From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The F Word | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster |
|
| Directed by | Michael Dowse |
| Screenplay by | Elan Mastai |
| Based on | Toothpaste and Cigars by TJ Dawe and Michael Rinaldi[1] |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Rogier Stoffers |
| Edited by | Yvann Thibaudeau |
| Music by | A. C. Newman |
|
Production |
|
| Distributed by | Entertainment One |
|
Release dates |
|
|
Running time |
102 minutes[2] |
| Countries |
|
| Language | English |
| Budget | $11 million[3] |
| Box office | $8.5 million[4] |
The F Word (released in some countries as What If?) is a 2013 romantic comedy film directed by Michael Dowse from a screenplay written by Elan Mastai, based on the play Toothpaste and Cigars by TJ Dawe and Michael Rinaldi.[5] It stars Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan as two young people who meet and, because she has a boyfriend, decide to be «friends». Megan Park, Adam Driver, Mackenzie Davis, and Rafe Spall appear in supporting roles.
The F Word premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on 7 September 2013, and was theatrically released in Canada on 22 August 2014. It received several nominations at the 2nd Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Picture, and won for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Plot[edit]
Wallace is a young Englishman working a dead-end job and living with his sister and nephew in Toronto. He dropped out of medical school over a year ago after catching his then-girlfriend kissing their teacher, and has since not been social. He is convinced to attend his best friend Allan’s party, where he meets Allan’s cousin Chantry. That same night, Allan meets Nicole and they become enamored with one another.
Wallace and Chantry leave the party and he walks her home, where he learns that she has been in a long-term courtship. Nevertheless, she gives him her phone number, but he decides against calling her. They later run into each other at a film theater and wind up having dinner together. The two form an instant connection, discussing various topics such as the Fool’s Gold sandwich. They decide to become friends and Wallace is soon invited to meet Chantry’s boyfriend, Ben, an attorney working for the United Nations. Ben ends up in the hospital after Wallace accidentally knocks him out of a window. At the hospital, Wallace and Chantry encounter Megan, his ex-girlfriend. Ben later moves to Dublin for six months for work, and Chantry continues her work as an animator. While Ben is gone, Wallace and Chantry’s relationship continues to develop. Wallace struggles with his desire to tell Chantry how he feels, much to Allan’s dismay.
Allan and Nicole get married. After the reception, Chantry’s younger sister Dalia tries to seduce Wallace in her car, but he does not reciprocate. Later on, Wallace and Chantry join Allan and Nicole for a bonfire on the beach and they decide to go skinny dipping. Allan and Nicole steal their clothes, forcing them to sleep naked together in a single sleeping bag. Feeling forced into an uncomfortable intimate situation, they express anger with their friends.
Feeling guilty, Chantry travels to Dublin to see Ben. She discovers that Ben has accepted more work commitments that require him to travel frequently and she decides to end the relationship. Meanwhile, Wallace decides to go to Dublin to express his true feelings. He encounters Ben who punches him in the face. He learns that Chantry has returned to Toronto and wants to meet. At a diner, Wallace tells Chantry about the trip and his feelings for her and she responds unfavorably, informing that she has accepted a work promotion and will be moving to Taiwan.
Heartbroken, Wallace considers going back to medical school and moving on with his life; however, he decides to attend Chantry’s farewell party and they have a tearful goodbye. They finally admit to their mutual feelings after gifting each other Fool’s Gold, and they kiss.
Eighteen months later, Wallace and Chantry return home from Taiwan after becoming engaged. They marry and contemplate the rest of their lives while sitting on Wallace’s rooftop.
Cast[edit]
- Daniel Radcliffe as Wallace[6]
- Zoe Kazan as Chantry[7]
- Megan Park as Dalia[8]
- Adam Driver as Allan[9]
- Mackenzie Davis as Nicole[10]
- Rafe Spall as Ben[11]
- Jemima Rooper as Ellie
- Jordan Hayes as Becky
- Meghan Heffern as Tabby
- Jonathan Cherry as Josh
- Sarah Gadon as Megan
- Tommie-Amber Pirie as Gretchen
- Adam Fergus as Rolf
- Lucius Hoyos as Felix
- Rebecca Northan as Holly
- Oona Chaplin as Julianne
- Ennis Esmer as Paramedic
Production[edit]
Elan Mastai’s script was included in the Black List’s 2008 survey.[12] Principal photography began mid-August 2012, in Toronto.[13] A six-week shoot took place in Ontario,[14] and ended with three days in Dublin, Ireland.[15] The scene where Wallace runs into Chantry at a movie theater was filmed at the Royal Cinema.[16] Most of the Toronto filming was within the East Chinatown, Leslieville and Riverdale districts, though other downtown regions were used in Toronto and Scarborough.[17] The scene where Wallace and Chantry skinny dip was filmed at the Scarborough Bluffs.
Additional filming for a new ending took place in Toronto in November 2013.[18] After testing the film with different focus groups, the filmmakers realized audiences wanted a more conclusive ending, and new scenes set 18 months later were shot. Radcliffe initially had reservations about changing the ending, but then felt «really happy with it».[19] Producer Michael Dowse felt it was important to film in Toronto since the city hadn’t been featured in many classic romantic comedies.[20]
Casey Affleck was originally attached to play the lead, but was replaced by Radcliffe.[21] Radcliffe said it was important for him to have a role in the film as he had never starred in a contemporary movie and it was something he wanted to try.[22] In an interview with Cineplex, he said that he and co-star Zoe Kazan improvised many of their lines to create a natural atmosphere between them.[23]
Release[edit]
The film’s worldwide distribution rights were acquired by Entertainment One[24] and they handled the theatrical release in Canada and the United Kingdom.[25] North American sales of distribution were obtained by the UTA.[26]
Name change[edit]
CBS Films bought the US distribution rights[27] following the film’s premiere at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.[28] They changed its US release title to What If when the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) took issue with the implied foul word (fuck) in The F Word.[29] The MPAA also strove for a PG-13 rating, according to producer David Gross, causing the name change in the United States.[30] It was also retitled by Entertainment One for the UK,[31] but the original title was retained for the Canadian release.[29]
Home media[edit]
The film was released on DVD and streaming services on 25 November 2014.[32]
Music[edit]
The F Word’s soundtrack was scored by A. C. Newman and features artists such as Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Patrick Watson, Marsha Hunt, and the Parting Gifts. The album itself has 17 tracks, 13 of which were written by A. C. Newman.
- Track listing[33]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | «(Walkin’ Through the) Sleepy City ft. The Parting Gifts» | 1:58 |
| 2. | «The Ballad of Wallace and Chantry» | 2:28 |
| 3. | «At the Movies, in the Changing Room» | 2:10 |
| 4. | «Just Walking to the Dress Shop» | 2:49 |
| 5. | «Hospital Happiness» | 1:17 |
| 6. | «Into Giants ft. Patrick Watson» | 4:28 |
| 7. | «Dropping Chantry Off» | 1:29 |
| 8. | «Beach Bummer» | 2:07 |
| 9. | «Chantry’s Ticket» | 1:23 |
| 10. | «(Oh No! Not) the Beast Day ft. Marsha Hunt» | 3:14 |
| 11. | «Making a List» | 1:34 |
| 12. | «Last Minute Travel Plans» | 0:59 |
| 13. | «Punched out in Dublin» | 1:21 |
| 14. | «Booking It Back» | 2:51 |
| 15. | «Diner Drag» | 1:33 |
| 16. | «Packing with Dalia» | 1:08 |
| 17. | «Let’s Get High [Explicit] ft. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros» | 6:30 |
| Total length: | 36:08 |
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
The F Word was considered «one of the hottest films» at TIFF, who named it one of Canada’s top ten films of the year.[34]
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 74% based on 134 reviews, with an average rating of 6.30/10. The site’s critical consensus states: «Its narrative framework may be familiar, but What If transcends its derivative elements with sharp dialogue and the effervescent chemistry of stars Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan.»[32] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 59 out of 100, based on reviews from 36 critics, indicating «mixed or average reviews».[35] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of «A–» on an A+ to F scale.[36]
John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter gave a positive review of the film, remarking, «Hitting all the rom-com notes with wit and some charm, it’ll be a crowd-pleaser in theaters and help moviegoers move on from seeing co-star Daniel Radcliffe only as the world’s favorite wizard».[37] Justin Chang of Variety wrote, «Roughly three parts charming to one part cloying, ‘The F Word‘ attempts and largely succeeds at pulling off a smart, self-aware riff on romantic-comedy conventions while maintaining a core of earnest feeling».[38] Film.com gave it a 7.2 out of 10, noting that it was «elevated from an above-average romantic comedy to a movie worthy of being embraced by a generation of twenty somethings because it refuses to let its characters off the hook».[39] JoBlo.com’s Chris Bumbray said the film «feels like it could be the Toronto answer to the Sundance breakout hit 500 Days of Summer. Like that movie, it takes a stale genre, and gives it a hip indie twist. It is director Michael Dowse’s follow-up to GOON, and just like that film, its hilariously foul script disguises a surprisingly soft, big-hearted centre».[40] Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times thought it was «the best, and sweetest, of the filmmaker’s work yet».[41]
The Guardian initially scored the film two out of five stars, saying it was «really hard to finish» and «liable to leave you queasy»[42] but a later review by a different reviewer scored the film four out of five stars, calling it a «light, delightful movie».[43] Katherine Monk of Postmedia News reported that «It’s a competent genre piece, but it’s still a bland burger of a movie.» and adding it is a movie that audiences have «…seen a hundred times before.».[44] Eric Kohn of IndieWire wrote, «The movie primarily frustrates by doing nothing fresh. Careening toward an overly neat and tender resolution, «The F Word» lacks the gall to let its uncoordinated characters wind up victims of their situation».[45] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone remarked that «What If doesn’t break new ground. But it has charm to spare, and Radcliffe and Kazan are irresistible. No ifs about it», giving it an overall positive review.[46]
The film has been criticized for featuring an entirely Caucasian cast,[47] despite being set in Toronto, with people of colour making up nearly half of Toronto’s population.[48] Alexandra Heeney of The Seventh Row writes «there’s something very wrong with the fact that the entire cast is white».[49] Criticism has also been leveled at the film for its repetitive attempts at humor through ableism. Kathryn Bromwich, writing for The Guardian, remarked: ‘I recently had to switch off a seemingly inoffensive mid-2010s romcom (which has been described as a «light, delightful movie» with a «hip indie twist»[40]) after its fourth joke at the expense of disabled people in under an hour.’[50]
Accolades[edit]
| Year | Award | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Canadian Screen Award for Best Picture | The F Word[51] | Nominated |
| Canadian Screen Award for Best Director | Michael Dowse | Nominated | |
| Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role | Daniel Radcliffe | Nominated | |
| Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Mackenzie Davis | Nominated | |
| Canadian Screen Award for Best Motion Picture | André Rouleau
David Gross |
Nominated | |
| Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay | Elan Mastai | Won | |
| Directors Guild of Canada Craft Award for Direction – Feature Film | Michael Dowse | Nominated | |
| Directors Guild of Canada Team Award for Feature Film | Michael Dowse
Regina Robb |
Nominated | |
| Rogers Award for Best Canadian Film | Michael Dowse | Nominated | |
| Writers Guild of Canada Award for Movies & Miniseries | Elan Mastai | Won | |
| 2015 | Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay for a Canadian Film | Elan Mastai | Nominated |
References[edit]
- ^ Anderton, Ethan (13 May 2013). «First Look: Daniel Radcliffe Friendly with Zoe Kazan in ‘The F Word’«. firstshowing.net. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ «WHAT IF (15)». British Board of Film Classification. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)[dead link] - ^ Setoodeh, Ramin (5 August 2014). «Why Hollywood Shouldn’t Give Up on the Romantic Comedy».
- ^ «What If (2014)». Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ^ McKay, Stephanie (6 August 2014). «Fringe veteran’s baby all grown up». The StarPhoenix. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ Warner, Kara (18 October 2012). «Daniel Radcliffe Teaches Us About ‘The F Word’«. MTV. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ Rosen, Christopher (17 July 2012). «Daniel Radcliffe & Zoe Kazan Up For ‘The F Word’«. HuffPost. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ McNary, Dave (16 August 2012). «Spall, Park join ‘The F Word’«. Variety. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Jagernauth, Kevin (1 August 2012). «‘Girls’ Star Adam Driver Says ‘The F Word’ With Zoe Kazan & Daniel Radcliffe». indiewire.com. Archived from the original on 3 June 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Trumbore, Dave (18 August 2012). «Heather Graham Boards Indie Comedy FEED THE DOG; Rafe Spall, Megan Park and Mackenzie Davis Join Daniel Radcliffe in THE F WORD». collider.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Vlessin g, Etan (16 August 2012). «Rafe Spall and Megan Park Jump on Board ‘The F Word’«. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Sciretta, Peter (10 December 2008). «The 2008 Black List – The Hottest Unproduced Screenplays of 2008». slashfilm.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Twiss, Jordan (16 August 2012). «Production begins on The F Word». playbackonline.ca. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ Cummins, Steve (13 September 2012). «‘Harry Potter’ Star Daniel Radcliffe To Film ‘The F Word’ In Ireland». iftn.ie. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ Murphy, Claire (14 September 2012). «Harry Potter star on his way to film new Irish rom-com». herald.ie. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
they decide to become friends — the so-called ‘F Word’
- ^ Barnard, Linda (9 September 2013). «Daniel Radcliffe in The F Word, a very Toronto romance at TIFF 2013». Toronto Star. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ «Your guide to all Toronto places in The F Word movie». blogTO. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ Ahearn, Victoria (21 August 2014). «Daniel Radcliffe happy with new ending for ‘The F Word’«. princegeorgecitizen.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ «Radcliffe ‘really happy’ with F Word ending». The Chronicle Herald. 21 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
the «F» in the original title refers to «friends»
- ^ «Toronto has starring role in Radcliffe’s The F Word». Mississauga.com. Torstar Network. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ Lyons, Margaret (17 July 2012). «Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan Join The F Word». vulture.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Chestang, Raphael (20 September 2012). «Daniel Radcliffe Talks ‘The F Word». Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
- ^ cineplexmovies (26 August 2014). Daniel Radcliffe, The F Word – Cineplex Interview. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (18 September 2012). «Toronto 2012: Entertainment One Secures Foreign Sales for ‘The F Word’ and ‘Song for Marion’«. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Sneider, Jeff (17 July 2012). «‘Potter’ star ramps up romantic comedy». Variety. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Fernandez, Jay A. (17 July 2012). «Here’s the First Daniel Radcliffe Romantic Comedy: ‘The F Word’ Picked Up by eOne for the World». indiewire.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
- ^ Chitwood, Adam (11 September 2013). «TIFF 2013: THE F WORD Goes to CBS Films, Weinstein Acquires ELEANOR RIGBY and RAILWAY MAN, and Lionsgate Nabs LIFE OF CRIME». collider.com. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ^ Jagernauth, Kevin (7 August 2013). «TIFF 2013 Adds ‘Enemy’ Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, ‘The F Word’ With Daniel Radcliffe, Xavier Dolan’s Latest & More». indiewire.com. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
- ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (14 March 2014). «‘The F Word’ Retains Original Title for Canadian Release». The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
- ^ «The F Word gets a scrubbed-down title in the U.S.» Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ Cox, Rebecca (15 May 2014). «World Exclusive: See Daniel Radcliffe’s new film poster». glamourmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ a b «What If (2014)». Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ What If (2013), retrieved 1 April 2018
- ^ «Canada loves The F Word». newswire.ca. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ «What If Reviews». Metacritic. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
- ^ Tom, Brueggemann (10 August 2014). «Specialty Box Office: ‘What If’ Leads Weak Openers; ‘Boyhood’ and ‘Most Wanted Man’ Pass $10 Million». IndieWire. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ DeFore, John (9 September 2013). «The F Word: Toronto Review». The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
- ^ Chang, Justin (11 September 2013). «Toronto Film Review: ‘The F Word’«. Variety. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ Ehrlich, David (9 September 2013). «TIFF Review: ‘The F Word’«. Film.com. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ a b Bumbray, Chris (11 September 2013). «Review: The F Word (TIFF 2013)». JoBlo.com. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ Sharkey, Betsy (10 September 2013). «TIFF 2013: Daniel Radcliffe and the quirk factor in ‘The F Word’«. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ Barnes, Henry (10 September 2013). «The F Word: Toronto 2013 – first look review». The Guardian. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
- ^ Hoffman, Jordan (7 August 2014). «What If: Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan restore charm to the romcom». The Guardian. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
- ^ Monk, Katherine (21 August 2014). «Movie review: The F Word sticks to romantic-comedy playbook». Canada.com. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ Kohn, Eric (11 September 2013). «Toronto Review: Daniel Radcliffe And Zoe Kazan Share Fine Chemistry In ‘The F Word,’ But the Jokes Aren’t So Lucky». IndieWire. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ^ «‘What If’ Movie Review». Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
- ^ Breslin, Mark (21 August 2014). «The F Word is a dose of realism with a pinch of sweetness». metronews.ca. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ A city of unmatched diversity, Toronto Star, 5 December 2007
- ^ Heeney, Alexandra (7 August 2014). «Review: Radcliffe and Kazan charm in «The F Word,» or «What If» friends fall in love in Toronto». seventh-row.com. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ Bromwich, Kathryn (8 November 2020). «How long Covid forced me to confront my past and my identity». The Guardian. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ «2014 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS Full Winners List». Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Archived from the original on 30 October 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ The F Word, retrieved 28 March 2018
External links[edit]
- What If (Original title: The F Word) at IMDb
- Cast & crew
- User reviews
- Trivia
- 2005
- Not Rated
- 1h 25m
On the day of the Republican National Convention, radio show host Joe Pace joins the rallies, protests, delegates and citizens of NYC. Broadcasting his last show live, on-the-air, he goes on… Read allOn the day of the Republican National Convention, radio show host Joe Pace joins the rallies, protests, delegates and citizens of NYC. Broadcasting his last show live, on-the-air, he goes on a one man march for free speech.On the day of the Republican National Convention, radio show host Joe Pace joins the rallies, protests, delegates and citizens of NYC. Broadcasting his last show live, on-the-air, he goes on a one man march for free speech.
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Extremely satisfying film, politics aside
>I expect the distribution for this film will be limited to meetings of liberal organizations.
That’s a shame, because while it’s definitely a political film, it’s also good film-making.
I don’t disagree with the previous reviewer’s comments, but I want to add how fresh this film is despite its quickly-revealed perspective on an event from six years ago.
The mix of real-life footage with acting is sharp and engaging: several of the night scenes blend the two especially well, rewarding the viewer for close attention.
And the character of Hamilton fits perfectly in this vein. He’s Bob Newhart-esquire as a calm presence amid lunacy. I don’t mean to imply that he’s similar in personality, or that the film carries a light-comedy feel: it doesn’t (though it does have laugh-out-loud moments, and others of uncomfortable chuckling). But Hamilton gives the film a center while allowing attention to focus on what goes on around him. It’s a perfect choice for an intelligent, surprising film.
- dannews
- Nov 6, 2006
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Home / Essays / Film Reviews / Radcliffe and Kazan charm in The F Word or What If friends fall in love in this Toronto-set film
Starring Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan as a pair of Torontonian friends, Michael Dowse’s film The F Word (or What If, as its known stateside) asks, what happens when you meet someone you really connect with, and want to hold onto, when dating isn’t an option?
When Michael Dowse’s smart and entertaining romantic comedy, The F Word, premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, it was hailed as one of the films (like Villeneuve’s Enemy) ushering in a new era of Canadian cinema: movies with mainstream appeal, featuring international movie stars, that are both shot in and set in Canada. Starring Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan as a pair of Torontonian friends, The F Word asks, what happens when you meet someone you really connect with, and want to hold onto, when dating isn’t an option? Well, you decide to be friends, with another “F” word lingering in the subtext.
Med-school dropout and current cubicle-occupier Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) and animator Chantry (Zoe Kazan) meet cute at a party thrown by a shared connection, Wallace’s best friend and college roommate, Allan (Adam Driver), who also happens to be Chantry’s cousin. They bond over magnetic poetry before effortlessly falling into witty, charming banter. Here, as in most of their scenes, they share the screen in a two-shot, foreshadowing their inevitable partnership. After a night of chatter, he walks her home, asks her for her number, and as she hands it over, she casually mentions she has a boyfriend, Ben (Rafe Spall, as a self-absorbed, but decent guy).
There’s clearly a spark between Wallace and Chantry, which movie-goers (and the couple’s friends) can recognize as a romance waiting-to-happen, but the movie plays it straight. Chantry’s in love with Ben, who happens to be a decent guy and UN copyright lawyer, and she’s never left a relationship before it was completely broken. Wallace is still nursing a broken heart from when his last girlfriend (Sarah Gadon) cheated on him, and he realizes that getting between Chantry and Ben is a recipe for disaster. He also just genuinely enjoys her company and conversation, to the point that he’s convinced himself he’s okay with just being friends.
Yes, he pines, and he doesn’t start trying to date anyone else, but he also doesn’t expect that he’ll be rewarded for spending time with her with access to her pants. They both very carefully tiptoe over the line, just enough that they’re almost breaking the rules, but little enough that they’ve still got plausible deniability. When Ben moves to Ireland for his job, and Chantry finds herself wandering the city with Wallace, she’s forced to come to terms with the limitations of her current romantic relationship.
At one point in the film The F Word, Allan and his girlfriend (Mackenzie Davis), who hooked up first and became friends later, make a misguided attempt to help their friends kickstart their romantic relationship. After an evening of skinny dipping, they abandon Wallace and Chantry, on the cold beach, without clothes, and only a sleeping bag for warmth. Rather than getting hot and heavy to keep warm, they fight because they’ve lost their safe boundaries to hide behind. It has the ring of truth.
With his impeccable timing, effortless charm, and devastatingly good looks, Radcliffe proves one of the best leading men of the 21st century. This year, especially, he’s proved he can do much more – from the sensitive and impressionable Allen Ginsberg in Kill Your Darlings, to the feeble-bodied but strong-minded Cripple Billy in Broadway’s The Cripple of Inishmaan, to the young doctor in the dark comedy series “A Young Doctor’s Notebook” – but his very endearing screen presence is something few others can boast. Kazan is equally charming, although we’ve seen her play variations of the hipster artist in “Ruby Sparks” and “Happythankyoumoreplease.”
The supporting cast is equally strong. Fresh off singing in Inside Llewyn Davis and briefly courting Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha, the now ubiquitous Adam Driver proves more than just a plot device for Wallace to sound off. He actually gets one of the film’s best lines, crying with joy: “I just had sex and am about to eat nachos!”. Canadian actress Mackenzie Davis’s character is more transparently written as a plot device, but as in That Awkward Moment, her poise and charm elevate the material.
With its warm colour palette of bright reds, greens, and blues, The F Word – or What If as its been retitled for its US release – brings the same romanticism to Toronto that so many films before it have devoted to Manhattan. The twenty-something hipsters of The F Word spend their afternoons on Queen West, frequent diners in the East End (notably George St Diner), catch movies at The Royal in Little Italy, play ping pong at Spin Toronto, and get married on the Toronto Islands. Toronto hasn’t looked this good on film since Atom Egoyan’s Chloe, but most of that was shot within a two-block radius. Dowse’s canvas is broader, and even more impressively, largely geographically accurate and specific.
While most Canadian films are barely seen by Canadian audiences – both because they’re often esoteric and only in cinemas for a single week – let alone international ones, The F Word had no problem getting international distribution. With its quick wit and accessible storytelling, it’s the sort of film that shouldn’t have trouble finding an audience. The dialogue is more playful than funny – it’s fun without being memorable – but the actors zing their lines back and forth so quickly that it hardly matters.
Yet, for a film that purports to be the Toronto as Toronto romantic comedy (at last!), there’s something very wrong with the fact that the entire cast is white. I mean, does anyone in Toronto have exclusively white friends? Except maybe white supremacists? Toronto prides itself on its multiculturalism, and you’d have to try hard to avoid it. Inter-racial romantic relationships are often the norm, and at minimum, Wallace and Chantry, both educated downtown yuppies, should be expected to have some people-of-colour friends, but they don’t.
In attempting to appeal to a broad – and let’s just say it, American – audience, The F Word is less a portrait of contemporary Toronto than a story that could just as easily be set in the US, but happens to takes place in Toronto. Lack of diversity is a problem in the movies, generally, but with such a homogenous cast, we can’t quite crown The F Word as the reigning “This is so Toronto” romantic comedy.
| Слово на букву F | |
|---|---|
| Афиша театрального релиза |
|
| Режиссер | Майкл Доуз |
| Продюсер |
|
| Сценарий | Элана Мастаи |
| На основе | Зубная паста и сигары. автора Ти Джей Доу. и Майкл Ринальди |
| В ролях |
|
| Музыка | AC Newman |
| Кинематография | Роджер Стофферс |
| Отредактировал | Иванн Тхи baudeau |
| Продакшн. компании |
|
| Распространяется | Entertainment One |
| Дата выхода |
|
| Выполняется время | 102 минуты |
| Страна |
|
| Язык | Английский |
| Бюджет | 11 миллионов долларов |
| кассовые сборы | 7,8 миллиона долларов |
Слово на букву F (выпущено в некоторых странах как Что, если? ) — романтическая комедия 2013 года 2013 года режиссера Майкла. Доуз и написанный Эланом Мастаи, основанный на пьесе Ти Джей Доу и Майкла Ринальди «Зубная паста и сигары». В фильме снимались звезды Дэниел Рэдклифф, Зои Казан, Меган Парк, Адам Драйвер, Маккензи Дэвис и Рэйф Сполл и следует за парой лучших друзей, которые начинают испытывать чувства друг к другу.
Премьера фильма состоялась на Международном кинофестивале в Торонто в 2013 году 7 сентября 2013 года и выпущена в Канаде 22 августа 2014 года. Фильм был номинирован на Лучший фильм на 2nd Canadian Screen Awards и выиграл за адаптированный сценарий.
Contents
- 1 Plot
- 2 Cast
- 3 Production
- 4 Release
- 4.1 Название изменить
- 4.2 Домашние медиа
- 5 Музыка
- 6 Прием
- 6.1 Критический ответ
- 6.2 Похвалы
- 7 Ссылки
- 8 Внешние ссылки
Сюжет
Уоллес имеет случайную работу и живет с сестрой и племянником в Торонто, Онтарио. Он бросил медицинскую школу после того, как обнаружил, что его девушка занимается сексом с его учителем анатомии, и не общался больше года. Его лучший друг Аллан принуждает его пойти на домашнюю вечеринку, где он встречает кузена Аллана Чантри, который работает аниматором. В то же время Аллан знакомится с Николь, и они начинают флиртовать друг с другом.
Чентри и Уоллес покидают вечеринку, и он идет с ней домой, где узнает, что у Чентри есть парень. Тем не менее, она дает ему номер своего телефона, но он решает не звонить ей. Позже они сталкиваются друг с другом в кинотеатре, куда пошли вдвоем, и в итоге вместе ужинают.
Со временем дружба крепнет, и Уоллеса приглашают на встречу с Беном, давним парнем Чантри, который работает на ООН. Бен попадает в больницу из-за серии неожиданных происшествий, когда Уоллес впервые посещает их дом. В больнице Уоллес и Чентри сталкиваются с бывшей девушкой Уоллеса, Меган. Позже Бен переезжает в Дублин, Ирландия, на шесть месяцев в связи с требованиями его работы. В это время Уоллес и Чентри начинают видеть, как их отношения развиваются, и у них появляются более глубокие чувства друг к другу.
Аллан и Николь женятся. Сестра Чантри Далия пытается соблазнить Уоллеса в своей машине, но он не отвечает ему взаимностью, потому что Уоллес обеспокоен тем, что это испортит все его шансы с Чентри. Позже Аллан и Николь приглашают двоих на ночную прогулку по пляжу. Они решают заняться купанием нагишом, и вскоре Уоллес и Чантри решают присоединиться к ним, после чего Аллан и Николь крадут их одежду, заставляя их спать голыми вместе на пляже. Уоллес и Чентри чувствуют себя вынужденными в интимной ситуации и неохотно решают разделить спальный мешок. На следующий день они сердито уходят с пляжа.
Чантри получает повышение за продвижение анимационного проекта на Тайване. Однако на нее оказывается давление из-за ее натянутых отношений с Беном, поэтому она едет в Дублин, чтобы присоединиться к нему. По прибытии она обнаруживает, что Бен взял на себя больше рабочих обязательств, требующих от него частых поездок, и решает разорвать отношения. Тем временем Уоллес решает следовать за Чантри; по прибытии Бен бьет его кулаком по лицу, сбивая с парадной лестницы. Затем он проверяет свою голосовую почту и узнает, что она вернулась в Торонто. Они встречаются, но Уоллес рассказывает Чентри о поездке и своих чувствах к ней, и она отвечает отрицательно.
Уоллес думает вернуться в медицинскую школу и продолжить свою жизнь; однако он решает посетить прощальную вечеринку Чантри, и они со слезами на глазах прощаются. В конце концов они признаются в своих взаимных чувствах, давая друг другу Золотой бутерброд дурака, то, что они ранее обсуждали, гуляя вместе, и целуются.
В эпилоге, действие которого происходит 18 месяцев спустя, выясняется, что Уоллес последовал за Чентри на Тайвань и сделал ей предложение, пока он заканчивал свое медицинское образование. Они женятся и размышляют о своей жизни, сидя на крыше Уоллеса.
В ролях
- Дэниел Рэдклифф в роли Уоллеса
- Зои Казан в роли Чентри
- Адам Драйвер в роли Аллана
- Меган Парк в роли Далии
- Маккензи Дэвис в роли Николь
- Рэйф Сполл в роли Бена
- Джемайма Рупер в роли Элли
- Джордан Хейс в роли Бекки
- Меган Хефферн в роли Табби
- Джонатан Черри в роли Джоша
- Сара Гадон в роли Меган
- Томми-Эмбер Пири в роли Гретхен
- Адам Фергус в роли Рольфа
- Люциус Хойос в роли Феликса
- Ребекка Нортан в роли Холли
- Уна Чаплин в роли Джулианны
- Эннис Эсмер в роли фельдшера Озман Бей
Производство
сценарий Элана Мастая был включен в опрос «Черный список» за 2008 год. Основная фотография началась в середине августа 2012 года в Торонто. Шестинедельные съемки проходили в Онтарио и закончились тремя днями в Дублине, Ирландия. Сцена, в которой Уоллес сталкивается с Чантри в кинотеатре, снималась в Royal Cinema. Большая часть съемок в Торонто проходила в Восточном китайском квартале, Лесливилле и Ривердейле, а также в других регионах в центре Торонто и Скарборо. Сцена, в которой Уоллес и Чентри худышки вместе, была снята в Скарборо-Блафс. Съемки дополнительных сцен для нового финала проходили в Торонто в ноябре 2013 года. После тестирования фильма с различными фокус-группами создатели фильма поняли, что зрители хотят более убедительного финала, и были сняты новые сцены, действие которых происходит восемнадцать месяцев спустя. Дэниел Рэдклифф сначала чувствовал себя странно из-за изменения концовки, но затем почувствовал себя «действительно доволен этим». Продюсер Майкл Доуз считал важным сниматься в Торонто, поскольку этот город обычно не фигурирует во многих классических романтических комедиях в качестве основного места действия фильма. Кейси Аффлек изначально был связан с играть ведущую роль, но позже был заменен Рэдклиффом. Рэдклифф признает, что для него было важно сыграть в этом фильме, так как он никогда не снимался в современных фильмах и что-то, что он всегда хотел попробовать. В интервью Cineplex Рэдклифф сказал, что он и его партнерша по фильму Зои Казан импровизировал многие из своих реплик в фильме, чтобы создать естественную атмосферу между двумя персонажами.
Релиз
Были приобретены мировые права на распространение фильма. от Entertainment One, и они занимались выпуском в кинотеатрах в Канаде и Великобритании. Продажи в Северной Америке были получены от UTA.
Изменение названия
CBS Films в конечном итоге приобрело права на распространение в США после мировой премьеры фильма на Международном кинофестивале в Торонто в 2013 . CBS Films изменила название релиза в США на What If из-за того, что Американская ассоциация кинематографистов (MPAA) не согласилась с подразумеваемым нецензурным словом в части «F» (fuck ) слова F. По словам продюсера Дэвида Гросса, Американская ассоциация кино также стремилась получить рейтинг PG-13, что привело к изменению названия в США. Он также был переименован в Entertainment One для Великобритании, но сохранил оригинал для канадского релиза.
Домашние медиа
Фильм был выпущен на DVD и для потоковой передачи 25 ноября 2014 года.
Музыка
Саундтрек к фильму F Word был оценен А. К. Ньюман, в котором представлены такие артисты, как Эдвард Шарп и магнитные нули, Патрик Уотсон, Марша Хант и Прощальные подарки. Сам альбом содержит 17 треков, 13 из которых написаны А. К. Ньюманом.
- Трек-лист
| № | Заголовок | Длина |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | «(Прогулка по) Sleepy City ft. The Parting Gifts» | 1:58 |
| 2. | «Баллада об Уоллесе и Чентри» | 2:28 |
| 3. | «В кино, в раздевалке» | 2:10 |
| 4. | «Просто иду в магазин одежды. « | 2:49 |
| 5. | « Больничное счастье » | 1:17 |
| 6. | « Into Giants ft. Патрик Уотсон » | 4:28 |
| 7. | » Высадка церкви » | 1:29 |
| 8. | « Пляжный облом » | 2:07 |
| 9. | « Билет церкви » | 1:23 |
| 10. | «(О, нет! Не) День зверя с участием Марши Хант» | 3:14 |
| 11. | «Составление списка» | 1:34 |
| 12. | «Планы поездок в последнюю минуту» | 0:59 |
| 13. | «Выбиты в Дублине» | 1:21 |
| 14. | «Booking It Back» | 2:51 |
| 15. | «Diner Drag» | 1:33 |
| 16. | «Packing with Dalia» | 1:08 |
| 17. | «Let’s Get High [Explicit] ft. Эдвард Шарп и магнитные нули « | 6:30 |
| Общая длина: | 36:08 |
Прием
Критический ответ
Продолжительность На фестивале TIFF фильм «Слово F» был признан «… одним из самых популярных фильмов…» на фестивале и «… впоследствии назван одним из 10 лучших фильмов Канады по версии TIFF… «
На Rotten Tomatoes фильм имеет рейтинг одобрения 72%, основанный на 120 рецензиях, со средним рейтингом 6.3 / 10. Критический консенсус сайта гласит: «Его повествовательная структура может быть знакомой, но« Что если »выходит за рамки своих производных элементов с острым диалогом и искрометной химией звезд Дэниела Рэдклиффа и Зои Казан». На Metacritic фильм получил 59 баллов из 100 на основании отзывов 36 критиков, что указывает на «смешанные или средние отзывы».
Джон ДеФор из The Hollywood Reporter дал положительный отзыв о фильме, отметив: «Если использовать все заметки о ромкоме с остроумием и некоторым обаянием, он понравится публике в кинотеатрах и поможет кинозрителям перестать смотреть на своего партнера Дэниел Рэдклифф только как самый любимый волшебник в мире ». Джастин Чанг из Variety писал: «Примерно три очаровательных части и одна раздражающая,« Слово на F »пытается и в значительной степени преуспевает в создании умного, самосознательного риффа на романтических комедийных конвенциях, сохраняя при этом основу искреннего чувства ». Film.com дал ему 7,2 балла из 10, отметив, что он« поднялся из романтической комедии выше среднего уровня в фильм, достойный того, чтобы его восприняло поколение двадцати с небольшим, потому что оно отказывается отпускать своих персонажей ». Крис Бамбрей из JoBlo.com сказал, что фильм« кажется, что это может быть Торонто ответом на Сандэнс прорывный хит 500 дней лета. Как и этот фильм, он берет устаревший жанр и придает ему модный инди-поворот. Это продолжение режиссера Майкла Доуса после GOON, и, как и в этом фильме, в его забавно скверном сценарии скрывается удивительно мягкий, великодушный центр «. Бетси Шарки из Los Angeles Times думала, что это была «лучшая и самая сладкая работа режиссера».
The Guardian изначально присвоила фильму две звезды из пяти, заявив, что это был «действительно трудно закончить» и «может вызывать тошноту», но более поздняя рецензия другого рецензента поставила фильму четыре из пяти звезд, описывая его как «легкий, восхитительный фильм». Кэтрин Монк из Postmedia News сообщила, что «это неплохой жанровый материал, но по-прежнему — бургер для фильма». и добавляю, что это фильм, который зрители «… видели раньше сотни раз». Эрик Кон из IndieWire писал: «Фильм в первую очередь расстраивает тем, что не делает ничего свежего. Стремясь к излишне аккуратному и нежному разрешению,« Слово на букву F »не хватает наглости, чтобы позволить своим нескоординированным персонажам стать жертвами своей ситуации. «. Питер Трэверс из Rolling Stone заметил, что «What If не открывает новых возможностей. Но в нем есть лишнее очарование, а Рэдклифф и Казан неотразимы. Никаких замечаний по этому поводу», давая в целом положительный отзыв.
Фильм также подвергся критике за то, что в нем полностью кавказский актерский состав, несмотря на то, что действие происходит в Торонто, где цветные люди составляют почти половину населения Торонто. Александра Хини из The Seventh Row пишет: «Что-то очень не так с тем фактом, что весь актерский состав белый».
Награды
| Год | Награда | Получатель | Результат |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Премия Канадского экрана за лучший фильм | Слово F | Назначено |
| Премия Канадского экрана за лучшую режиссуру | Майкл Доуз | Назначено | |
| Премия Канадского экрана за лучшую мужскую роль в главной роли | Дэниел Рэдклифф | Номинация на премию Канадского экрана | |
| за лучшую женскую роль второго плана | Маккензи Дэвис | Номинация на премию Канадского экрана | |
| за Лучший фильм | Андре Руло
Дэвид Гросс Макдара Келлехер |
Номинация | |
| на премию Canadian Screen Award за лучший адаптированный сценарий | Элан Мастай | Вон | |
| Премия Гильдии режиссеров Канады за режиссуру — Художественный фильм | Майкл Доус | Номинация | |
| на премию Гильдии режиссеров Канады за художественный фильм | Майкл Доус
Реджина Робб и команда |
Назначен | |
| Роже Премия rs за лучший канадский фильм | Майкл Доуз | Номинация | |
| на премию Гильдии писателей Канады за фильмы и мини-сериалы | Элан Мастай | выиграл | |
| 2015 | Vancouver Film Critics Circle Премия за лучший сценарий для канадского фильма | Элан Мастай | Номинация |
Источники
Внешние ссылки
- Слово F (Что, если) на IMDb
On the surface The F Word (or What If, if you’re reading this from outside of Canada) is a deceptively simple meet-cute comedy with Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan as friends who can’t acknowledge the romantic tension between them. It looks on a passing glance like something straight out of the Hollywood playbook, but it’s a lot more perceptive and realistic than a simple synopsis might suggest. Beloved Canadian filmmaker Michael Dowse (Goon, Fubar) and screenwriter Elan Mastai have created a rich, thoughtful, and purposefully problematic romance that hasn’t really been attempted or nailed this well since When Harry Met Sally.
Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) has recently crawled out from under his yearlong funk following a nasty break-up and washing out of medical school to develop a crush on Chantry (Zoe Kazan), a young Torontonian animator who just wants to be best friends and finds herself in a long term relationship to a bright young man (Rafe Spall) who’s about to go away to Ireland on business. The friendship stands, but complications, coincidences, and their friends seem to always be bringing them closer together as romantic ideals.
Everything about The F Word works despite adhering to the time honoured tradition of the “boy meets girl, boy loses girl” story. Wallace is an intelligent sad-sack who seems more cautious than openly depressed, and Chantry is the rare female leading character in a rom-com that actually has a sense of agency to her and a life that she starts off happy with and stays happy with. Both are cast in opposition to their quirky friends, family, and significant others, but these characters aren’t so overtly over-the-top that the film strains for credibility. If anything, the people they choose as friend inform who they are and why they make such a good pairing. The story unfolds around everyone in with a natural, light touch instead of forced theatrics or dramatic contrivance. When the film does manage a moment of what might appear to be a time honoured cliché, it’s quickly realized that such notions are a terrible idea.
Make no mistake: The F Word is not a film about “friend-zoning,” the male privileged phenomena that states you become someone’s friend if you wait too long to share your feelings with someone you love. It’s a film about denial, mixed feelings, and great uncertainty. Dowse certainly understands comedy better than most other Canadian directors, but he also understands how to adequately build tension between Wallace and Chandry to make the audience feel the gut churning butterflies they feel around each other. Granted, the story does focus mainly on Wallace’s feelings, but scenes where Chandry has to take stock of her own life sometimes come with a quiet melancholy that feels lived in rather than manufactured. They feel like real people worth spending time with in reality instead of movie characters designed to perpetuate any sort of empty, feel-good sentiment.
A great deal of the film’s success has to come from Radcliffe and Kazan’s stellar rapport and delivery of Mastai’s quick witted lines. There’s never a moment where Wallace and Chandry feel unequal, and the give and take between these two talented performers marks some of the career best work for the both of them. The way Radcliffe pauses every time Wallace seems like he’s about to say something sarcastic and the way you can constantly see his wheels spinning while contemplating something are nice touches that most films in the genre would never allow to sneak through in favour of grand gestures and posturing. Ditto how Kazan never takes any shit from anyone. She’s strong and her mind stays made up about things until she has all the information, leading to a portrait of someone who agonizes and internalizes every decision making process in her life. The film ultimately feels just as much about her slow breaking down as it does Wallace’s regaining of a sense of self. Dowse allows his actors to take characters that are already established well enough on the page and bring different traits and a lot of nuance in terms of how they carry themselves.
Toronto – which if you think about it, is kind of like another character in the movie – also hasn’t looked this good on screen in some time. But in terms of other actual characters in the film, a special citation is definitely in order for Adam Driver and Mackenzie Davis, who threaten to run off with the film every time they’re on screen as Wallace’s madly in love friends. These are the characters that are allowed to run wild, and both actors are relishing the chance to do it.
The F Word might be the perfect film to transition from a summer full of blockbusters into a fall full of more prestigious awards season fare. It has a freshness to it, and yet it’s familiar enough to be accessible to everyone. These kinds of films don’t take rocket scientists to make them, but they rarely end up this entertaining and well rounded.