviews – enhanced (except for two interviews) by the photography of Joe Arce – were significant for their background stories, promotional circumstance and memorable quotes.
Sheryl Lee of “Twin Peaks”
Sheryl Lee at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Interviewer: Patrick McDonald
Opening Note: Before getting started, there are so many arresting interviews I participated in during 2013, and if you plug these names in the search engine,...
With so many promotional tours, conventions and shows coming through Chicago, the opportunity to get a wide range of celebrities, filmmakers and up-and-comers is one of the privileges of covering TV and film here. The following interviews – enhanced (except for two interviews) by the photography of Joe Arce – were significant for their background stories, promotional circumstance and memorable quotes.
Sheryl Lee of “Twin Peaks”
Sheryl Lee at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Interviewer: Patrick McDonald
Opening Note: Before getting started, there are so many arresting interviews I participated in during 2013, and if you plug these names in the search engine,...
- 1/15/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
We jumped the gun with our predictions list in 2012 including The Great Invisible among our hopefuls – but forgive the pun, we hope that Margaret Brown shores up in ’14. Brown turned heads in 2004 with Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt, and that alone pretty much wowed all festival programmers including the Sundance folk, who made sure she received red carpet in a tent status for 2008′s The Order of Myths. A filmmaker with Alabama in her blood, we can imagine that the subject came to the filmmaker and not the other way around. After receiving funding/support/coin from Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, Cinereach and the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund (2011). Everything indicates that the better part of the year she was deep in post-production for what should be an affecting, visually sturdy portrait.
Gist: Margaret Brown’s new documentary is an investigation into the personal...
Gist: Margaret Brown’s new documentary is an investigation into the personal...
- 11/19/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Spider-Man star Garfield to play contractor who ends up working for man who evicted him in financial crisis drama
Andrew Garfield will star opposite Michael Shannon as a contractor who winds up working for the ruthless real-estate broker who evicted him in the drama 99 Homes, reports Deadline.
The two comic-book movie stars – Garfield currently plays Spider-Man, while Shannon portrayed General Zod in recent Superman reboot Man of Steel – will take a break from superhero duties with the independent drama. Venice film festival favourite Ramin Bahrani (Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo) is directing from a screenplay he co-wrote with Amir Naderi and Bahareh Azimi-Khoie, which is set against the backdrop of the financial crisis.
The plot sees Garfield's character kicked out of his home, where he lives with his mother and nine-year-old daughter, leading to a moral quandary as he fights to get a roof back over the family's heads. Deadline describes Shannon as the "powerful,...
Andrew Garfield will star opposite Michael Shannon as a contractor who winds up working for the ruthless real-estate broker who evicted him in the drama 99 Homes, reports Deadline.
The two comic-book movie stars – Garfield currently plays Spider-Man, while Shannon portrayed General Zod in recent Superman reboot Man of Steel – will take a break from superhero duties with the independent drama. Venice film festival favourite Ramin Bahrani (Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo) is directing from a screenplay he co-wrote with Amir Naderi and Bahareh Azimi-Khoie, which is set against the backdrop of the financial crisis.
The plot sees Garfield's character kicked out of his home, where he lives with his mother and nine-year-old daughter, leading to a moral quandary as he fights to get a roof back over the family's heads. Deadline describes Shannon as the "powerful,...
- 11/7/2013
- by Ben Child
- The Guardian - Film News
Indie film fans will, no doubt, already be familiar with the majority of these directors (they're not exactly undiscovered gems), but it's still worth taking a look at the iTunes store's selection of "Directors to Watch," which is part of their list of "iTunes Essentials: Independent Films." Here is the list of "Directors to Watch" along with the films which warranted their inclusion: 1, Benh Zeitlin ("Beasts of the Southern Wild") 2. Derek Cianfrance ("Blue Valentine") 3. Sofia Coppola ("Lost in Translation") 4. Mark Duplass and Jay Duplass ("Cyrus") 5. Cary Fukunaga ("Si Nombre") 6. Lena Dunham ("Tiny Furniture") 7. Noah Baumbach ("The Squid and the Whale") 8. Rian Johnson ("Brick") 9. Miranda July ("Me and You and Everyone We Know") 10. Ramin Bahrani ("Goodbye Solo") What do you think of their list? Who did they leave off of it?...
- 10/1/2013
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
It has been reported that actor Michael Shannon has joined the cast of Ramin Bahrani’s 99 Homes. Bahrani, who has helmed several indie films such as Goodbye Solo and Man Push Cart, also penned the screenplay, which centres around a man whose home is foreclosed, and is forced to work for the broker responsible for the foreclosure in order to stay afloat. He is soon asked to act against his moral compass, helping the broker embezzle money from the government.
Andrew Garfield was already lined up earlier this summer to play the man who loses his home, and now Shannon is set to play the broker.
Shannon, who is known for his dark characters, sounds perfect for this role. I absolutely loved his performance as Zod in Man of Steel, as he displayed an amazing blend of ruthlessness and compassion, and almost made the villain into a sympathetic character. He...
Andrew Garfield was already lined up earlier this summer to play the man who loses his home, and now Shannon is set to play the broker.
Shannon, who is known for his dark characters, sounds perfect for this role. I absolutely loved his performance as Zod in Man of Steel, as he displayed an amazing blend of ruthlessness and compassion, and almost made the villain into a sympathetic character. He...
- 9/14/2013
- by Jared Burseth
- We Got This Covered
With his first few films, Man Push Cart, Chop Shop, and Goodbye Solo, director Ramin Bahrani put his focus squarely on the hardships that face immigrants when they come to the United States and try to build a new life out of nothing. But with his latest, At Any Price, Bahrani moved his focus to a group of people who have been in the land of opportunity as long as anybody, the bread belt’s farming families, and showed how they are just as vulnerable to the hardships that come from today’s economic climate as anybody else. His next film, 99 Homes, seems like it’s going to continue down that path, because according to a report from THR, it’s just cast The Social Network and The Amazing Spider-Man’s Andrew Garfield in its lead role, that of a man who has his life flip-turned-upside-down when he becomes the victim of predatory lending practices. In...
- 7/25/2013
- by Nathan Adams
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
The Amazing Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield has signed on to star in 99 Homes , says a story at The Hollywood Reporter . The drama arrives from writer-director Ramin Bahrani, best known for features like Goodbye Solo and Man Push Cart as well as for the short film "Paper Bag," which featured the voice of Werner Herzog. 99 Homes will follow Garfield as a man whose home is forclosed on but who winds up finding success working with the immoral real estate broker responsible. Garfield will next reprise his role as Peter Parker (and his friendly neighborhood alter-ego) in Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 , set for release on May 2, 2014. Justin Nappi and Kevin Turren are attached to produce 99 Homes . (Photo Credit: WENN.com)...
- 7/24/2013
- Comingsoon.net
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Aug. 27, 2013
Price: DVD $30.99, Blu-ray $35.99
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Zac Efron (The Lucky One) and Dennis Quaid (The Long Riders) are at odds in the family drama movie At Any Price.
Quaid and Efron play father and son. Quaid’s Henry wants to bring Efron’s Dean into the family’s lucrative farming empire to help build it further. Dean, however, dreams of a career in car racing. But when the business gets involved in a high-stakes investigation, Henry and Dean are pushed into an unexpected crisis that threatens their family’s livelihood.
The R-rated film was co-written and directed by Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo) and also stars Kim Dickens (Footloose), Heather Graham (Father of Invention), Clancy Brown (John Dies at the End) and newcomer Maika Monroe.
At Any Price was released in theaters, but not many, grossing less than $1 million. The movie got mixed reviews from critics and moviegoers,...
Price: DVD $30.99, Blu-ray $35.99
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Zac Efron (The Lucky One) and Dennis Quaid (The Long Riders) are at odds in the family drama movie At Any Price.
Quaid and Efron play father and son. Quaid’s Henry wants to bring Efron’s Dean into the family’s lucrative farming empire to help build it further. Dean, however, dreams of a career in car racing. But when the business gets involved in a high-stakes investigation, Henry and Dean are pushed into an unexpected crisis that threatens their family’s livelihood.
The R-rated film was co-written and directed by Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo) and also stars Kim Dickens (Footloose), Heather Graham (Father of Invention), Clancy Brown (John Dies at the End) and newcomer Maika Monroe.
At Any Price was released in theaters, but not many, grossing less than $1 million. The movie got mixed reviews from critics and moviegoers,...
- 7/16/2013
- by Sam
- Disc Dish
It’s no longer shocking when established film directors turn to TV — after all, Martin Scorsese, Jane Campion, and David Fincher have all done it recently to great acclaim.
Still, you may be surprised to learn that Lifetime’s upcoming Anna Nicole Smith biopic was directed by none other than Mary Harron — a filmmaker best known for her wicked work on controversial cult favorites like I Shot Andy Warhol and American Psycho. Thanks in part to Harron’s pedigree, the movie also managed to attract an unusually accomplished cast, including Oscar winner Martin Landau (as Anna Nicole’s wealthy husband J.
Still, you may be surprised to learn that Lifetime’s upcoming Anna Nicole Smith biopic was directed by none other than Mary Harron — a filmmaker best known for her wicked work on controversial cult favorites like I Shot Andy Warhol and American Psycho. Thanks in part to Harron’s pedigree, the movie also managed to attract an unusually accomplished cast, including Oscar winner Martin Landau (as Anna Nicole’s wealthy husband J.
- 6/28/2013
- by Hillary Busis
- EW - Inside TV
At Any Price
Written by Ramin Bahrani and Hallie Elizabeth Newton
Directed by Ramin Bahrani
USA, 2012
Director Ramin Bahrani, whose previous films include Man Push Cart (2005), Chop Chop (2007) and Goodbye Solo (2008), tends to push his characters to their very limits. With his latest effort, At Any Price, he makes no exception. Here, the characters seem to barely be able to keep their heads above water, forcing them to reevaluate their decisions and begin building upon uncertain futures.
Set in a small farming community in the Midwest, At Any Price is the age old story of the struggle between fathers and sons. Dennis Quaid brilliantly plays the part of Henry Whipple, a fourth generation corn farmer obsessed with the idea of being the number one distributer of seed to seven counties in southern Iowa. The conflict is, he is facing more problems than fighting for the holding of this coveted title:...
Written by Ramin Bahrani and Hallie Elizabeth Newton
Directed by Ramin Bahrani
USA, 2012
Director Ramin Bahrani, whose previous films include Man Push Cart (2005), Chop Chop (2007) and Goodbye Solo (2008), tends to push his characters to their very limits. With his latest effort, At Any Price, he makes no exception. Here, the characters seem to barely be able to keep their heads above water, forcing them to reevaluate their decisions and begin building upon uncertain futures.
Set in a small farming community in the Midwest, At Any Price is the age old story of the struggle between fathers and sons. Dennis Quaid brilliantly plays the part of Henry Whipple, a fourth generation corn farmer obsessed with the idea of being the number one distributer of seed to seven counties in southern Iowa. The conflict is, he is facing more problems than fighting for the holding of this coveted title:...
- 5/8/2013
- by Trish Ferris
- SoundOnSight
In his new film, the social drama At Any Price, director and co-writer Ramin Bahrani examines how the transformation of food into intellectual property through seed patents has corrupted, impoverished, or dissolved the American family farm. As with the Iranian-American director's previous films (Man Push Cart, Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo), At Any Price boasts a wealth of lived-in details, from Dennis Quaid's dad jeans to the dirt-streaked ATVs its rural characters hop on to get from one end of their property to the other. Jarringly and disappointingly, then, Bahrani explores this radically modern corporate-scape through an archaic narrative ...
- 5/8/2013
- Village Voice
1. Northwest
Directed By: Michael Noer
Denmark, 2013
Power and money are the vital forces in this high octane crime thriller. When organized crime grabs hold of the way of life for desperate Casper, he must rely on the only person he can trust: his brother. Michael Noer carefully balances the brutish depiction of street crime with the tenderness of growing up in a tight knit family. The film breaks any spell of an innocent youth being corrupt by crime, by shining the spotlight on a delinquent who turns around and becomes innocent.
2. Flex Is Kings
Directed By: Deidre Schoo and Michael Beach Nichols
USA, 2013
Originating in Brooklyn, flexing, or a style of freeform street dance, is the subject matter behind Deidre Schoo and Michael Beach Nichol’s solid documentary, Flex Is Kings. Characterized by rhythmic contortionist movements combined with waving, tutting and gliding; the film is about so much more than the subject matter at hand.
Directed By: Michael Noer
Denmark, 2013
Power and money are the vital forces in this high octane crime thriller. When organized crime grabs hold of the way of life for desperate Casper, he must rely on the only person he can trust: his brother. Michael Noer carefully balances the brutish depiction of street crime with the tenderness of growing up in a tight knit family. The film breaks any spell of an innocent youth being corrupt by crime, by shining the spotlight on a delinquent who turns around and becomes innocent.
2. Flex Is Kings
Directed By: Deidre Schoo and Michael Beach Nichols
USA, 2013
Originating in Brooklyn, flexing, or a style of freeform street dance, is the subject matter behind Deidre Schoo and Michael Beach Nichol’s solid documentary, Flex Is Kings. Characterized by rhythmic contortionist movements combined with waving, tutting and gliding; the film is about so much more than the subject matter at hand.
- 5/6/2013
- by Christopher Clemente
- SoundOnSight
At Any Price is like a film someone stored in a time capsule during the 1970s, and we’re just now finally opening it. Influenced by Five Easy Pieces and other landmarks of that era, director Ramin Bahrani set out to make a rural drama that, despite popular belief, has an audience. He ran into resistance while seeking financing, and one might think that was because of the film’s unlikable huckster protagonist, Henry (Dennis Quaid). The trouble didn’t come from the anti-hero lead, however, but rather in the story’s rural setting. According to the money men, nobody wants to watch a movie that’s not set in a major city. Bahrani finds, understandably so, that belief to be ludicrous. And At Any Price has made its way to screen with its setting intact, a fact he is pleased with. The writer and director behind Goodbye Solo and Chop Shop originally had his eyes set...
- 5/5/2013
- by Jack Giroux
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Chicago – Writer/director Ramin Bahrani is interested not in agendas, special effects, or broad statements. He makes films about characters, including the widely acclaimed “Chop Shop,” “Man Push Cart,” and “Goodbye Solo.” For his latest drama, “At Any Price,” Bahrani expands his canvas, using more household names in his effort to tell a story of the heartland and the corruption and greed that can infiltrate even the most seemingly pure aspects of American life.It is a film of noble origins with interesting ideas that nonetheless misses its mark due to a narratively unbelievable twist in the final act and another blank performance from Zac Efron. Dennis Quaid nearly makes it worth seeing on his own and I have no doubt that the multi-talented Bahrani can bounce back but this modern farmer’s tale is a melodrama that I simply didn’t buy.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
Henry Whipple (Quaid) is a good...
Rating: 3.0/5.0
Henry Whipple (Quaid) is a good...
- 5/3/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
At Any Price is the story of Henry Whipple (Quaid), a family man running a large farming empire in Iowa corn country. He faces direct competition against Jim Johnson (Clancy Brown), along with opposition to continuing the family legacy from one of his sons, (played by Zac Efron). At Any Price is the story of an American salesman trying to survive brutal competition, especially when “Expand or Die” has become the mantra of all farmers.
Director Bahrani had been a top favorite director of late critic Roger Ebert, and previously has made films like Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo, and Man Push Cart. He co-wrote At Any Price with Hallie Elizabeth Newton.
I sat down with Quaid and Rahmani in a roundtable interview to discuss At Any Price, its relevancy to the nation’s economic crisis, Quaid’s goals as an actor, and more.
At Any Price opens in Chicago on May 3.
Dennis,...
Director Bahrani had been a top favorite director of late critic Roger Ebert, and previously has made films like Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo, and Man Push Cart. He co-wrote At Any Price with Hallie Elizabeth Newton.
I sat down with Quaid and Rahmani in a roundtable interview to discuss At Any Price, its relevancy to the nation’s economic crisis, Quaid’s goals as an actor, and more.
At Any Price opens in Chicago on May 3.
Dennis,...
- 5/1/2013
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
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