FUN HOME Film Adaptation- Page 3

[binau]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 12:05am

Also, we already saw him give a Tony-worthy performance on a Broadway stage musical. What else do we need for an audition?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 12:53am

I'm cautiously optimistic & hopeful that this will come together, whether it's with a bunch of stars or Gyllenhaal + stage actors. Wait for an official announcement before speculating about the scale of the project ---- for all we know, Nine Stories could be collaborating with a more prominent producer, or there could be interest from a studio (A24, Focus, Amazon) who wants to finance Gyllenhaal's passion project to strengthen a relationship with him.

Weirdly, Maggie Gyllenhaal could actually be a good Tall Alison.

[bear88]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 2:11am

Someone in a Tree2 said: "I'm all for movie adaptations of great musicals, but does no-one else here feel that the story this show tells is resolutely uncinematic? Sure they can put "Telephone Wire" in a real car driving past streetlamps and traffic lights, but I think this is a show that would really resist the literalness of film. "Ring of Keys" is a lovely song, but do we really need to see the bull dyke delivery lady and her keysenter the diner to appreciate it better? Also the actual plot is Allison's attempt to untangle some meaning in the suicide of her Dad--a task she ultimately fails at. Does that sound like a great arc for a film?

Just asking."

If this film happens, and it's not official yet, I think it will have to be reconsidered to work as a film. The musical is one of my favorites, but some of the details that are most effective do so with the help of the viewer's imagination. That said, one of the reasons the musical works is that it's both specific (gay daughter thinking of her relationship with her closeted gay father) and more general (parents and children, trying to figure out the difficult mysteries of one's parent as an adult). I've dealt with the latter issue myself, so I found the show deeply affecting. I don't see why a smartly-budgeted and creatively-directed musical can't work as a small, prestige project. I hope it works.    

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 3:32am

darquegk said: "I’m hoping large chunks of the film will be animated. It seems only fitting."

I'd love a crazy, stylistic mix of live action and animation that's based on the drawings from the graphic novel. Someone mentioned not needing to see the delivery woman for "Ring of Keys," but in my mind I imagine the real actress "seeing" the drawing from the book and interacting with that image. Or using Tall Alison's narration as she draws the scene, with the Bechdel house starting out as mostly drawings with a few real objects scattered in and becoming more and more real until Medium Alison comes home for the scenes leading up to "Telephone Wire" and the house has become fully realized. I think there's a lot that can be done to keep that sense of theatricality to the film and not have it become so literal and "real."

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 6:16am

John Cameron Mitchell should direct this and incorporate animated comics into the film.

And he should play Bruce while he’s there.

[Lot666]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 7:44am

cwrdlylyn said: "What about Anne Hathaway in the mother role? I'm not her biggest fan, but the idea of pairing her with Jake again, a fitting BROKEBACK reunion with great parts for both actors. And despite not being her biggest fan, I will admit she has a great voice when compared to most film actresses today."

Only if she doesn't talk her way through the songs, like she did with "I Dreamed a Dream".

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 7:51am

^As she was likely directed to do?

[Valentina3]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 11:04am

"^As she was likely directed to do?"

^she probably had some say in it? 

I agree that a Les Mis type direction would be too hammy. Fun Home characters are very proud people whose whole "thing" is that they've internalized their feelings and don't really talk about it much except in the last few songs. Anne Hathaway's Fantine was very vulnerable, and that character as written is too. Judy Kuhn's Helen Bechdel was... resolute. She barely broke down even through "Days and Days". I think if Hathaway was tapped to play Helen, she's a great actress to easily pull it off and would look appropriate next to Jake. I don't know if her singing abilities can handle this score though. My ideal Helen on film is probably Sutton Foster, but I know that's not going to happen.

For folks discussing the show's workability on film - one of the performers in our local production very astutely compared this show to a Shakespearean tragedy, especially the last 4-5 songs. Characters have a lot of baggage which make them hurt people around them or let themselves get hurt because of their moral scruples. I'm paraphrasing, but she noted that "Ring Of Keys just completely opens up your heart and then it gets mauled over and over and over, by Days and Days, then Telephone Wire, then Edges of the World, and finally - you get to heal a little and get closure with Fly Away". Considering how well a lot of Shakespearean stuff has been on film, I think a movie Fun Home could be great. I just hope they envision how the material should translate on film in the same revolutionary way Lisa Kron did the book for the stage version - to this day I can't get over the brilliance of her taking that graphic novel and translating it over with such care and precision.

[John Adams]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 11:24am

Someone in a Tree2 said: "[...] does no-one else here feel that the story this show tells is resolutely uncinematic? [...] Just asking."

and darquegk said: "I’m hoping large chunks of the film will be animated. It seems only fitting."

and Call_me_jorge said: "It will probably be a niche film that only goes around the indie circuit with a limited release in like 3 cities."

RE: "uncinematic", I think it depends on your definition of, or perception of what cinematic might be. Cinematic, like in reference to films like Lawrence of Arabia or Ben Hur? Well... no.

But, my hopes are similar to darquegk's. I agree that "it seems only fitting".

I think one obstacle to overcome is that the story is Gay-centric. Even though there are common, relatable themes for a non-Gay audience (coming of age issues, disappointment with parents, etc.), I think Call_me_jorge's prediction is a possibility.

In the theatre world, there's a larger audience for Gay-centric themes. For this particular story, I think it's possible to appeal to a wider audience (overcome the "niche" relegation), by taking advantage of the built-in opportunities for creative use of animation. (I'm thinking about films like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse, and A Scanner Darkly)

I think that any story can be "cinematic". For me, it relies on the creative application of cinematic techniques. This particular story has a built-in opportunity for creative use of animation. ...and who knows what other cinematic story-telling techniques might be employed. The source material is a graphic novel, told in non-linear time, so there's a possibility for playing not only with animation, but "...a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff".

White... a blank page, or canvas. So many possibilities.

 

 

[cwrdlylyn]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 11:25am

I think the use of animation mixed in is a phenomenal idea and will now inevitably be disappointed in any movie version that doesn't go that route.  I hope Sam Gold makes bold choices as a first time film director.

 

[AADA81]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 12:28pm

I think this is great, and I'm not surprised that Gyllenhaal would want to do this and to be involved in continuing to support this work.  His commitment to theater projects is obvious at this point.  I think he's ideally cast and I certainly disagree that he's too young for the role.  Michael Cerveris was 43 when he first played the role and Jake will be at least 40 when it's done for film.  That's not a stretch.

[stoptheworld38]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 1:04pm

We need Jenn Colella as Big Alison. Probably won’t happen but we can dream, right...?

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 1:11pm

Watch Anne Hathaway's final scene in Brokeback Mountain where she's on the phone with Ennis telling him how Jack died. She is stoic, icy, and reserved but flat out knows who this man is. It's VERY what "Days and Days and Days" should be. 

Anne is very capable of singing this score and acting it in a multitude of ways. If she and the director want stoic and holding emotions, she can do it. If she and the director want her to weep and scream, she can do it. I don't think she'd want to recreate the same dynamics as Brokeback vs doing something else new, but she's a very strong choice. Not to mention that Jake is allegedly very picky with his leading ladies (he quit Burn/This because Ruth Wilson wasn't available) and he has worked with Anne and likes her.

[orph3us]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 1:20pm

I would love Caitlin Kinnunen as Medium Alison in this. Isaac Cole Powell would be very realistic as the young guy, Roy who Bruce cheats with because who wouldn't cheat with Isaac Cole Powell, he's beautiful.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 3:29pm

In THEORY I like this cause he definitely can sing it...

...but why did they choose someone HOT for the dad. Like....he’s supposed to be an unsettling looking person...

[Valentina3]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 3:33pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "
In THEORY I like this cause he definitely can sing it...

...but why did they choose someone HOT for the dad. Like....he’s supposed to be an unsettling looking person..."

Is he? I mean not to be *that* guy, but real life Bruce Bechdel wasn't an unsettling looking person. Jake's done plenty of roles where he's not the drop down hunk that he is in real life.

[raddersons]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 3:39pm

Bruce Bechdel in his prime? Would do.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 3:42pm

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "
In THEORY I like this cause he definitely can sing it...

...but why did they choose someone HOT for the dad. Like....he’s supposed to be an unsettling looking person..."

Says who?  Do you have a source for that?

[Valentina3]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 5:04pm

raddersons said: "Bruce Bechdel in his prime? Would do."

When Jake Gyllenhaal sings "not too bad, if I say so myself, I might still break a heart or two...", y'all will really feel that.

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 5:39pm

i too love the idea of Anne Hathaway in the movie...

and ok let me just say it...why o why is Jake not filming Sunday In The Park instead?...

[binau]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 8:51pm

Maybe they will film Sunday in the west end?

[Owen22]

Posted: 1/3/20 at 10:42pm

Eliza Scanlon from HBO's Sharp Objects and Beth in the current Little Women as Middle Allison.

Updated On: 1/4/20 at 10:42 PM

[aliceripleyofficial]

Posted: 1/4/20 at 3:02pm

Florence Pugh as Medium Allison plz

[FosseTharp]

Posted: 1/4/20 at 3:16pm

I’d love to see Kaitlyn Dever as Middle Alison. And Beth Malone reprising her role. What about Kate Winslet as Helen?

[Darren Pierce]

Posted: 1/4/20 at 9:44pm

Is it confirmed anywhere that it is indeed a musical version being made?  Everything I've seen just says "film adaptation of the musical" which could mean a straight film.