Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Beginning and Ending




The life cycle of moviemaking: As Jake Gyllenhaal begins shooting Stronger in Boston, Demolition will open on Friday. So there are lots of reviews, clips and interviews coming out, plus video and photos of filming in Boston.













Coming Soon






Jake and Tatiana Maslany filmed at TD Garden in Boston, with some of the crowd left over from the Bruins game. They recreated a powerful moment, as seen in the photos above. But they also appreciated the fans staying to participate. Jake enthusiastically thanked the enthusiastic crowd.






Remember, Demolition opens this week:

A video posted by @foxsearchlight on

68 comments:

UltraViolet said...

Some tweets from the Garden filming:

I thought I was a normal person in society until I saw #JakeGyllenhaal in person

shot a movie scene with Jake gyllenhaal tonight. He's even more beautiful in person.

BlueJean said...

Thanks for the new post, UV! Hadn't seen the 'Stronger' pics yet! :)

Scott said...

There is a video on twitter of Jake thanking the crowd with one of his favorite words, LOL. Another Jake movie is coming out and I don't have any anxiety which is nice.

BlueJean said...

OK, so we're in this "new films" bubble now - can I post this?

New Jake interview (over 40 minutes), on everything - and Heath Ledger. Who would have turned 37 last Monday... :(

http://www.people.com/article/jake-gyllenhaal-heath-ledger-death-brokeback-mountain

UltraViolet said...

I saw that, BJ. I can't watch it yet but looking forward to it later. Lots of good interviews out over the past couple of days. I meant to add some of the links but didn't have time.

Scott, I hyperlinked a bunch of videos of Jake at the Garden last night. It was ... colorful :)

I find it odd that so many interviewers ask Jake about Heath's death. Or maybe I find the way they ask awkward. Something about it is uncomfortable. Perhaps because Jake is so clearly affected by it still. I can't quite explain it. I like to hear Jake talk about Heath but I'd probably enjoy more questions about what Heath was like rather than the continued question of how Heath's death affected Jake.

UltraViolet said...

Here's a link with a lot of links about last night's filming.

It's frustrating to be working on Bosotn and see tweets and posts form people about where Jake is filming!

Love the end of this interview:

BE: Well, when you have a son, I guess you can use your “Southpaw” skill set and teach him how to box. [Note: as soon as I finished asking the question I realized that I had been politically incorrect; he could also teach a daughter how to box. And Gyllenhaal, in the most amiable manner, called me on it.]

JG: Sure, but I could also do the same with a daughter. Believe me, I know a lot of women who could kick your ass.

Since by now the Fox PR people had entered the room, signaling that Gyllenhaal had to dash, our dialogue ended. Revealingly, just as he was about to exit, he came back to reassure me that it hadn’t been his intention to insult me. “Hey, I didn’t mean a woman couldn’t also kick my ass,” he said.

Gyllenhaal is not only an extremely gifted actor; he’s also a genuinely gracious guy.

bobbyanna said...

UV, the twitter links you posted on this thread of video of Jake after the Bruins game won't work for me, but I am loving everything. I would be crazy knowing Jake was nearby working, stopping at restaurants, etc., and I couldn't say hello! LOLOL! (as if...)

I really like his look in Stronger.

UltraViolet said...

Yikes, sorry about that, Bobbyanna. Look at the link I posted in my last comment and that has a lot of the videos. I'll edit later to fix that.

Loved this tweet from someone who was at the Garden last night:

I will cherish this experience forever, I love Boston and Jake Gyllenhaal and putting them together is just 😍👌🏻

I'm amazed at some of the interviews Jake has given. He's more open than he has been recently. In this interview, he talks about being scared before doing a role and whether releasing Demolition in April is a good or bad idea. Spoiler alert: He doesn't pick a side :P

BlueJean said...

"I find it odd that so many interviewers ask Jake about Heath's death. Or maybe I find the way they ask awkward. Something about it is uncomfortable. Perhaps because Jake is so clearly affected by it still. I can't quite explain it."

I know exactly what you mean, UV. I feel the same way. Although I have to say this interviewer (forgot his name) seemed very friendly and relaxed and really interested in what Jake had to say. He allowed Jake to really talk (and babble) ;) I didn't mind him asking about Heath so much. It's inescapable, I guess - maybe even more so now that more time has gone by.

And remember my complaint about how little promotion Jake had done - or so it seemed, about a week ago? I take it back. I'm enjoying all of these interviews. Can't keep up right now and don't know what to watch or read first ;)

Anonymous said...

There's hints in the interviews Jake is going to work with Vallee again. Amy Adams has the HBO series Sharp Objects coming up with Vallee. Maybe Jake will be in it?

Anonymous said...

More likely the Janis Joplin movie with Adams. Lots of musicians were in Joplin's life. Valee is ready to film as soon as the legal suit is over, perhaps next year.

Anonymous said...

I heard the Joplin movie's lawsuit is still on-going. It will go to court next year. If they lose, Vallee can't film the movie. It's a gamble.

The only important male character in Sharp Objects is Adams's love interest, a detective. It's only a supporting role. I do not think Jake will take this role. They will need to find a B list actor for the role.

UltraViolet said...

I haven't heard any other hints that they'll work together again, but Jake really seems to have enjoyed it.

As BJ said above, I've been pleasantly surprised by all the articles and interviews. It feels a little bit less like they are dumping the movie.

The bad reviews are streaming in, though the movie went back up over 50% on Rotten Tomatoes. I wanted to share some of the glowing praise for Jake:

National Post:

Jake Gyllenhaal – an actor’s actor who takes interesting roles and then elevates them – really gets into the skin of his character, whether in stillness or (more often) motion. The scene of him grooving through the streets of New York to Sweaty Fingers on his iPod is cinematic poetry.‬

Kansas City Star:

A half-dozen times “Demolition” threatens to fly apart under the stress of conflicting moods and Davis’ antisocial behavior. Holding it all together is Gyllenhaal’s performance, which somehow matches each off-putting moment with one of compelling insight.

It’s not a smooth or easy ride. But it’s worth sticking with.

Washington Post:

Between “Nightcrawler” and “Southpaw,” Jake Gyllenhaal has been on something of a roll in recent years. Continuing the one-word-title lucky streak, the oddball grief drama “Demolition” proves that an actor who could easily be dismissed as just another watchable face is actually possessed of subtle, fascinatingly protean chops. ...

Gyllenhaal may be convin­cing, even sympathetic, as a man in the manic throes of guilt, regret and emotional isolation he can barely register, let alone articulate. But the story ultimately strands his character in another limbo state, albeit with slightly more optimistic prospects. Gyllenhaal’s admirably nimble performance deserved more.

Filmdrunk:

But Vallée has a way of executing his semi-hacky story tropes with such clever, original imagery that I’ll go along with it. Jake Gyllenhaal tearing apart his modern art house is so striking and watchable that I don’t entirely care why he’s doing it. Like a lot of Demolition, it’s just a great image, and one that doesn’t require much unpacking. It also helps that it’s Jake Gyllenhaal doing it. His curious eyes and manic bro intensity are so perfect in this role — it might be the most Gyllenhaal role he’s ever played. And Demolition uses him opposite Chris Cooper, Naomi Watts… lots of actors I’d watch do just about anything. Vallée’s casting choices are so good that they have a way of redeeming his story choices.

UltraViolet said...

Some good articles:

Five things to know about JG:

1. He knows his lines when he arrives on set but he’s willing and able to improvise if the moment moves him. That was especially true of the revealing sequence in Demolition when Davis is baring his soul.

“The script didn’t call for him to cry but Jake did because it felt right to him, and it was,” Vallée says.


This is what it's like to play Jake Gyllenhaal's wife:

“I like to tell people, I'm only alive for a few minutes of the film, but I married Jake for eternity,” Lind joked at an N.Y.C. screening of Demolition. So what is it really like to play the actor's partner-in-crime? “It's pretty great,” she says. “Once the sort of sheen wears off that it's Jake Gyllenhaal, you find out that he is the nicest guy."

One important thing that Lind learned about the actor while they were filming in New York City? He has great taste in restaurants. “Jake took the cast and the crew to this amazing dumpling place in Chinatown. It was like 25 of us that descended on this tiny little spot and he showed us how to do dumplings right,” she says. “Really, it's just fun to work with someone that you look up to and see that they are cool in person too.”


AICN talks to JG and JMV

In Demo, JG learns to face his emotions (and fear of public dancing):

In addition to your costumes, the other transformation you go through in Demolition is a grooming one. You get progressively hairy as the film goes on!
That was the director’s idea. He had spent time with this guy in the financial world for the movie, and saw that he plucked his eyebrows and did all this [manscaping] stuff. He wrote a sequence into the movie after seeing how groomed that whole world can be and he just really liked a guy who kept up with this conventional idea of what he needed to do to be accepted early on but then kind lets it go as the movie goes on.

Was there a body hair continuity expert on set?
No, but it sounds like that is probably your area of expertise [laughs].



From the InStyle author: Jake Gyllenhaal isn't on @twitter so I can gush: He is charming, and his new movie, Demolition, is amazing


Jake says blah blah blah

A Beautiful Mess


From that InStyle author, on twitter: Jake Gyllenhaal isn't on twitter, so I can gush. He is charming, and his new movie, Demolition, is amazing

Scott said...

" Continuing the one-word-title lucky streak..."

Good observation, then comes Stronger, Life, Okja, LOL.

bobbyanna said...

Off topic: I just read that Anne Hathaway & her husband had a baby boy, Jonathan.



Scott said...

Congrats to Ann and Adam.

BlueJean said...

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay Annie!!! Congratulations!

BlueJean said...

Thanks for all the links and things, UV. Will read them later.

Is anyone going to see 'Demolition' today? Ignore the bad reviews!!! ;)

Anonymous said...

What reviews are you talking about? Yes, some critics hate the movie, some love it, but they ALL praise Jake, there's no bad review for him. What fan of Jake doesn't want to see a movie where his performance is universally praised?
If not many fans will see it is because Demolition doesn't play in many theatres. Eventually we will all see it.

BlueJean said...

Bad reviews for the film, I meant. Not for Jake ;)

I have no idea in how many cinemas it will play here (The Netherlands) next week. Is it arthouse enough for arthouse theatres, like 'Enemy', or is it more public friendly and will it play in larger theatres?

I wonder why it's a limited release in the first place, to be honest.

Ann said...

Is it arthouse enough for arthouse theatres, like 'Enemy', or is it more public friendly and will it play in larger theatres? i

It's playing in more public friendly theaters in the U.S. from what I've seen. Larger theaters.

I saw Demolition today and I really enjoyed it. This felt like Jake's most grown-up role to date, maybe it was all those suits ;). I might need a few more viewings to be sure but I think it'll go in my top 5 Jake performances/films.

Also, Jake looks incredible in this movie! They styled him so well. I always thought he looked best in LAOD but Demolition tops that for me. I'm sure I'll be here in the fall saying Nocturnal Animals is his best look. He just keeps getting better looking, LOL

I hope there are some extended scenes of him dancing, that was fun to watch on the big screen! Hope everyone gets a chance to see it soon! :)

Scott said...

Last I heard Demolition was playing at over 800 theaters (Box Office.com)which is more than the 550 stated earlier.

BlueJean said...

Thanks for your review, Ann!

Hagen said...

Next up for the actor is Daniel Espinosa’s Life, a sci-fi tale co-starring Rebecca Ferguson and Ryan Reynolds and slated by Sony for March 24, 2017 (Forbes).

I haven't been aware that there's already a release date for "Life". "Easy Money" was pretty good, but I haven't seen Espinosa's other movies.

It's a bit frustrating that Jake's efforts with promoting "Demolition" haven't really paid off. :sigh:

Anonymous said...

I saw demolition yesterday at 9pm and me and my husband and 1 other couple were the only people in the theater(this theater is always packed for any movie). I really liked the movie and so did my husband but disappointed in the turn out. Maybe lack of promotion hurt some(I really didn't see many trailers until just this past week. Everyone I talk to who is not a big Jake fan keeps asking me "what is demolition? never heard of it." I highly suggest it to anyone. He was great as always and movie was good.

BlueJean said...

"It's a bit frustrating that Jake's efforts with promoting "Demolition" haven't really paid off. :sigh:"

Very frustrating. I can understand why, i think, because this is an unconventional story and it seems to be a "you love it or you hate it" film - but I'd like to see it do well. I've just noticed there were pre-premiere early morning showings today at some Pathé cinemas over here - very early ;) - but I noticed too late, unfortunately. Hope to go see it next weekend or the week after that.

Looking forward to more of your reviews, guys!

Scott said...

I don't like going there with Jake, promo or box office. Sometimes its just luck with original screenplays and you have to start buzz really early. Not sure why Jake himself does not resonate with main stream film audiences. But most actors/actresses do not unless they are lucky and play the game such as putting themselves out there more on social media which is something Jake will never do it seems.

I know Jake can be passionate about his films but unfortunately in todays social media world actors/actresses have to sell themselves as much as they do the films they make.

BlueJean said...

I think Jake is far too private to sell himself on social media. He has said he's "no good" at selling himself and that he's "old school" as far as social media is concerned. We've had that conversation before.

I watched an interview with George Clooney recently, in which George said he isn't on social media at all, insisting it's no problem to have "a bit of mystery" surrounding an actor (or an artist in general). I had to think of Jake when he said that. Plus there are so many other actors who aren't on social media.

I read a 'Demolition' review that called the film "a typical Jake Gyllenhaal movie" and how the part of Davis seemed written with Jake in mind. I take that as a compliment, but when you look at it from a different point of view it could also be a stigma: another dark role for Jake, another troubled character. He's good at that and he gets praised everywhere, but when he has to work with a so-so script, from what I've read... The script seems to be the biggest issue here and that's unfortunate. Plus I think the film could be a little too artsy to please the mainstream audience - a bit like 'Enemy', maybe. But I haven't seen it yet, so I could be wrong.

Demolition's opening weekend has groosed $1,125,000 according to Mojo (#15 rank). Disappointing I guess, since we're also talking about a Jean-Marc Vallée movie here.

Ann said...

The box office results for Demolition are disappointing. I think Fox Searchlight messed up by releasing it in so many theaters in its first week, plus there wasn't enough promotion but nothing can be done about that now. I'm sure they had reasons for the way they released it.

I don't think Jake being on social media is the solution to bad box office results.

UltraViolet said...

Very disappointing results. This was never going to be Wild (based on a popular book, straightforward-isa story) but it could have been sold much better. Opening at TIFF and then not releasing in the fall was a mistake.

I do think a lot of the negative criticism is misplaced. Many critics accuse the movie of being intentionally offbeat; I'd say much if the critics were looking not to like it.

In any case, I hope everyone who can goes to see it. It's a remarkable Jake performance, and Judah Lewis is incredible. I saw it again yesterday, and it did make me cry in the end. I'm not sure if I cried when I saw it in Toronto.

I'm trying to maintain a Zen attitude about the box office. For various reasons, Jake's movies don't always attract huge audiences. As long as he keeps getting the opportunity to make great films, I'm going to try not to worry about the business side of things.

Still hoping he works with an auteur again at some point.

There are definitely missed opportunities. The relationship between Jake and the Naomi Watts character had a certain edge to it that dissipates once the son enters the picture. Many didn't think there was chemistry there, but I thought they were good together.

UltraViolet said...

Oh, and I agree that Jake's being on social media wouldn't have mattered for the box office for Demolition. Fox Searchlight's doing a better job on social media would have been far more useful.

I also thoroughly reject the notion that Demolition is a typical Jake movie or performance. I'm not sure how much variation people need: Source Code, End of Watch, Prisoners, Enemy, Nightcrawler, Southpaw, Everest, Demolition. Different genres, different topics, different styles, different personas.

Yes, they are all serious. It would be fun to see Jake do a more lighthearted role,. But to say there is a typical Jake movie doesn't make sense.

bobbyanna said...

I haven't seen Demolition yet, but I hope to see it this week. I never got the impression Demolition was a movie with mass appeal. I always considered it Art House/Indie. So, I wasn't thinking about the box office.But I agree that it was marketed very poorly.Aside from Jake doing what he could, the movie itself didn't get much advertising.

As for Jake & social media, Lainey had an interesting piece in her blog recently about Kerry Washington and how Kerry handles social media and is also able to maintain her privacy. There were some interesting points made in the article. Basically that a person doesn't have to give up all their privacy to deal with social media.

Jake seems very reluctant to engage in any kind of personal promotion. I think it definitely affects box office. It seems like he only makes himself available to market his movies, and does very little outside of that. I guess that works if you have a lot of movies coming out, but it's not effective for the times in between.

If I were his PR advisor (LOL!) I would suggest he decide on a marketing plan, then start building his fan base in his target market. Lots of actors do that. If he doesn't want to go that route there are other ways like endorsement deals, again focusing on a target market.

Guys like James Franco do product endorsement deals so when you open up a high end magazine (not a tabloid) you see their faces. Whether it's coffee, insurance T.D. Ameritrade, cars, men's cologne, fashion, beer, etc. You get to promote an image. I recently caught Benecio Del Toro advertising beer. It was a hilarious commercial. This is omething new for him.

My point is, Jake could do more to build a stronger box office appeal if he wanted to. He works so hard and does such a great job, it's a shame more people don't appreciate it.

Ann said...

UV, I agree with everything you've said. Especially the zen attitude about the box office. As long as Jake is doing roles that make him happy, he's given the freedom to keep making the films he wants and produce the films he wants, that's what matters. As a fan, I haven't been disappointed by a performance of his yet and I'm enjoying the movies he makes. Am I disappointed in box office? Yes, but box office is a tricky business now for all actors and movies.

Jake addressed doing so many dark films in a recent interview. I think in order for him to do a more lighthearted movie, it'll have to be a mix of darkness and humor which Demolition has. I laughed at several moments during the film, maybe some critics who said it was dark didn't get the humor? It's hard to say.

BlueJean said...

I found this:

"Searchlight bowed French-Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition in 854 theaters Friday. The 2015 Toronto International Film Festival opener had a rough start, averaging only $1,317 from a $1,125,000 gross. Give kudos to Searchlight for telling it like it is. The company said Sunday when reporting numbers: “While the results have been disappointing so far, it is great to be working once again with a filmmaker as visionary and focused as Jean-Marc Vallee, and an actor as talented as Jake.”

http://deadline.com/2016/04/demolition-miles-ahead-louder-than-bombs-specialty-box-office-1201734863/

Scott said...

Social media does not have to be only about film and self promotion but Jake could also use it to promote his social causes such as the edible school yard. I never understood why Michelle Obama did not pursue Jake as an ambassador for her national school garden programs. It seemed like a natural fit but really only Jake's fans know about his involvement.

I also hope Jake continues to do what he wants in film and can't wait for his first film directorial. I still wish they would do a Source Code sequel because it would do well especially if Jake and Duncan were on board.

J said...

I agree UV, I think a lot of critics judged before actually seeing the film. And I think it's because of the poor decision to open in TIFF and release in April.

To be honest, I think a Twitter account would be great. You tweet what you want, when you want, and you don't have to reveal any private information at all. Even just to have it there, like his Facebook, to show he has followers and a fan base, I think would help grow the appeal of him as an actor, and his films.

J said...

Saw Demolition today and it surprised me. I absolutely loved it. Admittedly, I didn't like the script when I'd read it but this is one of those films where it translated beautifully onscreen. I loved the little changes JMV made that swept away a lot of the problematic issues I had with the script. These characters are so layered and developed, and the performances were all amazing. Particularly Jake's, who is outstanding.

I just don't get the reviews at all, especially the ones complaining its cliched. It's probably one of the least cliched films I've ever seen! It's original, humorous and totally unpredictable. I'd go as far to say that it's just as good, if not better, than many of the award winners at this year's Oscars. Jake definitely could've got in there.

BlueJean said...

I will be seeing it this weekend. Just checked the website of my favorite arthouse theater, where I also saw 'Enemy', and 'Demolition' will be playing there! :)))

I still haven't read the script, J. When you posted the link, I was very tempted... but I've managed to stay away from it so far. Thanks for your review.

We could come up with a thousand reasons why 'Demolition' isn't doing well - but who knows? If it had been released last year, there would have been too much Jake maybe, after 'Southpaw' and 'Everest', so... I'm still looking forward to it. It sounds like this is Jake as I love seeing him - unpredictable and original, as J. said.

UltraViolet said...

It would be fun if Jake had a twitter account that he actually used to interact with other folks, but if it's just going to be like his FB page, why bother?

Bobbyanna, I know what you mean about personal branding. It would be fun to see Jake ins a glossy Armani campaign, I guess. But it's not like all of his activities have helped James Franco open movies.

Demolition was the selection for one of those Sight Unseen movie nights at Odeon cinemas in the UK, and most people seemed to enjoy it. Not sure if UK critics will, but it would be great to see Demolition do well at the UK box office.

Some tweets - apparently, Jake was at the Rihanna concert in Boston on Sunday:

@ Jake Gyllenhaal you stepped on my yeezys at the Rihanna concert last night, boy. apologize.

Met Jake gyllenhall tonight , Rihanna concert was a good choice


And these made me laugh:

When your husband asks you if you want to go see a Jake Gyllenhaal movie, you get out of your pajamas and off the couch and you go!

On Air/Ryan Seacrest ‏@OnAirWithRyan 17m17 minutes ago
when we found out Jake Gyllenhaal had a secret crush on someone at least 4 ppl in this room wanted it to be us…

Ann said...

Tatiana Maslany posted this on her Instagram, wonder if her and Jake went together :)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEEDzKqKEoJ/

It would be fun if Jake had a twitter account that he actually used to interact with other folks, but if it's just going to be like his FB page, why bother?

I too think this would be fun but then sometimes the comments I see on twitter about Jake make me think it's a good idea he's not on social media, Lol.

UltraViolet said...

I keep forgetting to post this. Thanks to that Jake account for noticing that he's wearing brown contacts. I don't think he's done the before.

Sag Actor said...

Saw Demolition on Sunday. The theater had about 15 people in it. I enjoyed it mostly for Jake's performance, Naomi was under used.

The film isn't for everyone and the script had problems but overall I li j ed the movie but it definitely is a,art house movie.

bobbyanna said...

LOL! Unfortunately, UV, I think James Franco has other issues to contend with. I think the direction of James Franco's career is similar to that of a cork bobbing around in the water. LOL! With Jake, I get a genuine sense that he has a solid fanbase that loves him & his work. He's well received, his acting choices are admired, his work is admired, I just wish he could expand his fanbase,introduce himself to a wider audience, and be more accessible. Not to violate privacy concerns just to make people feel a little more invested. Once in a while he does some personal promotion, but it is not consistent.

By the way. I finally saw Demolition, and I loved it! I don't know WTF the critics have to complain about. Maybe they ought to make their own damned movie so it can unfold just the way the expect it to. This was just a gem. It was funny and poignant. I really enjoyed the humor, oddly enough.

Jake's character reminded me a little of the guy he played in Moonlight Mile. Just a bit. I loved his scenes with Chris Cooper. Actually there were no weak performances. I did get the impression at times that I was watching a French film. It had the feel of one, and of course certain music choices reinforced that impression.

Loved the dancing. Jake looked amazing. I mean he really looked good. I agree, not since LAOD have I seen this Jake. OMG. In fact I think he looks even better if that's possible.

I liked the ending too.Judah Lewis was wonderful. Those scenes with the fun. OMG. Nuts. Jake had to be out of his mind!.

Anonymous said...

Recent interview where he mentions Okja and Life. 1st I heard anything about his character in Okja (host of animal show)
"Then I’m going to go do this movie [currently called Okja] with this guy Bong Joon Ho, who did Snowpiercer and The Host and stuff.  I play a guy who is host of an animal show.

Do you like animals?

(laughs)  Yeah.  (laughs harder)  That’s a loaded question.  Yes, of course I like animals.  But that’s super fun.  That’s one’s going to be crazy, in a really fun way.  I’m going to do this movie called Life with Daniel Espinosa, who is directing it.  It’s a really, really fun… not fun, I mean it’s scary, but it’s fun."
https://popentertainmentblog.com/2016/04/10/jake-gyllenhaal-demolition-man/

KD

bobbyanna said...

Thanks KD.


Sorry for the typo. I said "those scenes with the fun" but I meant "GUN" The scene in Demolition where Jake & Judah are shooting.

UltraViolet said...

Story about Jake playing Jeff Bauman in USA Today:

“I can’t begin to think about the pain that he has been through. In fact, I have thought about it a lot. I’ve tried to," says Gyllenhaal, calling from Boston’s Back Bay. "But I don’t know if I would have been able to survive. I don’t know if I have the strength that he has. And that’s a question that I ask myself every day with this film.”

On the third anniversary of the attack, much has changed, and blossomed. Bauman endured multiple surgeries and through extensive rehab and prosthetics learned to walk again. He wrote a book, Stronger, about his experience, and married Hurley (Tatiana Maslany will play her); they now have a 20-month-old daughter, Nora.

The film, expected out in 2017 and directed by David Gordon Green, isn't about the Boston Marathon bombing, those involved stress, but rather Bauman’s "unlikely path toward a love story, and healing and recovery and acceptance of being deemed a hero when he didn’t believe in himself,” says producer Todd Lieberman.

Gyllenhaal officially met Bauman, who he calls "inspirational," four months ago. ("I woke up one day and Jake was sleeping right next to me," cracks Bauman.) Last week, Stronger cameras began rolling at the close of a Bruins game, with thousands of fans staying to watch the film crew recreate Bauman’s first public appearance after being hospitalized.

For Bauman, who attended with his family, it was an amazing sight. “They had the comparison side by side of Erin and I doing it and then Jake and Tatiana, and you couldn’t really tell the difference,” he says. The experience stayed with Gyllenhaal, too. "Half of our crew was in tears," he says. ...


How Jake Gyllenhaal taught me an important lesson. The video is in the story.

UltraViolet said...

I was happy to hear Jake talk about Okja - made it real that he's doing it.

I too think this would be fun but then sometimes the comments I see on twitter about Jake make me think it's a good idea he's not on social media

Oh, absolutely, Ann. There are very good reasons for Jake to stay away!

Bobbyanna, Jake looks amazing in Demolition. It's a shame so few people will go to see it! That nice shirt/suspenders/Carhartts look is inspired. And to think Jake came up with it himself!

This photo looks familiar, but I don't know if it's been seen before. "Gus Van Sant" and "screentest" are hashtags.

Quick behind the scenes at the Garden. Video of the filming.

This cracked me up.

Jean-Marc has mentioned this in many interviews, but I love the way he talks about Jake: “I think it’s because of Jake that the humor works well, and we get to care for the character,” Vallée said, giving his leading man far more credit than he does himself. “He has some depth, intelligence, and something sensitive, and yes, of course, he’s handsome but there’s also a sadness, and you want to follow and care for him.”

And this, from Jake, is very interesting:

Gyllenhaal also addressed his recent decision to take more challenging roles. “I did make a conscious decision to move towards people who actually love me as opposed to people I hope to love me,” he says. “Some of the things I didn’t really think I could do, characters that had skills I didn’t think I could pull off and I wanted to try and learn those things. Also, just being true to what I loved and characters that I was moved by, not by things that somebody told me people would want to see. The irony is that you make them for a reasonable price and you make the money back then you can do it again.

“I like being in a space when not a lot of people are watching and I like doing work like that,” he added even more enigmatically. “I like being in that environment and then I feel safe to express. The irony is that I like being on stage, too, where you can do that in front of everybody else, but the rehearsal process is where you get to shape that. I also changed my outlook in terms of preparation. I love preparation. I love the research for the role. I think being an actor can be and should be an intellectual process early on, and then you exhaust your brain and [turn] those choices into instinct. I think craft shows you what you should be doing, and it takes an education and intelligence to be an actor, not just a nice set of teeth.”


Jake mentioned in another interview that there are some "filmmakers" that don't want to work with him, which was intriguing. I wonder who and why.

Anonymous said...

Jake and Jeff:

https://40.media.tumblr.com/cb5f3beb38e2455aecfd3ce94a27f92c/tumblr_o5l93mqx361sk2fc0o1_1280.jpg

https://41.media.tumblr.com/ebc2794247ad5cb4be57e221d9417ba4/tumblr_o5l93mqx361sk2fc0o2_1280.jpg

Damn, he's good looking!


Maura

Scott said...

"https://40.media.tumblr.com/cb5f3beb38e2455aecfd3ce94a27f92c/tumblr_o5l93mqx361sk2fc0o1_1280.jpg"


Wow Jeff's eyebrows, someone who has epic eyebrow action greater than Jake, LOL.

Hagen said...

I did make a conscious decision to move towards people who actually love me as opposed to people I hope to love me,” he says.

Goodbye to David Fincher, I guess. ;-)

I wonder why Jake has lost some weight for this role, when Jeff is in fact a bit heavier than he is.

BlueJean said...

'Demolition' opens in The Netherlands today. Dutch reviews so far are okayish as far as the movie is concerned, but excellent for Jake in particular :)

Thanks for all the 'Stronger' stuff, guys. Now off to read ;)

BlueJean said...

UV, the first link you posted in your 5:43 post links to the wrong story ;)

UltraViolet said...

Oops, sorry about that. It's the USA Today link.

UltraViolet said...

Hagen, Jeff was pretty skinny at the time of the Marathon. I don't know if you've seen that iconic photo of him after the bombing. Not linking, as it's a disturbing photo.

bobbyanna said...

I didn't know his name at the time, but UV, I will never forget that picture as long as I live. I don't think I could have survived what he went through. In the days that followed, I think a lot of people were anxious to know if "that guy" survived. The picture became iconic.

I am hopeful that Demolition will be successful with European audiences.

BlueJean said...

"I am hopeful that Demolition will be successful with European audiences."

Me too, Bobbyanna. I liked what you said about feeling like you were watching a French film. We Europeans are into quirky stuff sometimes! ;)

Have any of you read Jeff Bauman's book, by any chance?

Anonymous said...

I read Jeff's book this past summer as well as the script. I really liked both. The script had a lot of humor and read really well. Great story. I hope they keep close to the script that I read and don't change to much. I think will be great part for Jake. I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Whoever posted the script here previously said reminded them of silver linings, I see what they mean. The family dynamic reminded me of the same as well as how much sports were apart of their life and just their overall personalities. In that regard it reminded me of that movie
KD

Hagen said...

Hagen, Jeff was pretty skinny at the time of the Marathon. I don't know if you've seen that iconic photo of him after the bombing. Not linking, as it's a disturbing photo.

Thanks for the explanation, UV. Fortunately I've found a non disturbing portrait.


I am hopeful that Demolition will be successful with European audiences.

Well, it's a limited release in Europe, too, at least in France and Belgium.

BlueJean said...

The Netherlands as well.

Anonymous said...

I saw Demolition last week and for me it's an ok movie. I like Jake's performance but the film isn't that great. I found there is no chemistry with Naomi Watts that completely odd . Only the kid is good too bad he doesn't have many scenes.

The music is great lol.

For me it's not the best Jake's movies but i found him very good it in. The part where he is dancing OH MY GOD lol...

L.

Anonymous said...

Some comments from Jake about Stronger during Demolition press tour:

“I’m playing a guy named Jeff Bauman who lost his legs,” said Gyllenhaal. “It’s really not a story about the Boston bombings. It’s a story about him and his then girlfriend (“Orphan Black” star Tatiana Maslany), now wife, and their journey through it. It’s a wonderful, quirky, really complicated family around him, and ultimately their love story, which with or without his legs would be just beautiful. So it happens to be about all of that. It’s actually funny. I hate to say, but it’s actually funny and he’s a lovely, really funny guy.” RH

Chica said...

I will be see Demolition this aftetnoon, can't wat! The reviews haven't been great but I'm still looking forward to seeing it.

BlueJean said...

What did you think of it, Chica?

I saw it today and I loved it - almost all of it.

Michelle said...

There's some pretty interesting stuff going on over on Instagram right now. @nina.clare is in Boston with Jake and she's posting snaps of his clothes, some which seem to be specially made by Nike for the project. Nina is also Kirsten Dunst's stylist and has been working for both Dunst and Jake for years. She posts their snaps pretty regularly on her Instagram. However, in the most recent #bostonstronger snaps, she's tagging Kirsten as if the actress is there or somehow involved in the process. Something she hasn't done before. She has always been involved with both actors but there has never been this crossover. Interesting times ahead!

Chica said...

Hi Blue Jean! I loved Jake's performance but the movie was just ok. The script could have been better, loved the scenes with him and Naomi (thought their chemistry was fine) and loved the scenes with the kid who played her son, he's going places!

Ann said...

Michelle, I noticed the same thing. Kirsten Dunst posted a pic on her Instagram the other day of Jeff Bauman and his wife Erin. They were both wearing a shirt that said 'Rodarte Stronger'. I think that's the connection. Kirsten is friends with the people who run Rodarte and has supported them before. I think she's just helping promote her friends company who now happen to have a connection to Jake. Very odd, Lol.

Glad to hear more people are seeing Demolition. Doesn't look like the box office for it is doing any better. Such a shame.

UltraViolet said...

I loved Jake and Naomi together. I wish there were a parallel universe movie where we could see them getting together. Glad you both enjoyed Jake's performance, Chica and BJ.

As for the Rodarte thing - it's great that they are on team Stronger. I'm not a fan of most of their designs, but we'll see what they can do for athletic wear :)

New post.