Ten Thousand Saints
Ten Thousand Saints | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | |
Written by | Shari Springer Berman Robert Pulcini |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Distributed by | Screen Media Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 113 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Ten Thousand Saints is a 2015 American drama film written and directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini.[1] It is based on the novel of the same name by Eleanor Henderson. The film stars Asa Butterfield as Jude Keffy-Horn, the protagonist of the story.[2] The film premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2015.[3]
The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on August 14, 2015 by Screen Media Films.[4]
Plot
Jude Keffy-Horn (Asa Butterfield) is a teenage boy who lives in Vermont with his adoptive mother, Harriet (Julianne Nicholson), and sister, Prudence (Nadia Alexander). Mixed up in the complicated world of drugs and alcohol, his best friend, Teddy (Avan Jogia), dies of a drug overdose on the last day of 1987 after Teddy, Jude and their new friend, Eliza (Hailee Steinfeld) from Manhattan spend the night out partying, leaving Jude devastated. Jude is eventually sent to Manhattan to reconnect with his father, Les (Ethan Hawke), and discovers kinship with Teddy's half-brother, Johnny (Emile Hirsch). He soon starts hanging out with Johnny's group of straight-edge friends, that have strict no-drugs, no-sex, no-meat, and no-alcohol rules, keeping Jude out of trouble for the first time in years. When he finds out that Eliza, who is also the daughter of Les' girlfriend, Di (Emily Mortimer), is pregnant with the child of deceased Teddy after an encounter on the night Teddy died, he and Johnny, along with Les, become Eliza's rock as she struggles through pregnancy so early on in life, and the three become a family of sorts, in hopes to raise the child together. Meanwhile, Di struggles with her relationship with Les, and Harriet struggles with the prospect of her growing children.
Cast
- Asa Butterfield as Jude Keffy-Horn, a teenage boy who is trying to reconnect with his father in 1988 Manhattan after his best friend, Teddy, dies of a drug overdose and befriends a group of friends who are anti-drugs, anti-sex, and anti-alcohol, and center themselves around hardcore punk–style rock music.
- Avan Jogia as Teddy, Jude's friend who dies due to drug overdose. He is the father of Eliza's child
- Hailee Steinfeld as Eliza, a 16-year-old girl who is pregnant with Teddy's child and Jude's love interest. Her mother, Di, is dating Jude's father, Les
- Ethan Hawke as Les, Jude's father and a drug dealer, who is trying to reconnect with his son and cope with his problems
- Emile Hirsch as Johnny, Teddy's straight edge half-brother and tattoo artist who finds kinship with Jude after he moves to Manhattan
- Julianne Nicholson as Harriet, Jude's adoptive mother from Vermont
- Emily Mortimer as Di, a ballet dancer, Eliza's mother, Les' girlfriend
- Jeff O'Donnell as Tory Ventura, football jock, drug dealer and bully to Jude
- Nadia Alexander as Prudence, Jude's sister from Vermont
- Claudio Encarnacion Montero as Larry, Jude's neighbor
Production
Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini became interested in adapting the novel after Berman read it. She remarked, "I read the book and I loved how human the characters were and how flawed, yet well-meaning, they were, which I think is a very truthful thing about most people. I loved that era in New York. I thought it was such an exciting time for me, so there was a personal connection. It was this time when New York was really scruffy and dangerous, and there was crime, violence, crack, and AIDS – a lot of very horrible things, but also excitement and creative opportunity. You could be an artist and live in Manhattan in a squat and pay no rent. It seems inconceivable right now."[5] In addition, Berman also was interested in the parenting aspect of the story, adding, "One of the things in the book that’s so interesting – and I had friends like this – are people who were raised by parents who were hippies and didn’t give them a lot of rules and boundaries. The question is, how do you rebel against the people who invented rebellion? [Laughs] Because youth is about rebelling. I think there’s an element of that in straight edge, which became very popular around that time with young people who were rebelling against what they thought was screwing up their parents. There was something seductive and rebellious about being sober and not being promiscuous [Laughs]."[6]
Hailee Steinfeld was announced to be in talks for the role of Eliza in October 2013, and was cast in December of that year. Asa Butterfield and Ethan Hawke were cast earlier before Steinfeld. Emile Hirsch, Julianne Nicholson, Emily Mortimer and Nadia Alexander were cast in early 2014. Avan Jogia was cast as Teddy in early February 2014. Filming started in New York City on January 27, 2014 and ended on March 3, 2014.
They started shooting additional scenes that included a pregnant Eliza on May 1, 2014 until mid May of that same year.[7]
Release
The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2015.[8] Shortly after it was announced, Screen Media Films had acquired all distribution rights to the film.[9] The film went on to premiere at the Provincetown International Film Festival on June 17, 2015.[10] The film was released on August 14, 2015 in a limited release and through video on demand.[11]
Reception
The movie has a score of 64% on Metacritic,[12] indicating generally favorable reviews.
References
- ^ McNary, Dave (January 23, 2014). "Emile Hirsch Joins 'Ten Thousand Saints'". Variety. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ "Loud Music, Clean Living". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
- ^ "Sundance Institute". sundance.org.
- ^ Ethan Sapienza (1 July 2015). "Watch: 'Ten Thousand Saints' Trailer Revives the New York - Indiewire". Indiewire.
- ^ McKittrick, Christopher (August 10, 2015). "'Follow the Book's Lead: Berman and Pulcini on 10,000 Saints". Creative Screenwriting. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
- ^ McKittrick, Christopher (August 10, 2015). "'Follow the Book's Lead: Berman and Pulcini on 10,000 Saints". Creative Screenwriting. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
- ^ Pearson, Jennifer (2 May 2014). "Not another Teen Mom! Hailee Steinfeld, 17, pulls a silly face while sporting a huge fake bump on set of her new movie". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ^ "Sundance Institute". sundance.org.
- ^ Patrick Hipes. "'Ten Thousand Saints' Sells To Screen Media – Sundance - Deadline". Deadline.
- ^ "Provincetown Film Festival: Ten Thousand Saints". CapeCod.com - Cape Cod News - Cape Cod Events.
- ^ "Ten Thousand Saints Opens August 14". Studio Mao.
- ^ http://www.metacritic.com/movie/ten-thousand-saints