The Humbling (film)
| The Humbling | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Barry Levinson |
| Produced by |
Al Pacino Jason Sosnoff Monika Bacardi Ged Dickersin Kristina Dubin Andrea Iervolino Gisella Marengo |
| Written by |
Buck Henry Michal Zebede |
| Based on |
The Humbling by Philip Roth |
| Starring |
Al Pacino Greta Gerwig Dianne Wiest Charles Grodin Kyra Sedgwick |
| Music by | Marcelo Zarvos |
| Cinematography | Adam Jandrup |
| Edited by | Aaron Yanes |
Production company |
Ambi Pictures Hammerton Productions |
| Distributed by | Millennium Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2 million |
The Humbling is a 2014 comedy-drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Buck Henry and Michal Zebede, based on the 2009 novel The Humbling by Philip Roth. The film stars Al Pacino, Greta Gerwig, Dianne Wiest, Charles Grodin and Kyra Sedgwick.
It was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival[1] and in the Out of Competition section of the 71st Venice International Film Festival. The film was released on January 23, 2015, by Millennium Films.
Synopsis
Simon Axler is an aging actor who suffers from bouts of dementia. He is institutionalized after an incident during a Broadway play, then returns home, where he contemplates suicide in Hemingway style. When he embarks upon an affair with an ex-girlfriend's amoral bisexual daughter, his world starts to fall apart. It ends on stage, with even Axler's audience and fellow actors unsure what's real and what's not.
Cast
- Al Pacino as Simon Axler
- Greta Gerwig as Pegeen Mike Stapleford
- Kyra Sedgwick as Louise Trenner
- Dan Hedaya as Asa
- Dianne Wiest as Pegeen's Mother
- Charles Grodin as Jerry
- Dylan Baker as Dr. Farr
Production
After reading and connecting with the book, Pacino decided to option the book and asked Barry Levinson to direct it. [2] Levinson decided to make the movie as a dark comedy, noting, "If you want to talk about an older actor in decline, just to do it as some straight drama didn’t seem that intriguing to me" also citing that comedy "seemed to me inherent in the piece".[3] Although both Pacino and Levinson have denied that the character of Simon is autobiographical to Pacino's life,[3] Pacino noted that he related to the material, stating that "it’s in, as they say, my wheelhouse."[2]
Although the film in the beginning had ample funding, the listed conditions got too much for Levinson, who backed out and lost by his estimate "somewhere in the area of $6 million."[3] Subsequently it was decided to shoot the film incrementally with several breaks built in to accommodate Pacino's schedule. This was a new experience for Levinson although he welcomed the change of pace as "It added to the clarity."[3]
On February 4, 2014, it was announced that Millennium Films had acquired the worldwide rights to the film.[4]
Reception
The Humbling received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 52%, based on 50 reviews, with a rating of 5.4/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Humbling is an inarguable highlight of Al Pacino's late-period filmography, but that's an admittedly low bar that it doesn't always clear by a very wide margin."[5] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 59 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[6]
References
- ↑ "Toronto Film Festival Lineup". Variety. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- 1 2 Hammond, Pete. "Al Pacino In-Depth: On 'The Humbling', Old Vs. New Hollywood And 'Scarface'". Deadline. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 Guerrasio, Jason. "Barry Levinson on making little movies in a big age". The Dissolve. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
- ↑ McNary, Dave (4 February 2014). "Al Pacino's 'The Humbling' Gets Distribution". variety.com. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- ↑ "The Humbling". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
- ↑ "The Humbling Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
External links
- The Humbling on IMDb