Alexander Payne - Election

0:00 So remember, if we're talking about teen comedies, do you have a favorite? I mean, Ferris Bueller is pretty perfect. It is pretty perfect, so quotable, very quotable. I think if I've got a favorite, my go to would probably be Fast Times at Ridgemont High. But today I think we should talk about a film that may or may not be a teen comedy. Let's talk about a film by Alexander Payne, his nineteen ninety nine cynical comedy Election. Hello everybody, I'm Jeff Johnson, I'm Amber Lewis, and this is a film by Podcast. I think we got a very interesting one to talk about today. But before we get started, I do want to say hello to Bridge. I don't know if I'm saying that right, Amber.

1:15 They are our newest follower on Patreon. That's right, I did say follower listeners. If you haven't yet decided to subscribe to our Patreon for all the exclusive content, you can always try it out for free with our seven day trial, or you can choose to follow us, which is a good thing because we do occasionally release exclusive episodes for free. You can subscribe or follow us on patreon dot com. Backslash, a film by podcast, Amber, we're going to talk about election today. Do you want to let the listeners know what this one's about? White simply a high school teacher meets his match and then overachieving student politician. That sums it up very well. And when I think about this movie, uh, And we briefly discussed favorite teen comedies because initially, when Alexander Payne was approached by MTV Productions to do this film, he told him he didn't want to do a teen comedy, but two producers sold him on the project as a dark adult comedy disguised as a teen comedy, and then he was he was all in. He was like, Okay, I'm in, let's let's let's do this. Initial thoughts, Amber, because I think me and you, I don't know if we're going to agree. I don't I don't know if I'm team Amber this time or not. Was this was this the first time watch for you? Or have you seen it before? It was? I had seen like different scenes before, so I don't know, like if it was on and I just wasn't paying attention or what my connection to it was before today, But I just

2:50 finished watching it like an aura. Oh no, So when you texted me. I was like, halfway through, I'm glad I finished it. Wow, Wow, I can, I can? I see? I just assumed that you had seen this before because it's Alexander Payne. It's I I have never seen any of his movies. Oh my lord, are you kidding me? No. I looked on his IMDb, because you know, sometimes directors will do things and you're like, oh did he do that? I forgot or I didn't realize or whatever. Wow, And I started looking through and I've heard of them and heard positive things, but I've never actually sat and watched ones. He's trust me. He is a brilliant filmmaker. I know we're gonna talk about his filmography later on. I'm not sure Election is the movie that I would have someone start their Alexander Payne viewing. No, and I will say, like, I I kind of right when you texted me.

3:52 Was kind of the turning point of if I didn't have to finish it for this podcast, I probably would not have. Oh okay. So I stuck with it, and by the end I was I don't ever want to watch it again, but I did want to watch his other things. Okay. I was intrigued I'm like, so he definitely has a perspective and a distinctive style, and so I'm intrigued to see like what his other stuff is. Like, he absolutely does. He's if I always tell people, if you enjoyed like the raunchy eighties comedies, you know, this is kind of like that. What he does is sort of like that, only for intelligent people, like for like not well, I don't want say intelligent people.

4:43 Let me strike that this is for It's almost like it's almost like the raunchy teen people grew up and they're still being offensive, and they're still saying things that are wildly inappropriate, and there's some scenery that's going to be jarring at times and language is gonna be jarring at time. That's that's kind of how I would say. It was like biting on tinfoil at different points. Well, I I, well, I compare it to like our ron Chi teen comedy because those are just you know, it's all about naked boobies and you know, boys saying defy things. And this was incredibly offensive at times.

5:26 Yes, I'm thinking I'm thinking about the beginning so adult. Yeah, like the first at least half of it is I could very adults, you know, you know, his his friend that gets fired. Uh, oh god, he was so cross I could. I could see how that would be incredibly jarring for someone that has never watched this. So I will apologize for that because I mean his ever Lyne is like disgusted. It's highly discussed matter with you. Yeah. I forgot about that line for Matthew Broderick's character because he just kind of acts like he made an off color joke or something.

6:08 He is not. He's not horrified. He doesn't go immediately to the police and report him. Yeah, you know, so all his like moral standing and everything is just worseshit because it went confronted with illegality. He just kind of like, oh man, you're that's not cool. Yeah. I have a I have a spot where I want to talk about Matthew Broderick where I feel he he crosses the line, you know. But before we get in that, let's talk a little bit about the cast. So this is Reese Weatherspoon's film. You know, she's playing Tracy Flick. She was initially interested in the role of Timmy Metzler, who plays Paul's sister, but paying offers of the lead, which which takes it away from Melissa Jonhart. And yeah, I think this is ninety nine. So Melissa Jonhart is kind of she's happening, right, I mean it's fair to say that she is her stars on the you know it's not on the rise. It has risen. So I think she's very like soft though I don't Melissa jim Hart. So I think like Tracy, is Tammy's the more fun character. Yes, it's Tracy.

7:20 I think is a really really challenging character. And Reese like brings just kind of a hardness tour and a coldness tour that I think makes it work. Yeah, what did you I mean? This is? I mean, I I you know, I trust that you've seen plenty of Reese Wetherspoon's films, her other work. So how does how does her performance here? How does it compare? Is this one of her better films? Like what I want? I want to say better film? Is this one of her better performances? Yeah? I think if you don't fully appreciate her and you haven't seen this movie, this movie I think would make you more impressed with her film. Absolutely. Yeah. She receives a Golden Globe nomination for this best Actress in a music or comedy and loses to Janet McTeer for Tumbleweed, which I'm not familiar with that one or with miss mctears. So I'm familiar with Janet McTeer. I haven't seen that movie, but I mean that's probably a fair okay loss, I would say, especially because I think I didn't look.

8:28 I meant to look. But I think this is Reese's like kind of transition from child actor to you know, kind of yeah, adults. She had, Yeah, she had. She did the movie with Mark Wahlberg in ninety six called Fear, Yes, you know, and then this was kind of like, I don't know what she did in between the between that and this, but it is it's it's kind of a segue. It's like, hey, Reese Wetherspoon is She's She's the real She's the real deal. Uh, someone that is always the real deal. You mentioned one of his best, if not most iconic performances, when you talked about Ferris Bueler Matthew Broderick playing Jim McAllister. So it's funny he's he's fourth choice for this role, if you can believe it, because I love him in this movie. But well, here's the thing. I do not like adult Matthew Broderick at all, almost at all. So I was really impressed with his performance in this movie because it was really good, and I was shocked because it wasn't like anything else I've seen him. Do. Tell me you didn't you didn't think of Ferris when he has that little fantasy in his head where he's driving the sports car, and that was the only part that I thought was funny.

9:54 Yeah, driving that sports He's great. So Tim Robbins was the one they wanted to play mister m and I think he would have been better better than Brodrick, Yes, times better actor. Well I'm not gonna say whether or not he's a better actor, but I think broad Brick, I don't know that Tim Robbins could play the goofy weak character that Jim McAllister is. Maybe I'm wrong. I've always enough of his movies then, because it's not all okay, okay, I mean I'm thinking, you know, I was like nuke le loosh, I just thought of nickel Lush. Yeah, you're right, So he could have done it, but alas uh, they didn't get him. And Paramount actually wanted Tom Hanks or Tom Cruise at the time they told out At the time they told Alexander Payne, we want one of the Toms Cruise or Hanks, like that will any Tom do or that? That was their round though we want we want one of the Toms. Obviously, later Tom Hanks is kind of now embracing more like villainous, kind of questionable characters. If the one time Tom Cruise did it, it like turned my stomach, So Cruise could have done this Tom Hanks, I think he could have done this. However, if you want to see one of the greatest Tom Hanks as a comedic villain movies ever, it's The Lady Killers. He

11:26 is so good in that. I mean, he is so good in that. But alas Matthew broder gets it. So you know your your overall your thoughts, like you know you you will you had you had one fun moment with him when he's fantasizing in the sports car, but other than that, you're you're not liking adult Matthew Broderick. Well, I just yeah, like adult Matthew Broderick. My most of what I think of when I think of his later work is filmed versions of Broadway musicals and I think maybe live he had an electricity that obviously sold a lot of tickets. But you know, he did the music man, he did the producers, and it just didn't do it for me. But in this he he didn't have all of the mannerisms and the kind of over the top facial expressions and stuff like. He really embraced this like loser character. He well, it's the anti Ferris.

12:31 Yeah, well, he's very anti Ferris. And it's not that he's I don't I don't look a him as a loser per se. He is. He's definitely like a schlep who is like, he's the nerdy teacher that you love you obviously, he you know, he's the he wins Teacher of the Year three times, three years out of ten years. He cares about the students, but he's he's a bit of a goofball. You know, we all had a teacher like him. Not not the not when he not when he turns heel obviously, but you know, the fun guy. You know, he's he participates in the pep rallies. He's he's he's the teacher that you you enjoyed his class. I would say, until he he turns in this film and then he's just like, then he's rotten, you know, then he he he, he embraces that loser mentality. But uh, and I know we'll get a little bit well, we'll talk a little bit more about that probably, But Alexander Payne is out doing location scouting for high schools for this movie, and that's when he finds a young kid named Chris Klein.

13:31 So this is Chris. This is Chris Klein's debut film. You know, he's Paul Metzler, He's the he's the popular jock who breaks his leg skiing. Now his football career is over, and you know what can he do? Well, maybe he can run for for for class president against you know. Uh, Tracy Flick, what your thoughts on Chris Klein. I was surprised that this was his first movie. He's got that kind of goofy charisma, like a Josh Hartnett kind of kind of guy. I think you say that because because he like he should have had a bigger career. I shouldn't say he should have had he should have a bigger career, right, But I think I just really liked his character. He was just a sweet, kind of goofy guy. Is he? I think? Am I right in saying that maybe he's the one character and I'm talking like the main the main main cast here. Is he the one person that we can we want to root for, we want to get behind. I don't know. I really love Tammy so okay, well, let's okay. I was rooting for her too, But I think those two kids are going to be okay.

14:43 Yeah, Jessica Campbell as his little sister, Tammy. So thora Birch was cast in this film to play Tammy, and I can only imagine how awesome that would have been. Yes, I love her well, I love her too, but she leaves. She leaves the set after three days, citing creative differences with the director. I don't know what creative differences she could have had for the character of Tammy, because what Jessica Campbell does on the screen is electrifying. I love She's She might be my favorite character in the whole film. What do you think? Yes, she definitely has just a great personality. She I love the way she sticks up for herself. Hmmm, you know, she the way she manipulates the situation to get what she thinks she wants and it turns out pretty good for her. And I love the speech that she gives the election. Her election speech is awesome. That was amazing. And I like her relationship with her brother, Like they they fight, they scream at each other, and there are I feel I felt like their their chemistry as brother and sister was pretty authentic. Yes, you know you have brother, right, I have a sister. So I felt like that. Yeah, I bought into that. You know, it's like they like each other, but they also want their space. You know. I like it. Amber. Let's take a quick break and when we come back,

16:15 we'll talk a little bit about the film's background and production. We are back discussing Alexander Paine's nineteen ninety film Election. So a couple of things here, Amber. It's based on a novel of the same name by Tom Parata. And here's where we dig a little because Parata's work was based on a nineteen forty one novel by Bud Schulberg called What Makes Sammy Run? And it was in that novel the setting was journalism and the old Hollywood studio system, and the ambitious character was not named Tracy Flick. He was named Sammy Glick, and so this one, it's got some deep history dating back to nineteen forty one. Additionally, Parada's novel took inspiration from the nineteen ninety two presidential election when Ross Perrot entered as a third party candidate. It's kind of where you get the Tammy character. And also from a nineteen ninety two scandal from a high school in Wisconsin which involved a pregnant student who was elected homecoming queen and the staff announced a different winner and burned the ballots to cover it up.

17:27 It just sounds how was that? Of course? Yeah, of course, of course right. The film is shot in and around parts of Nebraska. Most of Alexander Payne's films take place in Omaha. Payne has said of election quote, it was set in a high school, but it wasn't a high school story per se. Also what attracted me was the formal exercise of doing a movie with multiple points of view and multiple voiceovers. I'm gonna ask you, we don't we always get like a narrator in movies that that's their diame ad dozen every now and then we get multiple narrators like Scorsese probably does it best, but what's your take on it? Do you like Do you like the multiple narrator format? I definitely liked it in this because so much of the choices that they make, you're like, what were you thinking?

18:22 And the adults are all horrible, so if you don't kind of know what's in their head, you know, you're kind of like, how did you get to making these choices that you're making? So I really liked it. I liked, you know, seeing that there really wasn't anything more in you know, the football players head than the air that you thought was there. And I liked that. You could, if you're looking on the outside, you could think that Tracy was just this horrible, manipulative person. But the more you see her thought process, you see kind of the choices that she makes them why she makes them. So I liked getting everybody's perspective. Yeah, she's devious, but it's fun to be inside her headspace at times and see her point of view and you kind of at times you're like, Okay, I get it. There's a fine line between like ambition and devious though, Like I spent a lot of time thinking in her scenes. You know, if she were a boy, would you think negatively about her choices, like would she just be ambitious and go on after what she wants? And you know if it was a guy, would you feel differently about it?

19:45 Because she's a girl. I mean she does she does some some things that are wrong, but ultimately she's aside from just being annoying, you know, she's not really doing a lot of bad things. Right, you can make well And even like even the poster thing, it was like an impulsive meltdown. It wasn't. I don't think it was a malicious so you know I'm gonna ruin his campaign the poster. Yeah, the poster meltdown. I don't think it's malicious until she creates the cover up and then is willing to watch a student take the fall for her. So that's where she that's where she's like, right, but you know she's sixteen years old. Oh she doesn't excuse it. But she's a child making child like choices, that's right.

20:33 And when the principal stood up in that assembly and was like if you're not going to act like adults, said, you're not gonna get treated like adult, I fell off the couch. I was like, you pompous ass, like these are children, they're not adults. It's the entire point. You listen, you're talking about one of my favorite characters, Principal, the principal director, director Walt Hendricks, played by Phil Reeves. He he's one of those you see him in this and then you immediately he's that guy, because you're like, where have I seen him before? And name any of your favorite shows from the last twenty or thirty years he was in him. But the funny thing here, I hope you like, I hope you at least liked him a little bit, because you're gonna see him again in another Alexander Payne movie playing the same person. Oh no way, Like literally he is.

21:25 He is. Literally. He is credited in Election as Walt Hendricks. He will also be credited in Sideways as Walt Hendricks. So, oh my gosh, yeah, you know, fun little spot for him. But I love Phil Reeves. This is of course, written by Alexander Payne and his longtime writing partner Jim Taylor Amber. We don't usually do this for the background on the film, but I gotta ask you, do you do you know anything about Jim Taylor. I don't think so, but I have a feeling I'm gonna find out this guy. This guy's background is awesome. So Jim Taylor started out in Hollywood in nineteen eighty seven working for Canon Films. And if you have listeners, if you have listened to this show for any of our nineteen eighty six stuff, you know we love Canon films. That's the Chuck Norris movies, the Charles Bronson movies that you know, Canon was awesome.

22:22 We love that this guy worked for Cannon in eighty seven. That was like the height of Cannon's popularity in power. But it's then that he met Payne on a tempt job. He became his roommate, and you're gonna love this Samber. After winning money on Wheel of Fortune, he took that money. Yes, he took the money for tuition, and he entered the Titch School of the Arts and with pain, he co writes Citizen Ruth election Jurassic Park three. Yes, I did say. Alexander Payne co wrote Jurassic Park three about it sideways, I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry and Downsizing, which came out a couple of years ago. This guy's awesome. This guy's as the best use of Will fortune money. I think I've ever heard you got you gotta wonder like people go on money on will of fortune, they win five grand, ten grand whatever. What do they do with that money?

23:18 Some of them are going to film school and they head to Hollywood. So uh, this film was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the two thousand Academy Awards. Now I ember it does not win, and I'll tell you this is this is some tough, tough company. The cider House Rules wins for Best Adapted Screenplay that year. Election was also against The Green Mile, The Insider, and the talented mister Ripley, So it was never going to win. That's some tough competition. I mean every every film that I just I just said, what is an amazing film, yes, and amazing source material, But yeah, that's just not your year. Yep, it's just not gonna happen. Already be nominated. Yeah, so this scene, you know, this is this is one of those dark comedies. People say very crude things, people do very crude things. There's a lot of immoral behavior, which is funny because mc allister, you know, Matthew Broderick's character, he's he's his whole lesson plan is all about morals versus ethics, and that plays up the whole film because people are are being very immoral, They're they're being very unethical. I'll ask you this, Outside of the fantasy scene where he's driving the sports car, was there any other scene where you you gotta

24:48 you gotta, you gotta laugh or you were like, this is this is a great scene. I mean I did chuckle a little bit during the campaign speeches when Paul finished his speech and you could hear literal crickets in the background because nobody was applotting, and usually you know, it's that's subtext, but he actually put the SoundBite in there. I thought that was funny, but yeah, the rest of it, no, I was too uncomfortable. I love I love that moment because you should expect the place to erupt for Paul, because he is he's the quarterback, you know, he's he's he's the jock, and instead it erupts for his little sister who starts off, you know, like you said, the principal has to calm the class down at the PEP rally, and then she starts going on on a rant about how it's all you know bullshit anyways, and don't vote for anyone and then and they erupt, they go they go nuts for you know, until she gets gets herself kicked out of school. But you didn't. I got to ask you this though, what about the beasting moment with Matthew Brodrick that you didn't even like that? Like where he he's slowly starting to get his come up and no, I mean I didn't think it was funny. Okay, all right, I thought it was a little rotten, you know, well, it was kind of more. It felt more to me like one of those everything that could go wrong will go wrong with this guy from now until the

26:21 end of the movie. Like, all right, what about what about to catch a break? Okay? What about a pivotal moment? Was there anything in here where you're like, this is the scene that the film needs. I mean, I think if I were telling someone, you know, someone was asking me about it, should I watch it? I would say, like, just stick with the first half because you have to get through the backstory. M hmm. I think to understand why he hates Tracy so much and why he starts making the choices that he makes. It doesn't none of it makes sense none of it is right, but you can at least he explains himself kind of. I think the pivotal moment here is when he's in the car with the neighbors, the friend Doug's, Doug's ex wife. Yeah, yeah, when he's everything, you know, he's at this point he is still like the goofy white Knight. He's still the nice guy. You still are kind of rooting for him a little bit. And then he then he gets slimy, you know, and he has the you know, what do you think should we get a room? You know? He points at the motel, makes her uncomfortable and she's like, you know, that's not very funny, you know, And right there that is the moment where you're like, Okay, this guy has veered off the path. He's going to get whatever's coming his way. You know, he's gonna deserve it because he's

27:51 he's about to do a lot of immoral things and it's just it's it's jarring to see Matthew Broderick be that guy. But it's also kind of fun to watch him just completely melt down and and just just lose everything he's got. Because you think about this being the movie he's he's up in the morning, he's running the track, he's eating salads, he's he's everyone's a mister, id McAllister. Everyone loves him. And by this point in the movie, he's I don't know if you noticed this, but he's starting junk food a lot. He's not he's not running, he's starting to look a little beat, little haggard, and he's starting to get nasty with the students. So for me, that that's the moment that does it. I think the pivotal part of that scene is his reaction to what she says, because he could have just fluffed it off like a joke. M like, no, it was just kid, you know, we were driving past, and I'm sorry.

28:49 I thought it was funny and tried to like save face or whatever. But he kind of like doubles down, and yeah, it just makes it slimier and more uncomfortable. Yeah, he's he's he's extra slammy there. He doesn't read the situation and he presses, which you know, you could argue almost works for him, but until until the neighbor has a conscious and you know, reports everything to his wife, and then you know, well, and a lot of the two you can see it was all in his head because it kind of comes out of left field. And she her face is like what yeah. Oh. When he's like we're in love, she's like, no, we're not. What's problem with? Yeah? What are you even talking about? So let me tell you about Constantine Alexander Payne. First off, Amber, if your name is Constantine, why are you? Why are you going by your middle name? That's awesome? I mean I'm not going by Constantine. You're not going by maybe as an adult, but yeah, no as a kid. I jump out a window before I tell people Constantine. Pain. No, that's that sounds live in like Imperial Russia?

30:03 All right? He's He is a screenwriter, director, and producer. He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has an affinity for placing his films there. And Amber, you have never seen any of his work, so you probably don't realize that, but you will. You'll start to notice. There's a theme running at the end when Matthew Roderick decides to move to New York. When he's sitting at the traffic light, I found myself thinking, like, you know, if you ever wondered like who lives in Nebraska? Anyway, Like, it's not like you think Montana. You might think cowboys or whatever, but like who lives in Nebraska? Like what do they even do there? I have no idea, and I wonder how this movie how they feel about I'll caution you, we have listeners in Nebraska, So any of you from Nebraska listening to this one, please let us know, Like what do you do there? Because Amber is curious because I've never been there.

31:04 I've never even driven through it. I don't know. I believe the successful people of Nebraska have something to say about it. Hopefully we'll find out. Is it reflected by anything in the movie election No, no, no, no, no other than the location. No. I think this is just Payne enjoying making films where he grew up. But he did receive his Master of Fine Arts in nineteen ninety from UCLA Film School. He has won two Academy Awards and two Golden Globes and Amber he is one of the very few directors who have final cut rights for their films. I felt like he kind of reminded me of Wes Anderson, just from the standpoint of like you're watching a movie and you know this is a Wes Anderson movie like and I felt like, like I said, I was intrigued. I want to watch more of his filmography and say, like, he definitely has a point of view. I dig that you say that he has a style because you've only seen one of his films and he absolutely does have a style. And I think you're I think you're gonna enjoy And I don't think his style is gonna I don't think the rest of these movies are gonna give me the will he's like this, No, I can. I can tell you one one or two might, but not in the way that election does. You know, they're they're not gonna be as jarring as election. I can. I can tell you that. Uh, let's take let's take one more break, and when we get back, we will go through his filmography and uh and talk

32:37 about some of these films that you definitely need to see. Amber. We are back with Amber Lewis, ready to discuss the filmography of Alexander Payne. I gotta I gotta think this might take Uh, this might not take long at all, Amber, because I haven't seen anything. But uh. He does make his directorial debut in nineteen ninety six with a film called Citizen Ruth and this one. It's been so long since I've seen it that I've kind of forgotten it. But I remembered just because all anybody talked about that award season was Laura Dern. Laura Dern is amazing in the film. So for that reason alone, I say, I say check it out, and I result in it what it is, it's very topical, unfortunately it is.

33:31 Yeah, you know, and for those that haven't seen it, you know we're talking about, you know, an irresponsible, drug addicted, recently impregnated woman finds herself in the middle of an abortion debate when both parties attempt to sway her to their respective side. Topical in nineteen ninety six, as you mentioned, very topical in twenty twenty four, and you know that's so, I will say. But there's some amazing performances in it. One of my favorite guys, kurtwood Smith, best known as Red Foreman from that seventy show I love him in Robocoppus, Clarence Bottecker, He's in it. It's good, it's worth it's worth checking out for sure. Amber, what do you I'm sure you've heard about his two thousand and two film about Schmidt starring Jack Nicholson, And yeah, that one I kind of wasn't sure i'd want to watch because like I tolerated the movie as good as it gets, I didn't love it the way other people. So I feel like, I'm definitely not gonna like this one. I'll tell you right now, if you did not like as good as it gets, probably stay away from this one because Jack is fantastic in it and Kathy Bates is definitely awesome in this film. Yeah, might might sway a little bit. Yeah, Yeah, you know Schmidt Basically, he's this retired guy. He's trying to get back to together, make it, make a relationship happen with his estrange daughter, and uh,

35:04 he's learning a lot of life lessons after his wife passes away. Basically, and it's you know, when I when I think back to watching it, one of the funny one of the funny things I liked that Jack, did you remember those? Like what was it? Sally was it? Who was it? Sally Field used to do those for just thirty cents a day, the cost of a cup of coffee. You can sponsor one of these children from Africa. You know, you remember those those infomercials. Yes, I don't remember Sally Field doing it, but yeah, I know what's talking about. I'm sorry, not Sally Field. Who am I thinking of? From all in the family, Yeah, Sally, Sally Strauthers, thank you. Yes, At no time did Sally Field endorse I mean, I'm sure she cares about children. I'm sure. Yeah, for it on television. Yeah, No, we we know Normal Ray cares about the children. We're just you know, she's not doing infomercials, right, Yeah. She shout out to your You're a Film at forty five episode when you guys did Norma Ray earlier this year? Yes, love that one. But the thing is, h Nicholson's character ends up adopt you know, quote unquote adopting one of these children, and like his whole ventting process is that he writes letters to this little boy I want to say, was named nidogu So and he just it's like him venting all his frustrations about life and his wife and everything to help us. He just writes that. That's but that's his therapy, that's his

36:35 therapy how he gets through life. So I don't know, I you know, I would say give it a shot. It's it's not it's not Jack Nicholson being the character that he wasn't as good as it gets where he's very confident and full of himself and ecocentric. Schmid's more. But he's so offensive to everyone around him, Like yes, and that's kind of what I was thinking this was going to be, was Jack us it's being everybody like garbage. No, not so much, well a little bit, but I lived through this one. I'll watch for Kathy Bates all right. Two years later, in two thousand and four, he does what I'm gonna go ahead and tell you is my all time favorite film from Alexander Payne, a film called Sideways and see this one. I don't know how I missed it because Sandra O is in it. Sandra oh yeah. He was actually married to her after this movie for a time. But I love her so so so much.

37:35 I don't know how I missed this her Her performance in this film is awesome. I don't want to spoil I can't now, I can't. I gotta watch what I say because I don't want spoil anything, you know, But I love Jim Autie and I mean I love everybody in it, so yeah, well, the only thing I could say is I had a four year old and yeah, it's not a four year old kind of movie. No, but let's let's be how I missed. Let's uh, let's go, let's talk oscars. Okay, it's It's nominated for Best Picture, It's nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Thomas Hayden Church, nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Virginia Madson, who is also amazing in this film. Uh. Payne gets a Best Director nomination for for this one, and ultimately he wins the adapted screenplay that he that he would that he lost out the last time for Election, he wins it this time sideways. What can I tell you that that doesn't spoil it. It's it's a it's a musty film. I'll say that for you Amber. Yeah, yeah, that was definitely when I started cycling through uh after watching Election, I was like, oh, now I have to watch it, like I'm gonna I'm gonna double Yeah, I'm gonna double down. When I told you to watch u Shalo may In in the King, you know you said if I like that? So did you wait? Did you watch it.

39:02 Yeah, not yet, Okay, it's still you. Remember you remember I told you you watch that and if you don't love it, you can pick any director, any any movie. We'll talk about it. You know it'll be the Amber Lewis takeover that that week, I'm doubling down, and I'm telling you right now, you watch Sideways, and if you don't love Sideways, I'll I'll owe you another one. You might get let's but I'm confident that you're gonna love Sideways. So there you go. All right, I'm doing he uh. In two thousand and six, he does a he does one of the segments for Paris I Love You. I did not see that one, can't tell you much about it. He directed one episode of the HBO series Hung, starring Tom Jane. Never saw that one. Never saw that show, So I can't tell you much about it. But here's what I can't tell you. In twenty eleven, he does a film that we almost were talking about, like I was looking at this one and then ultimately I was like, you know what, election, Let's let's have some fun, let's talk about election. But in twenty eleven, he does a film with George Clooney called the Descendants. I turned that one on. It's streaming on the Hulu and I turned it on when I finished Election. I haven't finished it yet, but I love this movie so far. Okay, So all right, so you've seen a little bit more of his stuff. This one's fantastic. This is one I own, this one. I mean, George is so good. Yeah, it's streaming on Prime all right, I'm streaming on Hulu right now. Yes, but I'd recommend by this one.

40:30 And again that theme, you know, like Alexander Pain does a lot of stuff where people are disconnected from their relatives or their friends and they're trying to work towards getting back, you know. And this one, Clooney plays a plays a guy who's trying to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife's been hurt in a boating accident, has to go go back home. It's it's interesting, you know, I really I really like it though. It's it's it's one of those is it a comedy with some dramatic moments or is it a drama with comedy. It's it's it's a dramedy, I might say, Yeah, and one of one of Clooney's better performances. I'll say that too. Yeah, I mean so far, I'm like, like I said, I'm like halfway through and loving it, loving it all right. Well, a couple of years later, twenty thirteen, he does another film I think I think you would enjoy this time. Now he's not with his buddy Jim Taylor. This one was written by by a guy named Bob Nelson. But I'm talking about Nebraska, and as we talked about, like, you know, he likes to Bruce Den. Yes, did you see this one?

41:34 No? But I remember that was kind of like with Citizen Ruth, everybody was talking about Laura Dern. I remember with this one, everybody was talking about Bruce Dern and how amazing he was. Oh, Bruce Dern, this is this is like a performance for the ages what he does in this and uh, he's more for Liam because Liam loves Bruce Den. I've kind of gotten cold with him. I promise you if you want to see just an amazing Bruce Den performance, it's Nebraska, and it's you know, he makes the choice to go black and white, which gives it this really really cool artistic merit. And there's a lot of callbacks, like as you If you go through his filmography, he does enjoy working with the same same group a lot. So Nebraska brings some some familiar faces, uh you know, back to uh, back to his h his world. But man, Nebraska.

42:31 I watched it thinking I'm not gonna probably not gonna like this, but it's it's a Bruce Dern movie. I love Bruce Dern, so I'm gonna try it. And yeah, Bruce Dern his character's quest too, you know, go from uh Montana Nebraska. He's he claims he's got this million dollar lottery ticket or something, you know. I think it's I can't remember if it's a lottery ticket or like a sweepstakes thing, but no one believes him. And it's all about his quest to get back to to Nebraska so so he can cash it in. It's pretty awesome. Now here's where we go. He's got two more movies, Amber. I have not seen either one of these, but both of them are on my list. Twenty seventeen, he did a film, a little known film with who was it? Who do I want to say? Matt Damon movie called Downsizing. You remember you didn't see the previous like this is the one where someone where like Matthew if I remember, if I remember right, he's like a guy who uses this is more of like a sci fi thing. This is kind of new territory for Alexander Payne. But Matthew Damon or Matthew Matt Damon, Yeah, yeah, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not that close with him yet. No, matt Damon is just sick of it of his life and has this idea he can go to this this new place where they basically they shrink you down to like five inches tall and then they put you in this whole other like it's just like utopian society where you live away from him like the rest of like the world. And it looked really weird, and really it was just

44:06 a strange looking film. I don't know if it connected. Yeah, yeah, I don't remember even hearing anything at all about this. Okay why Uh, Like I said it, it kind of came and went quickly because I don't think people understood how to take it. Is it? Is it a comedy, is it a sci fi movie? Is it something different? You know, Matt Damon, Kristin Wig, Mmm, I can't remember who else was in it. Uh, let me look hopefully, hopefully h Christoph Waltz I love Okay, okay, okay, so see I don't like Kristin Wig, but I love Christoph Waltz. So all right, so they'll balance each other out. Gotta check it out. I'm gonna I'm gonna check that one out. Listeners like it sounds kind of weird? Yeah, listeners, let let us know. Do we need to check out downsizing because I can tell you the one. I'm definitely it's my queue on same on what do we want to call it? Peacock, peacack, peacock? Yeah, yeah, peacock twenty twenty three The Holdovers. This is Paul Giamatti. You know, cranky history teacher is out of prep school. They're kind of what are they snowed in or are they like the kids? It's like winter break and okay, I think these kids just aren't going home, like they're just you know, their families or have other plans or whatever, so they're just staying.

45:30 It looks like you watched the trailer for it, and it looks it looks fantastic. Yeah see I watched the trailer and rolled my eyes and said, I've seen dead poet Society oh, okay, poets okay and interesting in Dayton from Docum Bay seventy seven watched it and lost his mind and was talking about how amazing it was, and then you know, of course it was all over the Awards season. I'm like, perhaps I misjudged. All right, Well, we'll have to We'll have to check that one out for sure, because I mean, I love Paul Jammotty, so why not. Yeah, So we always discuss what's next for this director. Right now he has nothing in development. But so here's my question to you, Amber. He's directed nine people to OSCAR nominations. Uh. And in The Holdovers. Uh.

46:25 Divine Joy Randolph. She recently she won, she wins Best Supporting Actress for The Holdovers. So just looking at this, I made a little list here. Jack Nicholson, George Clooney, Bruce Den, Paul Jammotty all nominated for Best Actor, Thomas Aytan Church nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and then you got Kathy Bates, Virginia Mattson, June Squibb, and the aforementioned Divine Joy Randolph, all nominated for Best Supporting Actress. This guy like the Oscars like this guy. So my question to you, is there someone you'd like to see work with him in an upcoming film? Maybe my new favorite guy, John David Washington. Love John David Washington. I can see that. I'll follow him anywhere. So all right, that's that's a good that's a good call. It be neat to see him do something kind of different, all right, I'm with you on that. This film is currently streaming on max I for one, definitely recommend it for anyone who enjoys cynical, slightly offensive comedies with quirky characters brought to life by fantastic performances. Amber you you kind of put your cards on the table at the beginning of this, so so I'll ask you, like, any chance that you might recommend this for Alexander Payne viewers or Alexander Payne followers. Well, sure, like if they're interested

47:57 in his movies and yeah know his body of work. Absolutely, anybody who this is my girl Reese, I would tell them to watch this, okay, because she's amazing in it. I just am not going to be like, oh, it's so funny and you know, edgy and whatever. It's it's not. It's gross and offensive in many places, but like I said by the end of it, it wasn't like I am never like what was what did we do? A few weeks ago? And I was like, I'm never watching this movie again, and I don't ever want to watch anything this person does. What was that movie? Maybe watched the Nicole Kimman movie.

48:39 Oh, I've blogged it from my memory. I don't even remember. Hold last second, Hold last second, you're oh wait, oh oh you're talking about the paper Boy. Yes, yeah, like great, great one time watch and you never want to go back to it, right, That's what I think, And I'm moving on with my life. But this one, I would say there's value there. You might you might go back and watch this one again, right maybe? Yeah, okay, all right, we'll take that. I love how divided we are on our recommendations this time. That's that's fantastic because I don't want to like have the listeners feel like they just wasted an hour, but it is. It was worth my time.

49:25 It intrigued me about this filmmaker. But maybe maybe we'll have a couple of people email us or hit us up on social media and tell it. You know, yeah, I'm team Amber. This movie. This movie is not for me, but I don't know. We'll find out listeners. Yeah, listeners, what what did you think of election? Because we know what Amber thinks. Let us know on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. You can check out a film by podcast dot com. You'll find all of our stuff streaming free there. You can write to us at a film by a Podcast at gmail dot com with your questions, comments and concerns. We may just read your response on the show and send you some film by swag. I can tell you, Amber, I've got I got to go to the post office here the next air step because IVE got like six or seven boxes I got to send out people or just emailing us a love I love it, but I'm like, man, I can right, I gotta invest. Gotta invest in some cardboard boxes or something.

50:22 We love hearing what people think we do. Amber, thank you for joining me for this divided conversation today. Thank you. I've got a whole new you know you got a new directory. Yeah, dive in so No, I'm when you get through that filmography, I'm gonna have to ask you, like, okay, top three pain films or you know, maybe you'll give me your top three most pain full films you don't want to watch again? I don't know, we'll we'll find out. But uh, you have anything coming up on your home away from home the docu based seventy seven podcast Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Crouching Tiger. Huh yeah, I will be the host for that one. You're hosting it again? We love Yeah, Hop on over and we'll talk some kung fu. Yes. Please check out Amber Lewis on the Docking Base seventy seven podcast. You can check her out on several episodes now on a film buy, and you can check her out on our Patreon where she has done some awesome work with us for our long lost nineteen eighty six films. So we got plenty plenty for you, and for those of you out there listening hitting the like, subscribe or follow button and catching our exclusive content on Patreon, we thank you,