Highbrow Magazine - diane keaton https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/diane-keaton en Hollywood Veteran Dennis Dugan Tackles Modern-Day Romance in ‘Love, Weddings and Other Disasters’ https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/11112-hollywood-veteran-dennis-dugan-tackles-modern-day-romance-love-weddings-and-other-disasters <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 12/18/2020 - 10:20</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1dennisdugan.jpg?itok=0WNPclut"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1dennisdugan.jpg?itok=0WNPclut" width="480" height="320" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>In a Hollywood career spanning nearly 50 years, Dennis Dugan has tried – and succeeded – at everything from acting to producing. Despite such versatility, his resume was thin in one area … at least until now. With <em>Love, Weddings and Other Disasters</em>, a broad romantic comedy available on pay-per-view, Dugan earned his first feature screenwriting credit. He also directed, produced, and stars in the film.</p> <p> </p> <p>Dugan admits to relatively little writing experience prior to <em>Weddings</em>, but he knew he had the skills after rescuing a TV project on the verge of collapse. The network that hired him to direct was unhappy with the screenplay and – just before a holiday weekend – issued an ultimatum. If there wasn’t workable script by the end of the weekend, the project was done.  </p> <p> </p> <p>“I wrote for three days,” Dugan said. “I rewrote the entire thing for three days based on their notes and based on what I felt we were missing. On Tuesday, they said, ‘OK, we’re doing it,’ but I didn’t claim credit. … What it did tell me was, ‘Hey, you can write.’ So, the genesis of the writing career was an emergency.”</p> <p> </p> <p>The arrival of <em>Love, Weddings and Other Disasters</em> was considerably less dramatic. In fact, Dugan says it took him 15 years to get the movie made. He decided he was going to write a screenplay but before settling on a topic, his wife asked that he tackle a genre she loves: wedding films. </p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2dennisdugan.jpg" style="height:400px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>“I love her,” Dugan said, “So I go, ‘OK, let me try to write a wedding movie.’”</p> <p> </p> <p>With the genre settled, Dugan faced a dilemma familiar to every writer. Where does one find surprises on a much-traveled path?</p> <p> </p> <p>“The family, the wedding planner, they’ve all been done,” he said. “So I go, ‘What if we do something in sort of the structure of <em>Love Actually</em>, where we have the perfect day being tried to achieve, the perfect day for the perfect couple for the perfect romance, and everybody who works on the wedding or is surrounding the wedding, all of their relationships are complete chaos and heartbreak.”</p> <p> </p> <p>With this idea of “perfection versus chaos” as a catalyst, Dugan sat down to write a story with several divergent story threads, each one centered on romance and the problems that accompany it.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3dennisdugan.jpg" style="height:400px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>At the heart of the movie is the wedding of Robert Barton (Dennis Staroselsky), a promising Boston mayoral candidate, and his beloved, Liz Rafferty (Caroline Portu). Although the two are deeply in love, they have drastically different ideas about the perfect wedding, and this friction has caused a variety of high-profile event planners to abandon them. Eventually, they end up with Jessie (Maggie Grace), an inexperienced entrepreneur who is recognized wherever she goes thanks to a starring role in an embarrassing viral video. Jessie’s rawness is an issue with Lawrence (Jeremy Irons), the couple’s fussy celebrity caterer. While struggling to deal with each other, these two outsize personalities navigate equally tricky personal lives. Central to the dilemma is Sara (Diane Keaton), a vivacious woman who is introduced to Lawrence through a literal blind date – literal in that Sara is actually blind.</p> <p> </p> <p>Also central to the story are Robert’s brother, Jimmy (Andy Goldenberg), who is being followed by camera crews for a reality dating show, and Captain Richie (Andrew Bachelor), a Boston duck boat guide who falls hard for one of his passengers. Obviously, there’s a lot going on, and Dugan said the first thing he did was sketch out the various storylines with his writing collaborators, Eileen Conn and Larry Miller.</p> <p> </p> <p>“We basically beat out five little mini films,” he said. “Then, I went away and wrote the screenplay and then had to shape everything to come to the climax.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Dugan’s career has many highlights, including a much-loved acting stint as Captain Freedom on the TV drama <em>Hill Street Blues</em>. He has been even more successful in the director’s chair, with credits garnering more than $1 billion total. His directorial works include <em>Problem Child</em> (1990), <em>Happy Gilmore</em> (1996), <em>Big Daddy</em> (1999) and <em>Grown Ups</em> 1 and 2 (2010, 2013).   </p> <p> </p> <p>For <em>Love, Weddings and Other Disasters</em> he tapped into his talent, not only writing, directing and producing, but playing the key supporting role of Eddie Stone, host of the previously mentioned dating show. Stone’s show – <em>Crash Couples</em> – purposefully chains mismatched daters together in order to see how long they can stand each other’s company. Dugan said he had fun with the game show segments and intentionally pushed limits.    </p> <p> </p> <p>“I just wanted this to be blatantly politically incorrect, and if you don’t get the joke, then I’m sorry that you don’t get the joke,” he said. “One of the things that is good about comedy is that you are respectfully disrespectful; you should be able to get away with it. The shock of it should be fun.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Dugan said he assembled the remaining cast by first reaching out to an old friend. He met Keaton in 1976 when the two worked on the Mark Rydell film <em>Harry and Walter Go to New York</em>, and he said they’ve stayed in touch ever since. </p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5dennisdugan.jpg" style="height:600px; width:405px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>“You know, we’re not once-a-week phone buddies, but we both respect each other,” he said. “We’re both photographers and we’re both artists, and we both have a similar sensibility.”<br />  </p> <p>Since Keaton was his first choice for Sara, he made a phone call and sent her his script, even though confidants were convinced he wouldn’t get her. Needless to say, they were wrong.</p> <p> </p> <p>“Once Diane was in,” Dugan said, “then Jeremy Irons goes, ‘I’m in,’ and then the bankers go, ‘We’re in.’ ”</p> <p> </p> <p>Dugan said making <em>Love, Weddings and Other Disasters</em> was a unique experience, despite his decades in the film and television industry.</p> <p> </p> <p>“When it’s yours and you’re basically shaping the entire thing, it feels very special,” he said. “It was a very nice, liberating feeling to be able to shape it in exactly the way that you want to. Everything is a collaboration, but in this case, I got to collaborate with actor friends of mine whom I’ve known for a long time. So it was a very comfortable, wonderful, exhilarating experience for me.”</p> <p> </p> <p>This film is also different in that it is being released on demand during a global pandemic. Dugan said he isn’t upset that the film missed a traditional theatrical run. Rather, he’s pleased his creative vision is in front of audiences.    </p> <p> </p> <p>“It seems to be making people happy,” he said. “Most people are saying, ‘This is a movie we need right now. Something fun and something positive.’ So, I’m very happy about that.”  </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>Forrest Hartman, a </em></strong><strong>Highbrow Magazine<em> contributor, is a longtime entertainment journalist who teaches in the Department of </em></strong><a href="https://www.csuchico.edu/jour/" target="_blank"><strong><em>Journalism &amp; Public Relations at California State University, Chico</em></strong></a><strong><em>.</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/dennis-duggan" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">dennis duggan</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/love-weddings-and-other-disasters" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">love weddings and other disasters</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/diane-keaton" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">diane keaton</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/jeremy-irons" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">jeremy irons</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new films</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/romantic-comedies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">romantic comedies</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hollywood" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Hollywood</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Forrest Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Photos courtesy of On Demand</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 18 Dec 2020 15:20:08 +0000 tara 10060 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/11112-hollywood-veteran-dennis-dugan-tackles-modern-day-romance-love-weddings-and-other-disasters#comments ‘The Big Wedding,’ ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ Arrive on DVD, Blu-ray https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2698-big-wedding-olympus-has-fallen-arrive-dvd-blu-ray <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/film-tv" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Film &amp; TV</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Tue, 08/13/2013 - 09:30</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/olympus.jpg?itok=ibFc4tVR"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/olympus.jpg?itok=ibFc4tVR" width="480" height="256" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>  </p> <p> This week’s biggest home video releases have a lot of star power, but they are unfortunately light in more important areas.</p> <p>  </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Olympus</strong><strong> Has Fallen</strong></p> <p> <strong>2½ stars (out of four)<br /> Rated R </strong></p> <p> <strong>Available on: DVD, Blu-ray and on demand</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> It’s strange how often Hollywood latches onto a single idea, releasing multiple movies on a given topic within months of one another. In early 2013, the Dream Factory fixated on the idea of a presidency under siege, releasing “Olympus Has Fallen” into theaters on March 22 and “White House Down” on June 28. Both movies imagine a world where the White House falls under the control of enemy terrorists, and both are equal parts ridiculous and entertaining.</p> <p>  </p> <p> The best of the two is “White House Down,” a picture that balances wild action sequences with a healthy sense of humor. “Olympus Has Fallen,” on the other hand, takes things deadly serious. It centers on Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), a U.S. Secret Service agent who loses favor by failing to save the first lady (Ashley Judd) in the aftermath of an automobile accident. Mike gets an opportunity to redeem himself when the White House is taken over by well-organized attackers. As the only survivor of the initial assault, Mike becomes America’s best hope of not only rescuing the president but preventing the attackers from executing a plan with deadly global consequences.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Butler is typically likable in the lead role, and his rugged good looks and imposing physique make him a perfect action hero. Because of this, it’s fun to watch him pick off assailants one by one, bucking insurmountable odds in a quest to recapture the U.S. Capitol. Very little of what’s shown on screen could actually happen, and that’s sure to leave purists scoffing. Those willing to suspend disbelief, however, should enjoy Mike’s spectacular feats despite their implausibility.</p> <p>  </p> <p> Looking past plot flaws requires even more forgiveness. During the course of the film, U.S. officials, led by acting president Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), have numerous opportunities to end the siege. Alas, they lack the intestinal fortitude to make difficult decisions and instead allow the terrorists to hold America hostage. Perhaps director Antoine Fuqua is making a statement about the wisdom of American politicians. It is more likely, however, that he and screenwriters Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt realized that a realistic ending would lack drama. So viewers get a movie where the entire fate of the country lies in the hands of Mike Banning.</p> <p>  </p> <p> “Olympus Has Fallen” has excellent action sequences, and Fuqua does a terrific job making Washington, D.C., look like a battleground. For indulgent viewers, this will be enough. Those who prefer action films with more finesse should opt for the equally ridiculous but likably lighthearted “White House Down.”  </p> <p>  </p> <p> The DVD release of “Olympus Has Fallen” has no extra features. The Blu-ray contains a blooper reel and five featurettes on the making of the film. </p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/mediumBig%20Wedding%20-%20Horizontal.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 398px;" /></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>The Big Wedding</strong></p> <p> <strong>2 stars<br /> Rated R </strong></p> <p> <strong>Lionsgate<br /> Available on: DVD, Blu-ray, digital download and on demand</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> Writer-director Justin Zackham’s English-language remake of the 2006 French comedy “Mon frère se marie” boasts a remarkable ensemble including Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, Topher Grace and Ben Barnes. Unfortunately, the spectacular collection of actors is the only selling point.   </p> <p>  </p> <p> Like the equally star-studded “New Year’s Eve,” “The Big Wedding” is predicated on the belief that all it takes to satisfy moviegoers is a parade of big-name stars. This isn’t true.</p> <p>  </p> <p> As the title suggests, the story is set during a wedding celebration. Recent Harvard Graduate Alejandro (Barnes) is preparing to marry his love, Missy (Seyfried), at the home where he grew up. His situation is complicated, however, because he has three mothers.</p> <p>  </p> <p> When he was a boy, Alejandro’s biological mom, Donna (Patricia Rae), sent him from Colombia to live a more privileged life in America. The plan worked, but Alejandro’s adoptive parents are considerably more liberal than Donna… especially in terms of sexuality and religion. Among other things, Alejandro’s adoptive father, Don (De Niro), cheated on his wife, Ellie (Keaton), with her best friend, Bebe (Sarandon). This led to divorce, but Alejandro never told his birth mother.    </p> <p>  </p> <p> When Donna shows up for the wedding, everyone is faced with a predicament because she believes Don is still married to Ellie despite the fact that Bebe replaced her years ago. Zackham does his best to make the situation funny, but laughs are infrequent. </p> <p>  </p> <p> “The Big Wedding” also features a number of subplots, including bits with Alejandro’s adoptive siblings, Jared (Grace) and Lyla (Heigl). The former is a 29-year-old doctor who has chosen to remain a virgin. The latter is experiencing marital problems. Since viewers also get multiple appearances by a goofy priest (Williams) and Missy’s bigoted parents (Christine Ebersole and David Rasche), Zackham seems to have the makings of a fast-moving farce. But he doesn’t put the pieces together properly. The goofy characters waltz through plenty of offbeat situations, but that’s not enough because quirky and funny are not synonymous. </p> <p>  </p> <p> DVD and Blu-ray extras are limited to a featurette about the making of the film.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/adele.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 400px;" /></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>ALSO OUT THIS WEEK</strong></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec”:</strong> Writer-director Luc Besson’s film adaptation of the like-titled French comic book series. The movie, presented in French and English with English subtitles, focuses on Adèle (Louise Bourgoin), an adventurous novelist living in Paris during the early 20<sup>th</sup> century. Her thirst for action leads her to many fanciful situations, including a run-in with a pterodactyl.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“The Company You Keep”:</strong> Political thriller directed by and starring Robert Redford. The focus is on a former Weather Underground militant (Redford) forced to flee when a young reporter (Shia LaBeouf) exposes his true identity. The film received mixed reviews during a limited run in theaters.   </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Emperor”:</strong> Military drama set immediately after Japan’s surrender to the United States in World War II. As the dust settles, General Douglas MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones) gives his expert on Japanese culture (Matthew Fox) just 10 days to determine whether the Japanese emperor should be executed for war crimes.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“The Mindy Project” – Season One:</strong> One of the better-reviewed TV shows of the fall 2012 season receives its home video debut. Creator Mindy Kaling stars as a single OB/GYN struggling to find love while maintaining a busy professional schedule. </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Once Upon a Time” – The Complete Second Season:</strong> This fairy tale drama has performed so well for ABC that the network is delivering a spinoff – “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland” – in October. The plotting centers on classic fairy tale characters, including Snow White and Prince Charming, who have been transported into the modern world.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/enlightened.jpg" style="width: 600px; height: 450px;" /></p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Enlightened” – The Complete Second Season:</strong> Despite receiving significant critical acclaim, this HBO dramedy struggled in the ratings and was ultimately canceled. That makes the eight episodes in this set the last of its brief run. Co-creator Laura Dern stars as a do-gooder who, after a stint in rehab, is determined to end corruption at the corporation she works for. Series co-creator Mike White also has a starring role.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Southland” – The Complete Fifth and Final Season:</strong> Last 10 episodes of the TNT drama about fictional members of the Los Angeles Police Department. </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Seconds”:</strong> Freshly restored Criterion Collection release of director John Frankenheimer’s 1966 science-fiction thriller about a middle-aged banker who allows a mysterious organization to erase his identity and insert him into an entirely new life. Rock Hudson stars.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Family Ties” – The Seventh and Final Season: </strong>Actor Michael J. Fox is returning to TV with a self-titled show in September. No matter how that production turns out, he will always be remembered for his portrayal of Alex P. Keaton in “Family Ties.” The show centers on ex-hippie parents (Meredith Baxter-Birney and Michael Gross) attempting to raise their children, including a young Republican (Fox), in an era of conservatism.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Perry Mason” – The Ninth and Final Season – Volume 2</strong>: Final 15 episodes of the classic legal drama featuring Raymond Burr as a hard-nosed trial attorney with a knack for getting clients out of difficult spots. Barbara Hale and William Hopper also star.    </p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“Girls” – The Complete Second Season:</strong> Ten episodes of writer-director-actor Lena Dunham’s Emmy Award-winning HBO series about 20-something women facing life struggles in New York City. Adam Driver, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet and Alex Karpovsky also star.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“The Damned”:</strong> DVD and Blu-ray debut of French director Réne Clément’s 1947 drama about Nazis attempting to flee Europe during the closing days of World War II. Presented in French with English subtitles.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>“The Amazing World of Gumball – The Party”:</strong> Twelve episodes of the Cartoon Network animated series about animal friends attending a junior high school.</p> <p>  </p> <p> <strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p> <em>Forrest Hartman, a</em> Highbrow Magazine <em>contributor, is an independent film critic whose byline has appeared in some of the nation's largest publications. For more of his work visit <a href="http://www.ForrestHartman.com">www.ForrestHartman.com</a>. E-mail him at <a href="mailto:Forrest@ForrestHartman.com">Forrest@ForrestHartman.com</a>.</em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/olympus-has-fallen" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">olympus has fallen</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/big-wedding" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">the big wedding</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/robert-de-niro" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">robert de niro</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/diane-keaton" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">diane keaton</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/gerard-butler" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">gerard butler</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/emperor" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">emperor</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/adele-blanc-sec" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">adele blanc sec</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/southland" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">southland</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/enlightened" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">enlightened</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Forrest Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Tue, 13 Aug 2013 13:30:56 +0000 tara 3339 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/2698-big-wedding-olympus-has-fallen-arrive-dvd-blu-ray#comments