Matt Damon and John Krasinski had brainstormed a film about an "emotionally crippled" handyman, and brought the idea to Lonergan for his input, with Krasinski to star and Damon in the director's chair. Lonergan worked on the screenplay for three years. The script was featured in the 2014 Blacklist; a list of the "most liked" unmade scripts of the year. After Damon read a rough draft of the script, he insisted that Lonergan should direct it and that he would star in it. In early September 2014, they announced they would collaborate on the project, and pre-production began on September 8, 2014. However, Damon would not have a break in his schedule for another year. In early December 2014, it was revealed that Casey Affleck would replace Damon in the lead role. In early January 2015, Affleck officially replaced Damon. By late March, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges, Tate Donovan, Kara Hayward, Heather Burns, Matthew Broderick, and Gretchen Mol rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in late April. Filming took place throughout Massachusetts.
The film stars Affleck, Williams, Chandler, Hedges, Donovan, Hayward, Burns, Broderick, and Mol. The lead characters are extremely well played by the cast, including Affleck, Williams and Hedges. The trio's rapport is uneasy but raw and unsentimental, capturing the unconditional tough love dynamic that can only exist between loved ones. Affleck offers one of the more indelible portraits of hapless adulthood put on screen. Lonergan's brainy script wouldn't work without Affleck, Williams and Hedges. As a walking paradox - both controlling and completely out of control - they are riveting. Lonergan avoids the faults of many American storytellers by refusing to cast characters in a judgmental light, giving each enough dignity to be convincing and sympathetic.
The kind of film that often gets lost in the Hollywood shuffle, the film is marked by great writing and utterly believable relationships between characters. Few films have explored the complicated bonds of love and resentment between loved ones with such delightful honesty. The film captures the essence of Massachusetts life as well as any film ever has, while also portraying the difficult path to maturity of a an adult and a teenager. The film has some intriguing ideas that don't often get dramatized in this fashion, and it has a fine cast bringing it to life. Still, like its young protagonist, sometimes it comes off as a bit too self-righteous and self-involved. Knotty, ambitious and trading in messy human truths, it's the work of a master dramatist. Here's hoping Lonergan's next one reaches us a little faster. The film is less about plot mechanics than about the virtuosity of the dialogue, the complexity of the characters, and the detail and depth of their untidy world.
The kind of film that often gets lost in the Hollywood shuffle, the film is marked by great writing and utterly believable relationships between characters. Few films have explored the complicated bonds of love and resentment between loved ones with such delightful honesty. The film captures the essence of Massachusetts life as well as any film ever has, while also portraying the difficult path to maturity of a an adult and a teenager. The film has some intriguing ideas that don't often get dramatized in this fashion, and it has a fine cast bringing it to life. Still, like its young protagonist, sometimes it comes off as a bit too self-righteous and self-involved. Knotty, ambitious and trading in messy human truths, it's the work of a master dramatist. Here's hoping Lonergan's next one reaches us a little faster. The film is less about plot mechanics than about the virtuosity of the dialogue, the complexity of the characters, and the detail and depth of their untidy world.
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