Jason Reitman

James Van Der Beek and Gattlin Griffith Join Jason Reitman’s LABOR DAY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: April 17th, 2012 at 5:48 pm

Coming off of last year’s excellent (and sadly underseen) Young Adult, director Jason Reitman is gearing up to begin production on his next project, Labor Day, this summer.  Reitman scripted the adaptation of Joyce Manard’s novel himself, and Kate Winselt stars as a lonely mother whose 13-year-old son convinces her to take in a drifter (Josh Brolin) who turns out to be an escaped convict.  The three spend Labor Day Weekend together and, obviously, bond.  THR now reports that James Van Der Beek has joined the cast as a police officer investigating a missing person’s case ($10 says he shows up on Winslet’s doorstep at some point in the film).

Additionally, a separate report from THR reveals that, following an extensive search, Reitman has settled on Gattlin Griffith (Changeling) to play Winslet’s son in the film.  The deal isn’t closed, but the actor has entered negotiations.  The role is crucial as the story is told from the boy’s point of view.  I’m a big fan of Reitman so I’m eager to check this one out. The director will have waited nearly a year to start production so that Winslet and Brolin’s schedules could free up, so clearly he’s passionate about what he’s put together. [Update: Feeling left out by the Labor Day casting party, Variety now adds that Brighid Fleming has landed the young female lead in the film, a character who acts as the object of Griffith's affection.]

Abigail Breslin Joins HAUNTER and Tom Lipinski Plays a Young Josh Brolin in LABOR DAY

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: April 3rd, 2012 at 4:27 pm

We’ve got two bits of casting news to update you on today.  Here they are at a glance:

• Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) has signed on to topline Haunter, a supernatural mystery that features Breslin as teenage ghost, Lisa, who attempts to prevent a girl living in her former home from falling victim to the same mysterious death.
• Tom Lipinski (Suits) will join Jason Reitman’s Labor Day, in which an escaped con (Josh Brolin) hides out with a single mom (Kate Winslet) and her teenage son over Labor Day weekend.

Hit the jump for more on both projects.

YOUNG ADULT Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: March 15th, 2012 at 6:00 am

Even though Jason Reitman is the director of Young Adult, and Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson and Patton Oswalt are the leads, writer Diablo Cody comes across as the star and auteur of the film. She wrote Juno – which won her an Oscar and was a huge success – helped create The United States of Tara, and wrote Jennifer’s Body. As to be expected with any success from a larger than life female artist, the backlash was severe and cruel. In many ways Cody is commenting on her haters in Young Adult, a pitch black comedy about a ghost writer (Theron) who goes back to her hometown in the hopes of wrecking a marriage. Our review of the film on Blu-ray follows after the jump.

Patton Oswalt Gets Kicked out for Texting in New Alamo Drafthouse PSA

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 14th, 2011 at 9:08 am

The Alamo Drafthouse has a strict no-texting policy.  They have this weird theory that losing one shitty customer is alright because you’re getting so many more sensible, polite customers in return.  It makes the theater experience better, makes people want to come to the theater, and then profits happen.  Everbody’s happy.  They also make warnings/PSAs that actually work.  When you go to a multiplex, you get a cellphone company like Sprint or AT&T doing a cutesy PSA telling people they shouldn’t talk and text during the movie.  No one pays attention, and they act like ass-holes anyway because the theater isn’t going to enforce anything.

By comparison, the Drafthouse does really catchy PSAs.  Their best was using an angry voicemail from a patron who was kicked out for texting.  Young Adult director Jason Reitman and star Patton Oswalt built off this hilarious voicemail for a new PSA and you can check it out after the jump.

YOUNG ADULT Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 9th, 2011 at 5:13 am

“Magical” may be an odd word to describe a dark comedy as intentionally depressing, uncomfortable, and mean as Young Adult.  But there is a magic in watching a writer, a director, and an actor craft a captivating character who keeps the audience guessing to what’s in her head.  In creating Mavis Gary, screenwriter Diablo Cody, director Jason Reitman, and actress Charlize Theron do far more than simply put a mean girl from high school under the magnifying glass.  There’s inarguably a state of arrested development for Mavis, but what keeps her interesting is if she knows how pathetic she really is.  Throughout the movie, I kept wondering, “Does she know she’s deluding herself?  Does she know how much she’s embarrassing herself and is she just trying to ignore it?”  Mavis could have easily turned into a David Brent-type where the obliviousness is both hilarious and cringe-inducing.  Cody, Reitman, and Theron provide a dramatic weight to that obliviousness.  Young Adult only stumbles when the film tries to take a shortcut at the end to force her in a particular direction.  But everything that comes before is a nasty, delightful piece of work

Director Jason Reitman Talks YOUNG ADULT and His LACMA Live Reading Series

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: December 7th, 2011 at 6:32 pm

Opening in limited release this weekend is director Jason Reitman’s (Up in the Air) great new movie, Young Adult.  Written by Diablo Cody (Juno), the film centers on an alcoholic young adult novelist (Charlize Theron) who ventures back to her hometown in order to pursue her now-married high school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson).  Patton Oswalt co-stars as Theron’s former classmate.  While Young Adult could have easily taken the familiar steps of “bad person goes home and turns everything around”, I’m happy to report Reitman and Cody have crafted a unique movie that should not be missed.  It’s definitely one of my favorites of the year and I’m pretty sure Theron is going to get a nomination for her portrayal of Mavis Gary.  Watch the trailer here and some clips here.

Anyway, I recently got to speak with Reitman in New York City.  During the interview he talked about why he wanted to make Young Adult, how tough it was to get financing, the ’90s music, the way he directs, and deleted scenes.  In addition, with Reitman currently doing a very cool “Live Reading” series at LACMA (the Los Angeles County Museum of Art), he talked about how he got started with the series and what’s coming up.  Hit the jump for the interview.

New R-Rated Spot for Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 29th, 2011 at 7:50 am

A new R-rated spot for director Jason Reitman’s Young Adult has gone online. The film stars Charlize Theron as an alcoholic young adult fiction novelist who returns to her hometown in order to pursue her now-married high school boyfriend. This clips proves that Theron’s character is a terrible, terrible human being. It also proves that it’s incredibly fun to watch Theron marvel in the nastiness. I’m a huge fan of Reitman’s work and I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while. The film’s been turning heads in the awards communities (especially Theron and co-star Patton Oswalt’s performances), and I can’t wait to check out this decidedly dark character piece. The fact that Reitman’s Juno scribe Diablo Cody wrote the script doesn’t hurt either.

Hit the jump to check out the spot. The film also stars Patrick Wilson and Elizabeth Reaser. Young Adult opens in limited release on December 9th and expands nationwide a week later.

15 New Images from Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT Starring Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, and Patton Oswalt

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: November 17th, 2011 at 6:08 pm

Director Jason Reitman returns to the big screen this year with Young Adult, and 15 new images from the pic have been released. Written by Juno scribe Diablo Cody, the film stars Charlize Theron as an alcoholic writer of young adult fiction who returns to her hometown in order to pursue her high-school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson) who is now happily married with a child. This film has been picking up high praise lately from advanced screenings, and is sure to be an awards contender when Oscar-time comes. I love the cast (Patton Oswalt stars in a supporting role), and Reitman’s Up in the Air was my favorite pic of 2009, so I’m very much looking forward to seeing the film once it opens.

Hit the jump to check out the images. The film also stars Elizabeth Reaser. Young Adult opens in limited release on December 2nd, with a nationwide expansion set for the following weekend.

First Trailer for Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT [Updated with Alternate Trailer]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 6th, 2011 at 11:24 am

The first trailer for Jason Reitman’s Young Adult has gone online.  Written by Diablo Cody, the story centers on an alcoholic writer of young adult fiction (Charlize Theron) who decides to return to her small hometown and pursue her high-school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson) even though he’s now happily married and has a young child.  What I dig about this trailer is that it is almost entirely devoid of sentiment.   Charlize Theron’s character is apparently just a sad, selfish person and Theron looks like she’s having some fun with the role when she’s not giving a dead-eyed stare. The film also stars Patton Oswalt, J.K. Simmons, and Elizabeth Reaser.  Young Adult opens in limited release on December 2nd and expands nationwide the following weekend. [Update: Hit the jump to check out an alternate, slightly raunchy trailer]

Paramount to Co-Produce and Distribute Jason Reitman’s LABOR DAY Starring Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 9th, 2011 at 10:42 am

Paramount Pictures has teamed up with Indian Paintbrush to co-produce Jason Reitman’s upcoming film Labor Day. Paramount will distribute the flick, which is set to star Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin. Reitman wrote the screenplay based on Joyce Maynard’s novel which tells the story of an escaped convict (Brolin) who befriends a young boy and seeks shelter with the boy and his mother (Winslet) over a long Labor Day weekend.

Labor Day is set to start production next year, but before that Reitman’s next film Young Adult is set to open on December 9. That film marks the reunion of Reitman and his Juno scribe Diablo Cody, and tells the story of an alcoholic writer who returns to her hometown to pursue her now-married high school boyfriend. Charlize Theron stars. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of Maynard’s novel Labor Day.

First Poster for Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT Starring Charlize Theron [UPDATED]

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 6th, 2011 at 8:01 am

The first poster for Jason Reitman’s Young Adult has gone online and it’s pretty great.  The film centers on an alcoholic writer (Charlize Theron) who writes young adult novels (hence the design of the poster) and decides to return to her small town to pursue her high-school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson) who is now happily married with a young child.  This leads Theron’s character to another high-school classmate played by Patton Oswalt.  It’s a good cast, Reitman makes pretty good movies, and the script is from Diablo Cody.  Young Adult is being billed as a darker movie than Reitman’s previous work and it’s skipping the festival circuit in favor of a limited release on December 2nd and a wide release the following weekend.  However, because of the re-teaming of Reitman and Cody, the Juno comparison will be inevitable despite the drastically different story and tone.

Hit the jump to check out the poster. [Update: We have updated the poster with a hi-res version]

Paramount Releasing Jason Reitman’s YOUNG ADULT to Limited Theaters on December 9, 2011; Wide Release the Following Week

by Jason Barr    Posted: July 25th, 2011 at 7:38 pm

Director Jason Reitman and scribe Diablo Cody’s dramedy Young Adult finally has a release date(s). Paramount has announced that it will open the film to limited theaters on December 9th, 2011, one week before rolling out the pic to a wide release on December 16th. For those unfamiliar with the project, Young Adult stars Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, J.K. Simmons, Patton Oswalt, and Elizabeth Reaser in the tale of a female fiction writer (Theron) who gets a divorce, moves back to her population-challenged Minnesota hometown, and pursues an ex-flame (Wilson) who is now married and a father.

Given the talent behind the project, and its end of the year release, I’m expecting the film to be an awards-season contender in some shape or form. As for its December 9th limited release, Young Adult will be going up against the ensemble rom-com New Year’s Eve. On the 16th, the pic will face some stiff box office competition in the form of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Meryl Streep’s The Iron Lady, and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.

Jason Reitman to Play Doctor to BURT WONDERSTONE Script Starring Steve Carell

by Bill Graham    Posted: June 16th, 2011 at 9:23 pm

If you are going to have someone touch up your script, Oscar-nominated writer/director Jason Reitman (Up In The Air) isn’t a bad choice. While he is busy working on his next film, New Line has tapped Reitman to tweak the script for Burt Wonderstone starring Steve Carell. THR notes that Reitman has been hired for “several weeks’ worth of work,” though it’s unknown if it is just a touch up or complete overhaul. I guess it really comes down to what you think “several” means in this case, and how much time Reitman gives to the film. The film follows Carell, a traditional magician in Las Vegas that loses his partner and has to compete with a younger, hipper magician. For more on Burt Wonderstone and what Reitman currently has on his plate, hit the jump.

Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin to Star in Jason Reitman’s LABOR DAY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 16th, 2011 at 9:11 am

It looks like Jason Reitman is moving along with his next film. EW reports that Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin will play the leads in Reitman’s adaptation of Joyce Manard’s novel Labor Day. The book tells the story of a lonely mother whose 13-year-old son convinces her to take in a drifter who turns out to be a convicted murderer. Reitman wrote the screenplay and will direct the drama, which is set to start shooting in New England in 2012.

I was a huge fan of the writer/director’s Up in the Air, and Winslet and Brolin are both phenomenal actors, so it’s safe to say I’m looking forward to this one. Reitman is currently busy in post-production on Young Adult, a film he directed from a script by his Juno companion Diablo Cody. Young Adult stars Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, and Patton Oswalt, and Paramount is set to distribute.  Brolin was initially interested in that film, but apparently scheduling couldn’t be worked out. Now it looks like he’ll get his chance to work with Reitman after all. Hit the jump to read a synopsis of Maynard’s novel.

Jury Members Announced for 2011 Sundance Film Festival; Includes Matt Groening, Bong Joon-Ho, and Jason Reitman

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 18th, 2011 at 12:22 pm

The Sundance Institute has announced its juries for this year’s Sundance Film Festival.  There are plenty of notable names that will judging this year’s in-competition films including The Simpsons creator Matt Groening, as well as directors Jason Reitman (Up in the Air), Susanne Bier (In a Better World), Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry), Bong Joon-Ho (The Host), and Clark Gregg (Choke).  Actor-writer-director Tim Blake Nelson (Leaves of Grass) will host the awards ceremony on January 29th.

Hit the jump for the full press release and a list of all of the jury members.  The 2011 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 20th – 30th.

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