This sounds really good. I can't wait to see it. Does anyone know about a release date?

kerfuffle | May 01, 18:29 CET

I wonder if Baldwin's verbal attack on his little girl will have any effect on the box office take.

Willowy | May 01, 18:33 CET

I honestly doubt it. Baldwin has a solid reputation as an actor. I don't think people will avoid this film just because he is in it.
I know I won't.

[ edited by kerfuffle on 2007-05-01 15:56 ]

kerfuffle | May 01, 18:51 CET

Also, it's not like he's the first actor to turn out to be a total arse in real life.

kerfuffle | May 01, 18:56 CET

Assuming, of course, he actually is a total arse (and not just a human being who'd reached the end of his tether).

Really glad this seems to be faring well, it'll be nice for SMG to appear in a critical hit, and not just a financial one (though hopefully that too).

Saje | May 01, 19:04 CET

I agree, Saje. I'm looking forward to seeing Sarah show off her chops in a quality film. She's far too talented to be stuck in B-horror movies.

And, of course, I don't have any idea if Baldwin is an arse in real life or not. And honestly, I don't really care. I sometimes think that the less you know about an actor the easier it is for you to buy into their performance. Knowing too much about an actor can actually ruin the experience of seeing them perform.

[ edited by kerfuffle on 2007-05-01 16:16 ]

kerfuffle | May 01, 19:15 CET

As far as I am aware, the film does not have a confirmed distribution deal as yet. However, it is booked for three industry screenings at the Cannes Film Festival on 18, 20 and 23 May as part of the Cannes Market.

Regarding Alec Baldwin, quite frankly I think recent events might actually have aided the box office were the film to be released into cinemas now, simply because some people would be encouraged to go to see it out of morbid curiosity. His character in the film has, I believe, a difficult relationship with his daughter, something I am sure the critics would have noted. As it is, by the time the film is released the phone message will probably have largely been forgotten about.

alien lanes | May 01, 20:05 CET

I thought I read somewhere that the release date was May 25th or thereabouts.

angel fan | May 01, 20:41 CET

Heck, I'ven't liked him for a long time and I'd still like to see this because it sounds interesting and to give Smidge a boost in the non-horror direction.

DaddyCatALSO | May 01, 20:55 CET

I read somewhere that after Sarah Michelle Gellar read the script, she decided the right guy for the part was Baldwin. I look forward to seeing exactly what the part is that he's perfect to play.

I know next to nothing about divorces or custody arrangements, but the things that he said on that tape are of the kind that can wreck relationships between fathers and daughters.

Pointy | May 01, 21:02 CET

First, what happened to Alec was completely wrong. How many times have you blown up with someone in your family? If I could count the times I wanted to wring my sister's neck....

The fact that we love one another so much also brings the same in anger which we display just as hard. I think that's the case here.

Okay, dropping that subject like a hangnail, back to topic. I'm now looking forward to watching Sarah in this piece just to sprite the people ragging on Baldwin.

Which is a shame, 'cause Sarah is the true star. Go figure.

Madhatter | May 01, 22:36 CET

I don't think he just lost his temper. I can't imagine ever speaking to your child that way. It's verbal abuse. I can't speak for anyone else but no one in my family speaks that way to each other.

kerfuffle | May 01, 22:58 CET

Thank god he didn't mention the jews.
;)

kerfuffle | May 01, 23:00 CET

Pointy | May 01, 23:05 CET

Oh, I found a preview online (you may or may not have seen before).
http://video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=96292


Edit:
Copy and paste this link if the above link doesn't work for you.
http://video.accesshollywood.com/player/?id=96292

I don't know why it isn't working.

[ edited by kerfuffle on 2007-05-01 21:17 ]

kerfuffle | May 01, 23:22 CET

Kingpin: I dislike semantics.
Chase Stein: Yeah, so does Mel Gibson.

That anti-semantic bastard ! (with apologies - and full credit - to Mr Greg House, M.D. ;).

Well, I have to be honest and admit that I haven't actually listened to the voicemail (figured it wasn't really my business) so I don't know how extreme it was BUT I will say that no-one, and I mean no-one knows how to push your buttons like close family. Without a context I just don't think it's fair to judge only one party.

I've also seen a couple of blog comments to the effect that he apparently phoned back to apologise. Have we all listened to that conversation too ?

(and that link just loops back to this thread kerfuffle, which i've definitely already seen ;)

Saje | May 01, 23:44 CET

Can we drop the OT about Alec please? I can't imagine how I would feel if people were juding me based on something that should have never been public knowledge and something that doesn't reveal the complexities of the situation. It was an extremely private moment that should have never been leaked and simply by commenting we're invading that family's privacy. It's no one's business outside of the family and their lawyers.

Anyway, I'm so excited that the film is getting such great reviews. I was sitting in the theatre worrying that people wouldn't like it lol. It was so much better than I thought it would be and it received so much applause by the end. I'm currently in a very proud/impressed fannish state.

Kyotoyoshi | May 02, 00:06 CET

Saje. If you really want to know, then listen to the tape. He screamed at her that she was a thoughtless little pig, and that she didn't "have the decency or the brains of a human being". He yelled that he was going to fly in specifically to "straighten her little ass out" so she'd "better be ready". And those are just a few snippets.

I felt assaulted listening to it. I can't imagine how that little girl felt. Her father, her protector, threatening and berating her like that. It was unconscionable.

He then cowardly proclaimed the outburst and aftermath everyone else's fault. He didn't even take responsibility for his actions. There was a half-assed apology quantified with 'buts' all over the place. The whole thing is sickening in the extreme.

Willowy | May 02, 00:13 CET

I have edited the above link. I'm not sure why it isn't working. Admins? Anyway, you can copy and paste the url into your browser. As for the tape recording, I did not seek it out. I was just watching E-news and they played it.

[ edited by kerfuffle on 2007-05-01 21:41 ]

kerfuffle | May 02, 00:22 CET

What about those Yankees, eh!

Everyone take a breath. Believe the subject was "Suburban Girl" and how well Sarah acted? Which, if I may say so myself, she was wonderful!

Madhatter | May 02, 00:45 CET

Madhatter,

Don't even get us started on those Yankees. :P

I am so jealous that you got to see the movie. The rest of us poor schmoes will have to wait until it's released.

kerfuffle | May 02, 00:58 CET

I'm a lucky soul.

Madhatter | May 02, 01:05 CET

Damn Yankees. And as for those Mets ... Yep, I don't have a clue what i'm talking about. Does it show ?

(why can't they just kick the ball, like a proper sport ? ;-)

Saje. If you really want to know, then listen to the tape.

Well, that's the thing Willowy, I really don't want to know cos it's got nothing to do with me I reckon. Sounds like they definitely have issues to work out between them though and I hope the wee girl doesn't get used as a bargaining chip (or rather, not again).

(and i'm OK with dropping the OT, in fact i'm kind of surprised we haven't seen more orange on the issue. Maybe Simon's a Liverpool fan ;)

Saje | May 02, 01:56 CET

Ok, I had to come in to rant about this! This is so incredibly wrong, that I cannot fathom how anyone could do this!

A Yankees fan!!! LOL, go Sox. Hey Madhatter we have t-shirts if you want to join...

Its cool that SMG is making good movies, and though this one isn't my cup of tea, Ill see it when it comes out on DVD. Good stuff...

Oh and to Saje...go Man U! LOL, sports are fun...

jerryst3161 | May 02, 02:56 CET

It's wonderful that Sarah is getting positive reviews for her acting in "Suburban Girl". And to top it off, "The Air I Breathe" too. Good for SMG.

To bad we don't know when it will be released but I'm sure with the positive reaction to the film it will easily get a distributor. Hope it's relased soon'ish.

maje | May 02, 04:16 CET

And in Huffington's article psoted below apaprently SMG's habdler felt she might get questions about the voicemail and moved ehr quickly thru a room therfore.

And she's probably right, and it's ridiculous;the lady worked with the guy on a film which wraped film months ago. No reason to a sk her. It's like Gene Tunney's daughter killing ehr husband and the papers running stories about the Long COunt.

DaddyCatALSO | May 02, 04:45 CET

Can't wait to see both of Sarah's new movies. Glad she's landing some juicy roles.

cheryl | May 02, 15:20 CET

Good for SMG. I finally saw the clip posted earlier and the movie looked interesting. I am glad she is getting such a variety of roles.

I really hope the scandal does not over shadow the movie. I have liked Alec Baldwin in many roles over the years but am not a huge fan. I seem to be one of the few who was totally unimpressed with 30 Rock, so I should probably go back and take another look. I am hoping the phone message thing does not affect his career or that of his ex-wife since I am a big believer in leaving the artist's personal life out of the picture when judging their work.

I heard the phone message because you could not help it if you watched the news at all that week. I could not believe that it was in there with bombings in Iraq, and local people being flooded out of their homes. IMO he was very wrong to have said those things to his daughter, but it was unconscionable to release something like that to the media and have the poor girl embarrassed in front of the world for days on end. I feel incredibly bad for her that she has had to go through public humiliation like that. If someone wanted to use that phone message against AB they should have brought it to court and asked the judge to hear it privately.

newcj | May 02, 16:04 CET

Well, maybe that was the day "only" 20 people died in Iraq so they thought the voicemail story was comparable.

Must confess I don't watch a lot of TV news over here (I prefer to get it online or from a paper) but i'd be mightily disappointed if e.g. the BBC were to play something like that (cue slew of posts telling me they did ;). The only US news show i've really seen much of was Fox which (no offence) seems to be quite tabloidy and which a few of the blogs I read seem to think is very biased (actually, a lot of the graphics and presentation reminded me of 'The Day Today', an excellent UK news satire show from the mid 90s ;).

Saje | May 02, 16:33 CET

Let's do get back on topic, please. Which was... the Mets? no... The Day Today.... no... River is made of chocolate?! I think that was it. Enough Alec Baldwin for one thread.

zeitgeist | May 02, 16:42 CET