(Far Left) Paul Rudd stars in ‘Anaconda’. (Center Left) Paul Giamatti stars in ‘The Holdovers.’ (Center Right) Tatiana Maslany stars in Disney+’s ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.’ (Far Right) Jason Clarke stars in Apple TV+’s ‘The Last Frontier’.
Preview:
Tom McCarthy has gathered the cast for his next movie.
Paul Rudd, Paul Giamatti and Tatiana Maslany are among them.
Sony Pictures Classics is backing the film.
Locking in a cast for a relatively lower budget movie can be a challenge, but it certainly helps when you have the Oscar-winning pedigree of ‘Spotlight’ filmmaker Tom McCarthy.
McCarthy worked alongside Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré to adapt Nathaniel Rich’s book ‘Losing Earth’, and the true story is set at a beachside resort in Florida in 1980, when twenty experts gather for a weekend conference on a global issue that is starting to gain traction: the effects of Co2 emissions on the climate.
The group of scientists, activists, and policymakers have one simple mandate from Congress — write a statement about what to do. Easier said than done.
The actor/writer/director is scheduled to start the cameras cranking next month on what is described as a darkly comic drama.
What else has Tom McCarthy made?
(L to R) Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo in ‘Spotlight.’ Photo: Open Road Films.
In addition to ‘Spotlight, which won Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the 2016 Academy Awards, McCarthy has also directed movies including ‘The Visitor’, ‘Stillwater’ and ‘The Cobbler’.
(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Opening in theaters in limited release from September 20th ahead of a September 27th arrival on Apple’s TV+ service, ‘Wolfs’ is the latest attempt by the tech giant to lure in audiences with big names and healthy budgets, though seemingly –– given that one-week run in theaters –– more concerned about buzz (and subscribers) than box office.
Still, the movie itself offers enough fun to make it a worthwhile effort, even if it seems a little too much in love with the star wattage of its two central famous faces.
(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Do you long to see George Clooney and Brad Pitt reunited on screen for the first time since –– no, not the ‘Ocean’s movies but actually the Coenbrothers’ ‘Burn After Reading,’ which barely counts since they only occupy the same cinematic space for a very brief time?
If you’re yearning to have two of the most famous movie stars Hollywood has to offer trading barbs, occasionally letting themselves look vulnerable but generally being just as cool as you expect, then Apple has the answer for you. And the giant tech corporation has kindly agreed to put in theaters for exactly a week before the whole affair shuffles off to its Apple TV+ service.
That might sound sarcastic or cynical, but it’s hard not to see the ploy in the same light: agree to back ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy director Jon Watts’ new original crime caper, see him secure two giant stars then look for buzz over box office.
Still, the film that was made does have enough going for it to warrant seeing it on the big screen, even if you must be quick. Just don’t go expecting a completely original tale, as what unspools is largely a fun version of stories we’ve seen before with a tweak here and there.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Director Jon Watts, Brad Pitt and George Clooney on the set of ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Watts has been sitting on the ‘Wolfs’ script for years, fully hoping that Clooney and Pitt might agree to star, since the roles very much feel written for them in ‘Ocean’s chatty mode. Of course, Spidey has gotten in the way for the last few years (albeit doing plenty for the filmmaker’s profile and bank balance), but the director has now broken free of Marvel’s grasp to get back to the sort of movie that launched his career, ‘Cop Car.’
The ‘Wolfs’ script is light on its feet, mostly driven by the banter between Clooney and Pitt, though it does at times twist itself in knots trying to figure out certain situations. And there is also sometimes too much of a reliance on certain repetitive dialogue tricks, such as the duo overlapping each other or one saying a curse word, then the other saying the same thing when they discover what he’s looking at.
It all adds up to the movie at times feeling exactly that, a movie –– while we don’t go to star-driven films such as this for gritty reality, it does jolt you out of the experience from time to time.
And Watts knows how to direct both actors and action, New York shot in appealing tones as the characters make their way on their unexpected mission. One moment in particular –– no spoilers, but it involves a car and one of the characters is played in slow-mo for maximum impact.
Performances
(L to R) George Clooney and Brad Pitt in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Aside from Clooney and Pitt, almost everyone else is a cipher (and one particular actor should feel hard done by –– see below.)
George Clooney as “Margaret’s Man”
Neither of the stars’ characters are given names that we learn here; that pretty much comes with the job of mysterious, gruff fixer. Still, Clooney can knock this sort of role out of the park in his sleep and here he’s offered the chance to sideline the twinkly charm for a more circumspect character.
Brad Pitt as “Pam’s Man”
Both Pitt and Clooney are channeling their real-life friendship here, albeit, submerging under layers of characters who don’t want to work together. Pitt, like his co-star, is on good form, underplaying it and keeping his cool. There are a few funny grace notes to the pair aging, such as cracking backs or downing Advil, and it all adds to the layers of the two fixers.
Yes, names really are not a thing in this movie (with a couple of exceptions), but Abrams doesn’t need one to make an impact. He’s a fine pick to play off of the two leads, his nervy, slightly manic energy (since his character is in the midst of a drug trip/comedown during the story) works well against their measured stoicism and he really makes the part work.
Ryan is the first person we meet in the film, and though she only makes a brief appearance as a panicked district attorney who initially summons Clooney’s character for help when she thinks she has a dead body in her room after a hookup gone awry, she does a lot with a little.
Supporting cast
A few other roles pop –– ‘Never Have I Ever’s Poorna Jagannathan is dry and funny as June, the doctor to whom the central pair take the kid, while Zlatko Burić dutifully portrays the gangster Dimitri with whom our heroes interact during the movie.
Still, there is one giant crime in the movie (and we don’t mean murder or drugs), and that’s the utter waste of the brilliant Richard Kind, who while he’s great as always, has maybe a couple of lines of dialogue and a minute or two of screen time.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
‘Wolfs’ gets by on star power for good and ill, slowly turning the dial on the central characters, peeling away some layers and adding in some moral questions, which is surely why Clooney and Pitt took the gig beyond the chance to team back up again on screen.
It doesn’t totally succeed, but it’s better than your average crime caper.
‘Wolfs’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘Wolfs’?
‘Wolfs’ sees George Clooney as a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime. But when a second fixer (Brad Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected.
Who stars in ‘Wolfs’?
George Clooney as Jack
Brad Pitt as Nick
Amy Ryan as Margaret
Austin Abrams as Kid
Poorna Jagannathan as June
Zlatko Burić as Dimitri
Richard Kind as Kid’s dad
(L to R) George Clooney and Brad Pitt in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Preview:
George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s ‘Wolfs’ is getting a sequel.
It’s the new film from ‘Spider-Man’ recent trilogy director Jon Watts.
Yet the movie will also now not be in wide release.
There is some good news and bad news for the Apple-backed crime caper ‘Wolfs’ that stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
Apple has, via Deadline, decided to start developing a sequel to the Jon Watts movie that will be with us next month. That’s the good news.
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Here comes the gut punch: instead of a wide release for the original movie, it will now land in theaters just one week before it arrives globally on Apple TV+. Seemingly gone (at least for now) are the days when any movie featuring big stars launches in cinemas and enjoys a healthy run at the box office.
Still, it’s perhaps not surprising for Apple –– while its big-name releases (such as ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ and ‘Emancipation’ haven’t been box office behemoths, they’ve enjoyed plenty of buzz and some awards recognition.
(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
‘Wolfs’, which Watts (currently best known for the three most recent ‘Spider-Man’ movies starring Tom Holland) wrote, directed and produced, Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime.
But when a second fixer (Pitt) shows up and the two lone wolves are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways neither expected.
Here’s what Apple Original Films head of features Matt Dentler said to Deadline about the news:
“‘Wolfs’ is the kind of big event movie that makes Apple TV+ such an exceptional home for the best in entertainment. With George and Brad’s remarkable and engaging chemistry under Jon Watts’ extraordinary direction, ‘Wolfs’ blends all the great elements of comedy, action, and drama into a hugely entertaining movie that will leave audiences ready for what’s next. Releasing the movie to theaters before making it widely available to Apple TV+ customers brings the best of both worlds to audiences, and we’re excited to see fans embrace the movie as we start working with Jon on the sequel.”
What about other movies from Apple?
(L to R) Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.
It’s a case of the company judging based on the market. The likes of new crime pic ‘The Instigators’ (which boasts Matt Damon and Casey Affleck as its leads) will be on limited release ahead of its Apple TV+ debut, while the mammoth-budget ‘F1’ that Pitt has been shooting for a while now with Joseph Kosinski directing from a script by Ehren Kruger, is still targeting a wide launch in cinemas next year.
So, when will ‘Wolfs’ be on screen?
(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
The movie will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival before a limited run in cinemas on September 20th and then lands on Apple TV+ on September 27th.
(L to R) Director Jon Watts, Brad Pitt and George Clooney on the set of ‘Wolfs’. Photo: Sony Pictures.
Colin Farrell in ‘Sugar,’ premiering April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Arriving on Apple TV+ with its first two episodes on Friday April 5th, ‘Sugar’ throws Colin Farrell into the search for a missing young woman, who hails from a wealthy, influential Hollywood dynasty.
The new series, which comes from Mark Protosevich, the writer of movies including ‘The Cell’ and ‘I Am Legend’, looks to juggle two mysteries at once, the driving storyline and the allied background for our main man, snappily dressed investigator John Sugar.
Colin Farrell in ‘Sugar,’ premiering April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+.
‘Sugar’, at least on paper, has everything going for it. You have Mark Protosevich, who has worked in movies for years and is steeped in motion picture history. Sam Catlin, whose TV resume includes the likes of ‘Preacher’ (an extremely underrated graphic novel adaptation) and a key role bringing ‘Breaking Bad’, one of the most respected small screen series in history, to life. Add in direction from the likes of ‘City of God’s Fernando Meirelles and a cast made up of award-winning actors anchored by Oscar nominee Colin Farrell and there is plenty of reason to hope.
Most, though, should prepare to have those hopes dashed. Because while ‘Sugar’ certainly has a premium TV pedigree and the backing of Apple, very little about it screams quality. Mostly, it’s a drawn-out slog relying on that most overused trope of the kidnapped young woman, whose disappearance leads to revelations about all manner of sexual malfeasance and criminal underbellies in Hollywood, which, while it is always necessary to uncover, here feels cheap and undernourished, not to mention shallow in its exploration.
Allied to that, the twin mystery of why Sugar acts the way he does, the mysterious circle of friends he’s in contact with and how it impacts those around him, is dragged out and, when revealed, is far less satisfying than its creators clearly hoped it would be.
‘Sugar’: Script and Direction
(L to R) Colin Farrell and James Cromwell in ‘Sugar,’ premiering April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Though creator Protosevich has a lot of experience in the movie game, it doesn’t seem to translate to TV, even with the likes of Catlin serving as showrunner. ‘Sugar’ follows some very well-trodden paths through its early episodes, and also finds itself spinning its wheels as our hero digs into the reasons for young Olivia Siegel’s disappearance. Along the way, his obsession with classic movies comes into play, though the stylistic choices of splicing in moments and scenes from old movies to hammer points home quickly becomes both confusing and tiring.
And if you’re coming to this series expecting some bold new take on the TV ‘tec voice-over gambit’, look elsewhere, as most of what Sugar has to say around the world he lives in will feel stale and warmed-over if you’ve watched (or read) any amount of detective fiction.
On the directing side of things, it’s not that much better. Despite a clearly solid budget and some creative use of Los Angeles locations, there’s little to truly make this stand out. Even with a directed as stylistically and emotionally engaged as Meirelles (who handles five of the eight episodes) on board, the result suffers from a severe blandness.
‘Sugar’: Performances
(L to R) Colin Farrell and Amy Ryan in ‘Sugar,’ premiering April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+.
It’s on the acting front where ‘Sugar’ really approaches anything worth recommending, though a talented cast struggles with the lackluster script and entirely predictable plot turns.
Farrell is naturally charismatic, scruffy in attitude if not in dress sense, but burdened with a character whose creators seem to believe that being a classic movie buff is substitute for a real personality. There are elements of the man that work –– he’s got a strict code and struggles with his knack for dishing out violence when it’s called for, but he still doesn’t really stand out from the 7,000 other detective characters already in existence. He’s good with dogs! He drives a beautiful classic car! It all starts to feel like options picked from a rack and slipped onto him like clothes from Target (a place he would most assuredly not shop!)
And while there is something else powering his personality, it’s such a letdown once you learn the truth of the matter (trust me, many will guess it long before the revelation) that it detracts, rather than adding to the story.
Amy Ryan, a consummate professional, brings welcome warmth and life to the character of Melanie, ex-wife of film producer Bernie Siegel (Dennis Boutsikaris) and worried mother of the missing Olivia. There’s also stalwart work from James Cromwell as Siegel family patriarch Jonathan, a powerhouse film producer, but even he has little to chew on.
Elsewhere, the likes of Nate Corddry, Anna Gunn and even Kirby as Sugar’s mysterious handler/pal are let down by roles that are beneath their abilities.
‘Sugar’: Final Thoughts
Colin Farrell in ‘Sugar,’ premiering April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Perhaps the biggest mystery surrounding ‘Sugar’ is how a series with proven creators (particularly Catlin) and a veteran cast, funded by the deep pockets of Apple, can have gone quite so wrong. But this confused and often slow piece of bland gumshoe fiction offers little that is fresh in the genre –– and what it does employ to make it stand out, simply doesn’t work.
There is the lingering hope that a second season (set up by the end of the first) might proceed without the drag of the dull secondary mystery now that its elements have been revealed, but this may not warrant that, as its rarely compelling enough to draw and maintain a solid audience. All you’re really left with is a somewhat sour taste.
‘Sugar’ receives 5 out of 10 stars.
(L to R) Kirby and Colin Farrell in ‘Sugar,’ premiering April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+.
What’s the story of ‘Sugar’?
Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel (Sydney Chandler), the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell).
As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried. And what is Sugar himself hiding?
Who is in ‘Sugar’?
‘Sugar’ also stars Kirby, Amy Ryan, James Cromwell, Anna Gunn, Dennis Boutsikaris, Nate Corddry, Sydney Chandler and Alex Hernandez.
Colin Farrell in ‘Sugar,’ premiering April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Colin Farrell is a private eye in new series ‘Sugar’.
Mark Protosevich created the new show.
The series launches on Apple TV+ on April 5th.
A perennial go-to genre across pop culture, the detective drama is as healthy as ever. We’ve had Clive Owen playing one of the most famous examples for ‘Monsieur Spade’, Jodie Foster digging through a chilled cold case in ‘True Detective: Night Country’ and Mandy Patinkin investigating murder at sea on ‘Death and Other Details’.
But Apple TV+ being Apple TV+, the company naturally wanted to raise the stakes. In ‘Sugar’, Oscar nominee Colin Farrell is John Sugar, the latest in a long line of private eyes whose own life is just as complicated as the cases they tackle.
What’s the story of ‘Sugar’?
Colin Farrell in ‘Sugar,’ premiering April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Farrell here is a slightly tarnished private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel (Sydney Chandler ), the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell).
As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.
And from the looks of the trailer, Sugar’s own life is almost as knotty and filled with mystery. He’s certainly handy with his fists (and the odd weapon), but he also has his own obsessions.
It also boasts the sheen you expect from an Apple series, which usually hands out a hefty budget –– so of course things look good when they need to and grubby in the right places. Plus, you can expect plenty of the detective standby: the voice-over, with Farrell intoning that if you tipped the world on its side, everything loose lands in Los Angeles.
This also marks the first of Farrell’s leading roles in TV to arrive –– we’re also still waiting to see his turn as Oswald Cobblepot in ‘The Batman’ spin-off ‘The Penguin’, which should be on Max later this year.
Who else is in ‘Sugar’?
(L to R) Amy Ryan and Colin Farrell in ‘Sugar,’ premiering April 5, 2024 on Apple TV+.
Premiering August 8th on Hulu is the third season of the popular series ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ which was co-created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, and nominated for 12 Emmys including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series at the upcoming ceremony that is scheduled to take place on January 15th, 2024.
(L to R) Selena Gomez, Shirley MacLaine, Director John Hoffman, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Amy Schumer on the set of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 2. Photo: Barbara Nitke/Hulu.
SOME SPOILERS FOR ‘ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING’ SEASON 1 AND 2 BELOW!
‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 1 and 2 Recap
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
The series follows three amateur sleuths –– actor Charles-Haden Savage (Martin), who spent years on a low-rent police show and still dines out on his minor fame, down-on-his-luck, flamboyant theatre director Oliver Putnam (Martin Short) and Mabel Mora (Selena Gomez), a young artist whose life suddenly becomes intertwined with Charles and Oliver’s when a former friend and fellow resident of grand New York apartment building the Arconia is found murdered.
The three also bond over their shared love of a true crime podcast called ‘All is not OK in Oklahoma’, and quickly decide to launch their own as they dig into the truth behind Tim’s death. As they work their way through the suspects (including the variety of quirky occupants of the building), they learn that the real killer is Jan (Amy Ryan), a musician who Charles has been dating.
Season 1 ends with cranky building head chief Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell) dead in Mabel’s apartment, with Mabel framed for her murder. The second season is dedicated to Charles, Oliver and Mabel figuring out what really happened with Bunny, and how a mysterious painting factors in.
It also features more from Cinda Canning (Tina Fey), the driven, arrogant creator of ‘All Is Not OK in Oklahoma’ as she seeks to find a compelling follow-up to her hit series. Our heroes initially think that Cinda, and then artist Alice Banks (Cara Delevingne), whom Mabel briefly dated, might be the killer, but it is revealed to be Cinda’s overworked assistant Poppy White (Adina Version), who was actually the not-so-dead subject matter of ‘All is not OK’ and yearns to have a podcast of her own.
What is the plot of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 3?
(L to R) Paul Rudd as Ben in season 3 of ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
At the end of Season 2, we jump a year forward, to the opening night of Oliver’s new play, ‘Death Rattle’. Its leading man, the annoying, smug Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd), who clearly has no love for Charles, also starring in the production, collapses dead on stage.
It’s revealed later in the initial episode that Ben is not actually dead but had a medical condition, and he promises to be a changed man, ready to make amends for his bad behavior during the play’s initial stages. He doesn’t get long to do that, though, as he’s pushed into an elevator shaft at the Arconia, landing on the car containing Charles, Oliver and Mabel. And so, another murder mystery is set in motion. Season 3 will also feature Oscar-winner Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin, a struggling actress and Oliver’s love interest, who plays a small role in his Broadway show.
Meryl Streep as Loretta in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo by: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director, executive producer and series co-creator John Hoffman about his Emmy nominated work on season 2 of ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ creating the series with Steve Martin, setting up the mysteries, lessons he’s learned between seasons, improvisation on set, the lead actors’ chemistry, the show’s attraction to big name guest stars, and a little tease of season 3.
(L to R) Tina Fey and Director John Hoffman on the set of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 2. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, congratulations on the show’s 12 Emmy nominations for season 2. How does it feel to get so much Emmy love?
John Hoffman: I’m feeling very good, honored, relieved, all of the above. It’s been quite a ride with this show and the fact that for season two, dropping a year after our first season aired, to be recognized in this group of incredible shows, it’s rare air. So I am thrilled.
MF: Season 3 begins on August 8th, are you excited for fans to see the next chapter?
JH: I’m very excited for people to see what’s coming. We’ve got a good back half too. I promise you.
Steve Martin as Charles in season 3 of ‘Only Murders in the Building.’ Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
MF: Can you talk about creating the series with Steve Martin? Was it always designed to be a comedic murder mystery?
JH: It began from the plucky mind of Steve Martin, and it was very much his notion. He’s a real fan and has a real interest in the world of crime and mystery, unfolding and getting underneath it and watching the reveals that happen around a case. So he’s a fan of that work. Then on top of it, he is a comedic genius. So that person held it all and very sweetly along with Dan Fogelman and Jess Rosenthal’s introduction, brought me into the fold of that. I was looking at it in a way of, once Steve said, “I would love Marty to be in this with me,” then I was hoping we could do something that felt like classic meets modern. You’ve got these two classic comedians with this very modern young woman in New York where that constantly feels like a theme and then it let the comedic and the mystery unfold in a fresh way. I think we got very fortunate and we worked really hard, but the goal is always to make it look as effortless as possible but behind the scenes it’s quite a challenge to pull this sucker off.
MF: The end of the first season sets up the mystery for season 2. How much of the second season’s mystery was set in place when you introduced it at the end of the first season?
JH: Great question. They’re very tied in. As you’ve seen from the beginning of season three, we take a bit of a leap away, but those first and second seasons are more tied in than maybe evident from the beginning of season two, for sure. Going to the very notion that by episodes 9 and 10, you’re realizing, “Oh my God, the central person responsible ultimately in season 2 was present and was the actual person involved in the podcast and in the case of the podcast that first drew our trio together in episode one of season 1. So, that developed along the way, but it was also kind of in the back of my mind, at least as far as those ties that could happen that felt very exciting. But it was very challenging to thread that and not give it away and not let it be revealed. So that all was very exciting to do, but very in its own classic mystery way, a dance of mini balls in the air with character arcs and the personal relationship of this trio and the discoveries that have to happen. The comedic premises, you then have to create all in the while keeping a thrust of this mystery story that everyone’s hooked into.
(L to R) Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’ season 2. Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
MF: As a director and executive producer, what were the biggest lessons you learned between seasons working on this show?
JH: How valuable everyone else is. I have to say that in this moment too, as I speak to you as a producer of this marvelous experience and show, that I am in great solidarity and recognizing every minute of the value of the collaboration between actors and writers specifically that make everything about this show and make me stand in full solidarity with fairness for all of them right now in this very challenging moment in our business. But that is really it. To be the person who has to answer all the questions along the way for story, for actors, for everyone else, is very comforting oddly for me. I like being that person. But you have to be very careful with everything. But then to be able to feel the luxury of opening up to brilliant artists around you who have much better ideas than you do, and to be able to say, “Oh, wait a minute. Stop the train. We’re going here because of this fantastic idea.” There’s nothing like it. This show is just a magnet for talent. So, who’s coming in next door? Everyone feels this urgency behind the scenes to step it up for this incredible collection of actors that are on the show. But it’s also the great opportunity to work with people who make everything better.
MF: Obviously, the first season was a huge success. What were the big challenges going into season two to repeat that success?
JH: That sits in your head in a way that I wasn’t as much expecting or thinking about because I get very deep down in a story that I would like to tell. So I try and push aside everything else that way, but there’s no way for it not to emanate through. Certainly within our writer’s room, it was one of those moments of like, “Wait, they’re saying what over there? Who said what? Who wrote what?” That does inform, it can’t help it. It is part of the collaboration with the audience we have too. When you’re doing a mystery, you want to feel what they’re thinking a little bit and maybe undercut that, swerve away from it or lean right into it. So, that’s very nice to have that inclusivity for both audience and creators on this one.
(L to R) Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez in Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’ season 2. Photo: Patrick Harbron/Hulu.
MF: Steve Martin and Martin Short are comedy legends, but what is surprising about the series is how organically Selena Gomez fits with their chemistry. Was that a pleasant surprise for you and is there room for improvisation on set? Do they come in with their own ideas, or stick to the scripts?
JH: All three of them, I want to leave them completely unbridled to say and do whatever they want to say. Yet, I’ve recognized also that they have great comfort in these wonderful scripts that our writers work very hard on. There’s great trust and generosity from them. As I say, there’s great comfort too in knowing and recognizing the good fortune of having two geniuses and a very specific modern young woman, is that you hear their voices very distinctly and the way in which they can play is built into these characters that they are perfect for, comedically and dramatically. The fact that they’re so facile, it can go so many different ways, and gives us great leeway to really hone scenes, episodes and seasons that favor what they do best. So when they are with the material, they really stick to it in a larger way. I think they would say the same thing. More than that, it’s just about elevating all of it in the way that only they can do.
MF: Finally, the show has become a magnet for very famous performers who want to guest star, Meryl Streep appears in season 3, for example. Season 2 featured Shirley MacLaine, Cara Delevingne, Tina Fey, Andrea Martin, and Paul Rudd, some of who carry over to season 3. Has there been an effort to get the biggest names possible to guest star, or has that just happened organically?
JH: Yes. The simple answer is yes. To have Shirley MacLaine in the middle of a pandemic come out of her home in New Mexico to say, “I want to come play in the landscape of New York City with this great cast of characters,” was an honor to everyone. The minute she stepped on set, the whole temperature changed. She just was absolutely brilliant. You realize the air you’re in, but also it makes you step up to live up to these people. Cara was fantastic and a friend of Selena’s for a long time and was so sharp, witty, intuitive and also a lovely person. She fit perfectly into the world, and that went on and on. Andrea Martin is a comedic genius as well, and knows Marty and knows Steve and seamlessly fits in as well. So, it’s about being strong with what the show is and hoping that people recognize the tone and how they might work in it, and then watching them just create magic is incredible. Then that leaps off into the opportunities that come from a season 3 cast, which is, I don’t know, the greatest of any half hour comedy in history? I’m going to put it up there. I’m not going to lie, I can’t believe it.
(L to R) Director John Hoffman and Shirley MacLaine on the set of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 2. Photo: Barbara Nitke/Hulu.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Only Murders in the Building’:
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Parker Posey about her work on ‘Beau Is Afraid,’ director Ari Aster’s unique visual style, working with Joaquin Phoenix, and why she needs filmmakers and fellow actors to fight for her to get roles.
Parker Posey stars in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
You can read the full interview below or please click on the video player above to watch the interview and clips from the film.
Moviefone: To begin with, how did director Ari Aster originally pitch this film to you and what was your first reaction to the extremely imaginative screenplay?
Parker Posey: Well, I heard that he wanted to meet me on Zoom. So we had a Zoom meeting, and I said, “I saw ‘Hereditary’ and there was one thing that I really didn’t like about it.” Then I was like, “That I wasn’t in it.” Because I’m such a fan. I mean, ‘Hereditary’, and this movie too, he’s a real auteur filmmaker, and a visionary filmmaker who create these worlds that are able to elicit feelings that no other filmmaker can make and that are special to the artist. So Ari, with his actors and his direction, his camera work, his storytelling, to me, it felt like when I read it, like it was a movie that he always wanted to make.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and director Ari Aster on the set of ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
MF: When you had your first meeting with Ari did you know immediately that you would work well with him on set?
PP: So when we met on Zoom, he just said, “I’ve been a fan of yours for so long. I really want you to be in this movie. It’s a small part but Joaquin wants you too.” I was like, “I’m just so thankful.” I don’t get to do roles unless the director really wants me, and the star really wants me. They can fight the financiers or whoever’s in charge that is saying, “No, we want someone younger, or we want someone who was just in a movie last month.” So I was really, really touched to have that support and to feel that support come seemingly out of nowhere and be like, “Oh, this is really sweet. This is how it used to be for me way back 30 years ago. Back in the day, darling.” So it was lovely.
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
MF: The movie is visually stunning. Can you talk about the unique look of the film and what you thought of the final product?
PP: It’s a Kafkaesque landscape, and it’s a labyrinth. We don’t know where we are. We don’t know who these people are, we don’t know who they’re working for. So he’s making something culturally relevant today that audience members will want to go to a theater and see. But when I saw the screening, I was like, “This could be at Disney World.” The art behind it, what Beau goes through, it just looks great.
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
MF: Finally, what was it like working with Joaquin Phoenix and watching his process as an actor?
PP: You’re taken by Joaquin and what he does as an actor in bringing out our empathy. Also, he’s so mysterious as well. He’s got a lot going on. He’s very loose and open, and fluid, as an actor, and also very physical. Ari had a lot of physical theater actors in this. So there’s this gravitas that the performers carry that you don’t see tonally in a lot of movies, which I really love.
(L to R) Nathan Lane, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Ryan in ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
‘Beau Is Afraid’ on wide release now, represents filmmaker Ari Aster cashing in the creative credit he’s earned with the buzz and box office of horror movies ‘Hereditary’ and ‘Midsommar’ and taking a gigantic swing for the creative fences that will surely end up in the “love” or “hate” column for most viewers.
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What is ‘Beau is Afraid’ about?
Aster’s latest is the story of nervy, milquetoast Beau Wassermann (Joaquin Phoenix), who lives alone in a downtown apartment building where every moment is a waking nightmare. His home is squarely in a city block that might be a war zone for all the chaos that seemingly constantly breaks out on the streets.
Prone to anxiety and paranoia, he visits his longtime therapist (Stephen McKinley Henderson), who prepares him for his imminent journey to visit his mother Mona (Patti LuPone). But mayhem ensues on the eve of Beau’s departure, spinning his life in a surreal new direction.
Unable to reach his destination in a world gone insane, traveling on roads that don’t appear on any map, Beau is forced to confront his own life and the lies he’s been told by those closest to him.
And that’s the most basic description –– there is so much more lurking within here, including weird, grieving suburbanites (played by Nathan Lane and Amy Ryan) who initially help and then effectively adopt Beau, much to the endless frustration of their teen daughter Toni (Kylie Rogers). A forest-dwelling theatre troupe with whom Beau links up end up shattered by tragedy. And when he does finally get to his mother’s house, there is some truly surreal weirdness to follow.
Wreathed through it all are flashbacks to his time as a teenager (where he’s brought to life by Armen Nahapetian), spending time on a cruise ship and elsewhere with his demanding, highly strung mother (here played by Zoe Lister-Jones). It’s on the cruise that a crucial moment in Beau’s development –– or the arrest of it, at least –– occurs, when he meets and falls for Elaine (Julia Antonelli), only for her to be snatched away by her mother. It really gets to the roots of his problems.
(L to R) Nathan Lane, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Ryan in ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
Cast Performances
Beau is such a sniveling, seemingly unlikable protagonist that it’s credit to Aster and Phoenix that he’s actually watchable on his crazy journey. While it often feels like things are more happening to Beau than he’s ever driving the story, he remains a worthwhile anchor for our attention.
Indeed, it’s credit to the actor that he holds your attention, and he’s joined by some suitably skilled co-stars, including Richard Kind, Hayley Squires, and Parker Posey, who arrives late on as the adult Elaine, and makes an impression with her limited screen time.
Some of the cast –– especially Kind –– feel like they’re wasted in tiny roles, but you can see why they might want to come and play in Aster’s strange sandbox. Lister-Jones, meanwhile, has more to chew on as Beau’s overbearing “smother” who evolves into the more distant version played by LuPone.
If you were expecting an easy, entertaining watch or something simple to take a date to, this is not the movie for you –– unless you’re a fan of complicated, weird, and downright standoffish arthouse fare.
(L to R) Joaquin Phoenix and director Ari Aster on the set of ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
‘Beau’s driving themes are guilt, fear and the endless, driving chaos of the modern world, reflecting on how we internalize our feelings, and they start to poison us. There are rampaging killers, Freudian images, and stories of how Beau’s father died in the act of conceiving him.
This is, as we’ve said, not a film that will inspire mild responses. You’re likely to either love or loathe it, depending on whether you get on board. And even then, the abrupt ending (after near three hours of surreal oddity) might jolt you out of that positivity.
Long tracts of the story are likely to invoke boredom if you’ve no tolerance for whimsy or ideas that appears to be weird for weirdness’ sake. Aster throws every cinematic trick in the book at this one, including animated sequences, and an opening scene that makes Beau’s journey through the birth canal into an unforgiving world appear like a battlefield thanks to a discordant soundtrack. There are grotesques and grime, and even a sequence where Phoenix, naked, wrestles with a man who unexpectedly drops into his bath.
Given the director’s history, there is also bloody violence, a big dose of satire and some real shocks here and there, though it’s also shot through with a lot more humor than either of his previous works. Through it all, you can feel like Aster has big issues on his mind but isn’t always able to communicate them in a way that makes you want to listen or understand.
And that’s a big problem at the core of ‘Beau’ –– though it’s good to see a director given free rein to make the movie he truly wants to –– there’s a big question of whether anyone really needed to see it in the first place. Plenty of films have explored child/parent relations, guilt, and emotional crises, and in a way that tries to connect with the audience. Aster seems more interested in the strangeness he can invent to get those concepts across.
Yet even as large swathes are almost designed to turn you off, there’s something to be said for the tone and the soundscape, which end up trickling into your subconscious and, unless you truly reject everything the movie has to offer, could still have you thinking about the story days after you see it.
Final Thoughts
What we have here is a confronting, unique movie, but not always for the good, and with . In all honesty, we’d say watch it if you’re in the mood for something challenging, but don’t say you weren’t warned.
‘Beau Is Afraid’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
Joaquin Phoenix in director Ari Aster’s ‘Beau Is Afraid.’
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in 2006’s ‘The Devil Wears Prada .’
TV comedy thriller series ‘Only Murders in the Building’ already features one of the best casts on the small screen, and it’s about to get even better. Star Steve Martin revealed on twitter that Meryl Streep has joined the ensemble.
The show stars Martin, Selena Gomez and Martin Short as Charles-Haden Savage, Mabel Mora and Oliver Putnam, three very different residents of a swanky, high-rise apartment building in Manhattan. When one of the other people in the building is murdered––one who had a connection to Mabel––the three unlikely citizen detectives team up to investigate what really happened.
Along the way, they launch the podcast that gives the show its name. Season 2 follows their attempts to unmask who killed Arconia Board president Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell). Along the way, they’re publicly implicated in her murder and are the subjects of a competing podcast.
‘Only Murders’ has built a reputation for quirky characters, engaging mysteries and a wealth of acting talent in its cast beyond the central three.
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
At the end of Season 2, Oliver––a seasoned, though as the show starts, unemployed––theater director, got his chance to helm a new show on Broadway. His cast includes Savage (an actor who made his career and a healthy fortune starring in a cheesy 1980s police series) and Paul Rudd’s Ben Glenroy, a snobbish fellow performer who in a flash-forward, has disagreements with Savage. He dies on stage, and Season 3 will explore the backstory to that.
As for Streep’s character, the ‘Only Murders’ team have yet to reveal how she’ll factor into the story for the new season and whether she’ll have any connection to the core trio.
Streep, of course, needs little introduction, an Oscar winning actor more normally found in movies (but occasionally on TV). She seems like a perfect fit for the ‘Only Murders’ world and it’ll be interesting to see how she fits in.
From the looks of Gomez’ Instagram post that also served to announce Streep’s casting, she’s already interacting well with the main cast, larking around pretending to be an assistant providing them with new cushions, while being asked by Short for the “tea I ordered a half hour ago”.
Created by Martin and showrunner John Hoffman, ‘Only Murders’ has now been shooting its third season for roughly a week, but there is no date on the books yet for when it might return to Hulu. Despite its quality, it hasn’t won as many awards as you might imagine, but Streep’s presence could well change that.
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
It’s a true sign of faith in a show when the company responsible for producing it announces a new season even as the current batch of episodes is still arriving.
Raise a cheer, then, for ‘Only Murders in the Building’, which has confirmed that it will be back for a third season as Season 2 continues to arrive weekly on Hulu.
The show, which stars Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, revolves around mysterious and murderous goings-on in a classic New York apartment building called the Arconia.
Martin plays Charles-Haden Savage, an actor whose golden years (particularly a 1990s TV cop show called ‘Brazzos’) are behind him. He’s a nervous, particular man used to living alone.
Short is Oliver Putnam, a flamboyant theater director with a penchant for hummus and other dips, who is always looking for his next gig.
Gomez, meanwhile, appears as Mabel Mora, a serious, mysterious young artist living in her aunt’s spacious apartment and harboring a deep pool of secrets.
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
When they start investigating the murder of one of Mabel’s former friends, they decide to collaborate on a podcast to help chart the suspects. Soon, though, they’re dragged into it all on a much more personal level.
Though they cracked the case at the end of Season 1, they ended up as potential persons of interest in the suspicious death of grouchy building manager Bunny (Jayne Houdyshell). And, along the way, they make a number of enemies, including Nathan Lane’s local deli magnate Teddy Dimas.
Martin co-created the show with showrunner John Hoffman, while ‘This Is Us’ boss Dan Fogelman is involved as a consultant. The series has won plenty of praise and awards and is expected to feature in the Emmy nominations this year. The renewal is hardly a surprise, given all the buzz around the first season.
“‘Only Murders in the Building’ is the true crown jewel of our slate,” says Craig Erwich, president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment in a statement announcing the show’s renewal. “Its appeal across generations, the intersection of humor and heart, and its truly original approach are a hallmark of and testament to Dan, John, Steve, Marty and Selena’s work. We are grateful to be able to continue telling the stories of Charles, Oliver and Mabel to viewers that have consistently shown us they crave more of this story.”
‘Only Murders in the Building’ Season 2 is currently arriving weekly on Hulu every Tuesday. Season 3 should be on screens next year.
(L to R) Oliver (Martin Short), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Charles (Steve Martin) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
