Home Again (2017 film)

Last updated
Home Again
Home Again poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer
Written byHallie Meyers-Shyer
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Dean Cundey
Edited byDavid Bilow
Music by John Debney
Production
companies
Distributed by Open Road Films
Release dates
  • August 29, 2017 (2017-08-29)(Los Angeles)
  • September 8, 2017 (2017-09-08)(United States)
Running time
97 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million [2]
Box office$37.3 million [3]

Home Again is a 2017 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, in her directorial debut. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Nat Wolff, Jon Rudnitsky, Pico Alexander, Michael Sheen and Candice Bergen, and follows a 40-year-old single mother who allows three young aspiring filmmakers to live with her in her Los Angeles home. The film was released on September 8, 2017, by Open Road Films and grossed $37 million worldwide.

Contents

Plot

Alice Kinney is the daughter of film director John Kinney, who made several prominent personal-focused films in his life but died some years ago. As she hits her 40th birthday, Alice is currently separated from her husband Austen, who has stayed in New York in his role as a music producer while Alice has moved back into her father's Los Angeles home with her daughters, Isabel and Rosie, to be closer to her mother, Lillian. Alice is also attempting to start her own interior design business.

While out for a drink with her friends, Alice encounters Harry, George and Teddy, three aspiring filmmakers in LA to make a pitch to possible producers after a short film they presented at a film festival received positive acclaim. Despite the three being in their late twenties, they hit it off with Alice and her friends, with Alice nearly sleeping with Harry before he passes out from intoxication. The next morning, George discovers a room containing John Kinney's old scripts and awards and realizes Alice's family history just as Lillian, Isabel and Rosie return from the girls' night with their grandmother. Alice takes the girls to school while Lillian offers the young men breakfast, and is so won over by their compliments of John's old films that she offers them the guest house while they make their pitch.

As the three stay in the house, they all become an important part of Alice's routine, as she develops a potential romantic interest in Harry while Teddy helps her set up a web site for her business. George encourages Isabel to enter a script-writing contest at school as part of an effort to pursue her own literary aspirations, with Isabel coming to rely on George for emotional support to deal with anxiety issues when it comes to her writing. The three young men also meet with Justin Miller, a director who is interested in funding their own project despite his past work focusing on horror movies. As Alice and Harry grow closer, she invites him to join her for a dinner with a couple of her friends, but Harry has a meeting with Miller about further funding opportunities that runs over, prompting Alice to call off their potential romantic relationship the following morning.

Depressed when she realises that her first potential client has basically been treating her more like general hired help without taking any of her design suggestions seriously, Alice is further thrown when Austen unexpectedly arrives in Los Angeles, claiming that he is uncomfortable about having three strangers living with his family. When Harry learns that Teddy and George have been pursuing independent projects, he becomes bitter at the belief that they have no faith in his own work, prompting him to leave the house. Teddy's dislike of Austen's subtle manipulations culminates in a fight between the two just as Alice returns from picking up her daughters from school, but although Alice agrees with Austen that it may be time for the others to move out, she informs Austen that she wants an official divorce. George and Teddy reconcile with Harry and find their own apartment, with Harry accepting the other two's decision to pursue other opportunities on top of their own work.

A week later, Alice visits the boys' new apartment to apologise for how things turned out, assuring them that she still wants them to be a part of her family. Harry apologises to Alice, declaring that she's too good for him. On the day of Isabel's school play, the three men have a meeting with a potential investor in their project, but when the meeting overruns and the client expresses ideas that are not in line with their own vision of the film, Harry cuts it short so that they can get to the play, just making it in time for the start. George's presence backstage reassures a nervous Isabel, while he is also implied to hit it off with her teacher. That evening, the strange 'family' have a dinner to celebrate Isabel's success, with young Rosie making a comment about the actor who played her dad. Everyone looks at her, dumbfounded. She shrugs and asks, "What? Was it not about us?!"

Cast

Production

In May 2016, it was announced Rose Byrne had been cast in the film, with Hallie Meyers-Shyer writing and directing. Nancy Meyers and Erika Olde served as producers. [4] In August 2016, it was announced Reese Witherspoon had been set to star in the film, replacing Byrne. [5] In October 2016, Candice Bergen, Michael Sheen and Reid Scott joined the cast, [6] [7] and in November 2016, Jon Rudnitsky, Lake Bell, Nat Wolff, and Pico Alexander joined as well. [8] [9]

Filming

Principal photography began in October 2016 in Los Angeles and lasted until December 7, 2016. [2]

Release

In September 2016, Open Road Films acquired distribution rights to the film. [10] It was released in the United States on September 8, 2017. [11]

Home media

Home Again was released on Digital HD on November 21, 2017, and on DVD and Blu-ray by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on December 12, 2017.[ citation needed ]

Reception

Box office

As of May 14,2018, Home Again has grossed $27 million in the United States and Canada, and $10.3 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $37.3 million, against a production budget of $12 million. [3]

In North America, Home Again was released alongside It , and was projected to gross $10–12 million from 2,940 theaters in its opening weekend. [12] It made $300,000 from Thursday night previews and $3.1 million on its first day. It went on to debut to $8.6 million, finishing second at the box office, behind It ($123.4 million). [13] In its second weekend, the film dropped 38% to $5.3 million, finishing fourth, behind It and newcomers American Assassin and Mother! . [14]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 32% based on 139 reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Home Again gathers a talented crowd of rom-com veterans on both sides of the camera—all of whom have unfortunately done far better work." [15] On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized average rating to reviews, the film has a weighted average score of 41 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [16] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale. [13]

Jon Frosch of The Hollywood Reporter called the film "a female-driven comedy so thoroughly sanitized that it's essentially wiped of personality." [17] Rolling Stone's Peter Travers gave it 1.5/4 stars, writing, "Witherspoon is a genuine fireball of a star, and it takes a lot to muffle her high spirits in a blanket of bland. So congratulations, Home Again. Against all odds, you've done it." [18] Ed Potton of The Times gave it 2/5 stars, writing, "Yes, Witherspoon is as loveable as ever, but she can do this kind of thing in her sleep. Indeed, she must have felt close to it at times during this forgettable sigh of a movie." [19]

Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times was more positive. She gave the film 3/4 stars, writing, "This world doesn't quite exist, but it's an exceedingly pleasant place to escape to for a couple hours. Meyers-Shyer may have gotten it from her mama, but the point of view is all hers." [20] The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave it 3/5 stars, calling it "very silly but very watchable; you'd have to be very puritan to take exception." [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reese Witherspoon</span> American actress (born 1976)

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon is an American actress and producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2006 and 2015, and Forbes listed her among the World's 100 Most Powerful Women in 2019 and 2021. In 2021, Forbes named her the world's highest earning actress, and in 2023, she was named one of the richest women in America with an estimated net worth of $440 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nancy Meyers</span> American filmmaker

Nancy Jane Meyers is an American filmmaker. She has written, produced, and directed many critically and commercially successful films. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Private Benjamin (1980). Her film Baby Boom (1987) was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. She co-wrote Father of the Bride (1991), Father of the Bride Part II (1995), and both wrote and directed The Parent Trap (1998), What Women Want (2000), Something's Gotta Give (2003), The Holiday (2006), It's Complicated (2009), and The Intern (2015).

<i>Water for Elephants</i> (film) 2011 film by Francis Lawrence

Water for Elephants is a 2011 American romantic drama film directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Richard LaGravenese, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Sara Gruen. The film stars Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz, and Hal Holbrook.

<i>Inherent Vice</i> (film) 2014 American film by Paul Thomas Anderson

Inherent Vice is a 2014 American period neo-noir mystery comedy film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Thomas Pynchon. The ensemble cast includes Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston, Eric Roberts, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio del Toro, Jena Malone, Martin Short and Joanna Newsom. The film follows Larry "Doc" Sportello, a well-intentioned but fumbling stoner, hippie, and private investigator embroiled in the criminal underworld of 1970 Los Angeles, investigating three cases linked by the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend and her wealthy new boyfriend.

<i>Wild</i> (2014 film) 2014 film by Jean-Marc Vallée

Wild is a 2014 American biographical adventure drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Nick Hornby, based on the 2012 memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Thomas Sadoski, Michiel Huisman, Gaby Hoffmann, Kevin Rankin, and W. Earl Brown, the film follows Strayed as she embarks on a solo hiking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995 after numerous personal problems had left her life in shambles.

<i>The Intern</i> (2015 film) 2015 film by Nancy Meyers

The Intern is a 2015 American comedy-drama film directed, written, and produced by Nancy Meyers. The film stars Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway, and Rene Russo, with supporting performances from Anders Holm, Andrew Rannells, Adam DeVine, and Zack Pearlman. The plot follows a 70-year-old widower who becomes a senior intern at a fashion website, where he forms an unlikely friendship with the company's workaholic CEO.

<i>A Wrinkle in Time</i> (2018 film) 2018 American science fantasy adventure film

A Wrinkle in Time is a 2018 American science fantasy adventure film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell, based on Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 novel of the same name. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Whitaker Entertainment, the story follows a young girl who, with the help of three astral travelers, sets off on a quest to find her missing father. The film stars Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Levi Miller, Storm Reid, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peña, Zach Galifianakis, and Chris Pine.

<i>Fifty Shades Freed</i> (film) 2018 film directed by James Foley

Fifty Shades Freed is a 2018 American erotic romantic drama film directed by James Foley and written by Niall Leonard, based on E. L. James's 2012 novel of the same name. Produced by Perfect World Pictures, Michael De Luca Productions, and Trigger Street Productions, and distributed by Universal Pictures, it is the third and final installment in the Fifty Shades film series, following Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) and Fifty Shades Darker (2017). The film stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey, respectively, and follows the couple as they marry, and must deal with Ana's former boss Jack Hyde, who begins to stalk them.

<i>Mary Shelley</i> (film) 2017 period-drama film

Mary Shelley is a 2017 romantic period-drama film directed by Haifaa al-Mansour and written by Emma Jensen. The plot follows Mary Shelley's first love and her romantic relationship with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, which inspired her to write her 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. An international co-production, the film stars Elle Fanning as Shelley, with Maisie Williams, Douglas Booth, Bel Powley, and Ben Hardy in supporting roles.

<i>Ouija: Origin of Evil</i> 2016 film by Mike Flanagan

Ouija: Origin of Evil is a 2016 American supernatural horror film directed and edited by Mike Flanagan and written by Flanagan and Jeff Howard. The film is a prequel to the 2014 film Ouija and stars Elizabeth Reaser, Lulu Wilson, Annalise Basso, and Henry Thomas. A widow and her family introduce a Ouija board into their phony seance business, thereby inviting a spirit that possesses the youngest daughter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Rudnitsky</span> American actor

Jon Rudnitsky is an American actor and comedian. First breaking through as a performer with the Los Angeles comedy troupe The Groundlings, Rudnitsky garnered widespread attention for his brief stint as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live during the show's 41st season between 2015 and 2016. Since his departure from SNL, he has also played McWatt in the 2019 miniseries Catch-22.

<i>Downsizing</i> (film) 2017 film directed by Alexander Payne

Downsizing is a 2017 American science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Payne, written by Payne and Jim Taylor, and starring Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, and Kristen Wiig. It tells the story of Paul Safranek, who decides to undergo a recently invented procedure to shrink his body so he can start a new life in an experimental community, which he ends up doing alone when his wife backs out at the last minute; his journey takes an unexpected turn after he befriends an impoverished activist. Principal photography for the film began in Ontario, Canada, on April 1, 2016.

<i>Sicario: Day of the Soldado</i> 2018 film by Stefano Sollima

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a 2018 American action-thriller film directed by Stefano Sollima and written by Taylor Sheridan. A sequel to 2015's Sicario, the film features Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jeffrey Donovan, and Raoul Trujillo reprising their roles, with Isabela Moner, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Catherine Keener joining the cast. The story relates to human trafficking at the U.S.-Mexico border and an attempt by the United States government to incite increased conflict among the cartels.

<i>Widows</i> (2018 film) 2018 heist film directed by Steve McQueen

Widows is a 2018 neo-noir heist thriller film directed by Steve McQueen from a screenplay by Gillian Flynn and McQueen, based upon the 1983 British television series of the same name. The plot follows four Chicago women who attempt to steal $5 million from the home of a prominent local politician in order to pay back a crime boss missing money stolen by the women's husbands before they were killed in a botched getaway attempt. A British-American co-production, the film stars Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez and Elizabeth Debicki in the title roles alongside Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, and Liam Neeson in an ensemble supporting cast.

<i>Night School</i> (2018 film) 2018 comedy film directed by Malcolm D. Lee

Night School is a 2018 American buddy comedy film directed by Malcolm D. Lee, produced with Will Packer and Kevin Hart, written by Hart, Harry Ratchford, Joey Wells, Matt Kellard, Nicholas Stoller and John Hamburg, and starring Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Rob Riggle, and Romany Malco with supporting roles done by Taran Killam, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Al Madrigal, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Keith David, Anne Winters, Fat Joe, Ben Schwartz, Yvonne Orji, and Bresha Webb. The story follows a group of adults who set out to earn their GEDs. The film was released in the United States by Universal Pictures on September 28, 2018, grossed over $103 million worldwide and received negative reviews from critics.

<i>Slender Man</i> (film) 2018 American film

Slender Man is a 2018 American supernatural horror film directed by Sylvain White and written by David Birke, based on the character of the same name. The film stars Joey King, Julia Goldani Telles, Taylor Richardson, Jaz Sinclair, Annalise Basso, and Alex Fitzalan with Javier Botet as the title character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hello Sunshine (company)</span> American media company

Hello Sunshine is an American media company founded by actress Reese Witherspoon and Strand Equity Founder and Managing Partner Seth Rodsky in 2016.

Hallie Meyers-Shyer is an American actress and filmmaker. The daughter of filmmakers Charles Shyer and Nancy Meyers, she had small roles in several of her parents' films. She made her filmmaking debut in 2017 as the writer and director of the romantic comedy film Home Again.

<i>Little Fires Everywhere</i> (miniseries) 2020 American drama television miniseries

Little Fires Everywhere is an American drama television miniseries, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Celeste Ng. It premiered on Hulu on March 18, 2020 and consists of 8 episodes. The series stars Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, both of whom were also executive producers, alongside Liz Tigelaar, Lauren Neustadter, and Pilar Savone. Set in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, Ohio, during the late 1990s, it features Witherspoon and Washington as mothers from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

Darby Eliza Camp is an American actress. Her career had begun through her mother, an actress herself. Camp's breakout role came in HBO's Big Little Lies (2017–2019) in the recurring role of Chloe Adaline Mackenzie, the daughter of Madeline Martha Mackenzie. She garnered further recognition for her appearances in films as Frankie Hughes in Benji (2018), Kate Pierce in The Christmas Chronicles (2018), and Phoebe Evans in Dreamland (2019). She reprised her role of Kate Pierce in The Christmas Chronicles 2. In addition, she starred in Paramount Pictures's Clifford the Big Red Dog and Starz's Gaslit.

References

  1. ↑ "HOME AGAIN (12A)". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "2017 Feature Film Study" (PDF). FilmL.A. August 2018: 23. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 15, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2018.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. 1 2 "Home Again (2017)". The Numbers . Archived from the original on July 18, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  4. ↑ Jafaar, Ali (May 10, 2016). "Rose Byrne In Talks To Board Hallie Meyers-Shyer's 'Home Again' – Cannes". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  5. ↑ Kroll, Justin (August 4, 2016). "Reese Witherspoon in Talks to Star in 'Home Again' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  6. ↑ Busch, Anita (October 11, 2016). "Candice Bergen, Michael Sheen Join Hallie Meyers-Shyer's Comedy 'Home Again'". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  7. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (October 11, 2016). "Reid Scott Joins Reese Witherspoon In 'Home Again'". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  8. ↑ Galuppo, Mia (November 2, 2016). "'SNL' Alum Jon Rudnitsky Joins Reese Witherspoon in 'Home Again' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  9. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (November 8, 2016). "Reese Witherspoon's 'Home Again' Adds Pico Alexander". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  10. ↑ Pederson, Erik (September 21, 2016). "Open Road Going 'Home Again' With Reese Witherspoon Pic". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  11. ↑ Busch, Anita (April 6, 2017). "'Home Again' Starring Reese Witherspoon Gets Release Date From Open Road". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  12. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 5, 2017). "Box Office To Wake Up From Long Summer's Nap As 'It' Happens With $60Ms Opening, Possible $70M – Preview". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  13. 1 2 Busch, Anita; D'Alessandro, Anthony (11 September 2017). "Crazed Clown Cashes In, Smashes September Genre Records As Stephen King's 'It' Pulls In $123.4M — Final Box Office". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  14. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 18, 2017). "'It' Becomes Biggest-Ever September Release With $218.8M As 'Mother!' Gets F Report Card & Dismal $7.5M – Monday Final". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on September 18, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Home Again (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Home Again Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 27, 2018. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  17. ↑ Frosch, Jon (2017-09-05). "'Home Again': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  18. ↑ Travers, Peter (2017-09-06). "'Home Again' Review: Reese Witherspoon's Romcom is a Big Little Wreck". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  19. ↑ Potton, Ed (2023-12-10). "Film review: Home Again". The Times. ISSN   0140-0460. Archived from the original on 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  20. ↑ Walsh, Katie (2017-09-07). "Review: Nepotism? Legacy? Just call Hallie Meyers-Shyer's 'Home Again' the family business". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  21. ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (2017-09-27). "Home Again review – Reese Witherspoon sparkles in silly but watchable romcom". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.