James White (film)

Last updated

James White
James White poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Josh Mond
Written byJosh Mond
Produced byMax Born
Antonio Campos
Sean Durkin
Melody C. Roscher
F.A. Eric Schultz
Starring Christopher Abbott
Cynthia Nixon
Scott Mescudi
Ron Livingston
Makenzie Leigh
David Call
Cinematography Mátyás Erdély
Edited by Matthew Hannam
Music byScott Mescudi
Production
companies
BorderLine Films
Relic Pictures
Distributed by The Film Arcade
Release dates
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$101,368 [1]

James White is a 2015 American drama film written and directed by Josh Mond. The film stars Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Ron Livingston, Makenzie Leigh and David Call. James, a twenty-something New Yorker, struggles to take control of his self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges.

Contents

James White premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival [2] where it won the NEXT Audience Award. [3] The film received a limited release on November 13, 2015, by The Film Arcade. [4]

Plot

James White is a 20-something unemployed man who lives with his divorced, terminally ill mother, Gail, in New York. He attends his father's funeral and meets his dad's new wife Karen at the service. His friend Nick, who works at a resort in Mexico, is in attendance. His father's friend, Ben, who works for a magazine, offers James his condolences and says maybe he could find him a job. Jim considers himself a writer. James tells his mom he really needs to get away and is going back with Nick to Mexico. Gail reminds him that she needs him. They each think they have taken care of the other the past four years.

James is partying in Mexico. He meets a young girl, Jayne, who also likes drugs and alcohol. Gail calls and tells James she needs her son to come home. Jayne's also from New York so she returns with him and he learns she is in high school. His mom is in the emergency room and he cannot get any care for her. Finally the doctor explains she needs hospice more than the hospital. He cannot understand why he does not know any of this. Gail knows what year it is and who the president is so she can go home. James, Nick and Jayne go to a party, drinking and dancing, James is overcome with his responsibilities. He gets a black eye in a barroom fight. They all wake up in a motel room the next morning.

James goes for a job interview with Ben. He takes a hand-written writing sample and smells of alcohol. Ben tells him that even though he is a family friend, there is no job available for him. At home he lies and tells his mom he got the job. Gail then has a spell where she cannot speak, which she believes to be just a brain freeze.

That night, Gail's temperature spikes to over 103 degrees. The doctor says to use wet towels and Tylenol. Gail throws up; James feels very distraught and helpless. He takes his mom to the bathroom, where she does her business, but loses her strength to return to bed. James tries to take her out of the experience with an experiment: he tells her to imagine they are in Paris with the wind and lights. James notes how he is married with two children. As grandmother, she takes the kids to all the museums and goes to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa. Gail has a new husband, and the two of them are happy in this hypothetical. She returns to bed and her temperature drops back down to a stable 100 degrees.

Later, Gail and James have a heart-to-heart conversation. She says "I know we never talk about your father, but without him, there never would have been you." A month later, James tells her he loves her. Suddenly, James feels like he is having a panic attack. James returns and his mother has died. He closes her eyes. Nick comes in and as James leaves, he hands him some money. James then goes out on the street to smoke a cigarette, and stares blankly into space.

Cast

Production

Josh Mond started writing the script to explore and understand his own feelings after losing his mother to cancer in 2011. During the writing of the script, Mond listened to the albums of Scott Mescudi, also known by his stage name Kid Cudi. They served as inspiration and motivation. [5] Kid Cudi went on to curate the film's music. [6] [7]

In the middle of writing the script, Mond made an experimental short film precursor called ‘1009’ and had his close-friend, actor Christopher Abbott play the leading role. After the short, he decided that the part of James White was going to be written for Abbott. [8] Abbott based his performance on people he'd met, especially New Yorkers, Josh Mond and himself. Cynthia Nixon met up with Mond after reading the script. Mond and Nixon bonded over the fact that they both were from Manhattan with artsy parents. Unfortunately, both Nixon and Mond's mothers died of cancer, and Nixon herself is a cancer survivor. [9] She based her performance on Mond's mother and her own mother as well, even wearing her mother's jewelry in the film. [10] Actor-director Mark Webber, a friend of Mond's, sent his former colleague Mescudi the script. Mescudi joined the film and later scored the film. [11]

The film started shooting in New York City in December 2013. [12] The shooting lasted 18 days in New York and another 4 days were spent shooting in Mexico. [13] Borderline Films launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to finance the film's post-production editing costs and music rights. [14]

Release

The film premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, [2] where it won the NEXT Audience Award. [3] It also screened at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival [15] and at the 2015 AFI Fest where it won the American Independents Audience Award. [16] The film received a limited release on November 13, 2015 by distributors The Film Arcade. [4] [17]

Reception

James White has met with critical acclaim. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 92% approval rating based on reviews from 71 critics, with an average rating of 7.4 out of 10. The site's critical consensus states: "Led by powerfully complementary performances from Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon, James White offers an affecting calling card for debuting writer-director Josh Mond." [18] On Metacritic the film has received a weighted average score of 83 out of 100 based on 25 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [19]

Awards and nominations

List of Accolades
Award / Film FestivalCategoryRecipient(s)Result
American Independents / AFI Fest Audience Award Josh Mond Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Best Actor Christopher Abbott Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Cynthia Nixon Nominated
Chicago International Film Festival Emerging Artist AwardJosh MondWon
Emerging Artist AwardChristopher AbbottWon
Deauville Film Festival Revelations PrizeJosh MondWon
Grand Special PrizeJosh MondNominated
Detroit Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress Cynthia NixonNominated
Best Actor Christopher AbbottNominated
Gotham Awards Best Actor Christopher AbbottNominated
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award Josh MondNominated
Hamburg Film Festival Young Talent AwardJosh MondNominated
Hamptons International Film Festival Breakthrough PerformerChristopher AbbottWon
Independent Spirit Awards Best First Feature Josh Mond, Sean Durkin, Antonio Campos, Max Born, Melody Roscher, Eric SchultzNominated
Best Supporting Female Cynthia NixonNominated
Best Male Lead Christopher AbbottNominated
Locarno International Film Festival Don Quixote Award - Special MentionJosh MondWon
Junior Jury AwardJosh MondNominated
Golden LeopardJosh MondNominated
National Board of Review Top 10 Independent Films Josh MondWon
Online Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress Cynthia NixonNominated
Sundance Film Festival Best of Next! Audience AwardJosh MondWon

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cynthia Nixon</span> American actress and politician (born 1966)

Cynthia Ellen Nixon is an American actress, activist, and theater director. For her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series Sex and the City (1998–2004), she won the 2004 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She reprised the role in the films Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010), as well as the television show And Just Like That... (2021–present). Her other film credits include Amadeus (1984), James White (2015), and playing Emily Dickinson in A Quiet Passion (2016).

<i>Dont Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead</i> 1991 film directed by Stephen Herek

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead is a 1991 American coming-of-age dark comedy film directed by Stephen Herek, written by Neil Landau and Tara Ison, and starring Christina Applegate, Joanna Cassidy, Keith Coogan, John Getz, and Josh Charles. The plot focuses on a 17-year-old girl who assumes the role as head of the house when the elderly babysitter whom her mother had hired to watch over her kids while she is in Australia suddenly dies.

<i>The Hours and Times</i> 1991 drama film directed by Christopher Münch

The Hours and Times is a 1991 drama film written and directed by Christopher Münch. Starring David Angus and Ian Hart, it is a fictionalized account of what might have happened during a real holiday taken by John Lennon and The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein in 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kid Cudi</span> American rapper and singer (born 1984)

Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, also known by his stage name Kid Cudi, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi moved to New York City in pursuit of a musical career, where he first gained major recognition following the release of his debut single "Day 'n' Nite", which he initially self-published on his MySpace page. The song became a worldwide hit and served as the catalyst for Cudi to team with American record producers Plain Pat and Emile Haynie, to record his first official full-length project, a mixtape titled A Kid Named Cudi (2008). The mixtape helped Cudi rise to prominence and establish a fan base, and it caught the attention of high-profile musician Kanye West, who subsequently signed Cudi to his GOOD Music label imprint by late 2008.

"Mr. Rager" is a song recorded by American rapper Kid Cudi, taken from his second studio album, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (2010). The song was officially released via digital download, on October 25, 2010, as the album's second single. The semi-autobiographical lyrics were written by Cudi, while the composition was written by his frequent collaborator, Emile Haynie, who also served as the songs producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Abbott</span> American actor (born 1986)

Christopher Jacob Abbott is an American actor known for his work in independent films. In 2011, Abbott made his feature film debut in Martha Marcy May Marlene and his Broadway debut in the revival of the play The House of Blue Leaves.

<i>Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon</i> 2014 studio album by Kid Cudi

Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon is the fourth studio album by American musician Kid Cudi. The album, which was issued on February 25, 2014, with only few hours' notice, was first released to digital retailers by Wicked Awesome Records and Republic Records. The album features a sole guest appearance from Raphael Saadiq. The album received praise from critics for its production, vocal performance, as well as the album's surprise release strategy.

<i>Katie Says Goodbye</i> 2016 film

Katie Says Goodbye is a 2016 drama film written and directed by Wayne Roberts in his directorial debut. The film stars Olivia Cooke, Mireille Enos, Christopher Abbott, Mary Steenburgen, Jim Belushi, Keir Gilchrist and Chris Lowell.

The Film Arcade is an independent American film production and distribution company based in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Mond</span> American film director

Josh Mond is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is known for producing the feature films Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) and Simon Killer (2012), and for writing and directing James White (2015).

<i>Maniac</i> (2011 film) 2011 American film by Shia LaBeouf

Maniac is an American short slasher film, directed by Shia LaBeouf. It was released for free on YouTube, on October 31, 2011. The short film stars American rappers Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi and Chris "Cage" Palko as French-speaking serial killers. Mescudi and Palko also co-wrote the film with LaBeouf.

<i>Emelie</i> (film) 2015 American film

Emelie is a 2015 American horror thriller film directed by Michael Thelin and written by Richard Raymond Harry Herbeck. The film stars Sarah Bolger, Joshua Rush, Carly Adams, Thomas Bair, Susan Pourfar and Chris Beetem. The film was released on March 4, 2016, by Warner Bros to generally positive reviews by critics.

<i>The Hero</i> (2017 film) 2017 American film

The Hero is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed and edited by Brett Haley and written by Haley and Marc Basch. It stars Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter, Nick Offerman and Katharine Ross and follows an aging movie star who deals with his terminal illness.

<i>Piercing</i> (film) 2018 American film

Piercing is a 2018 American psychological horror-thriller film written and directed by Nicolas Pesce, based on the novel of the same name by Ryū Murakami. It stars Christopher Abbott, Mia Wasikowska, and Laia Costa, and features Maria Dizzia, Marin Ireland, and Wendell Pierce in supporting roles.

<i>Entergalactic</i> (TV special) 2022 animated television special

Entergalactic is a 2022 adult animated music television special created by American musician and actor Kid Cudi, that serves as a visual companion piece to the album of the same name. Initially announced as a television series, in August 2022, Entergalactic was then redeveloped as a TV special. The special premiered on September 30, 2022, exclusively on Netflix, simultaneously with the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mad Solar</span> American entertainment company

Mad Solar is an American entertainment company founded by American musician Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi, and his business partners Dennis Cummings and Karina Manashil, in 2020. The multidisciplinary company comprises film and television production houses, as well as management and publishing services. Mad Solar was launched on November 17, 2020, and is headquartered in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kid Cudi filmography</span>

Kid Cudi is an American actor, producer, film composer, music video director and musician.

<i>A Man Named Scott</i> 2021 American film

A Man Named Scott is a 2021 documentary film centered on American musician and actor Scott Mescudi, better known as Kid Cudi. Directed by Robert Alexander, it was released on Amazon Prime Video on November 5, 2021. The title of the film, which is reminiscent of Cudi's 2008 breakout mixtape A Kid Named Cudi, is borrowed from his scrapped 2011 mixtape of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Just Look Up</span> 2021 promotional single by Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi

"Just Look Up" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande and American rapper Kid Cudi. The song was written by both artists, alongside American film composer Nicholas Britell and American songwriter Taura Stinson, for the 2021 satirical science fiction film Don't Look Up. The song was issued on December 3, 2021 for streaming and digital download prior to the soundtrack's release.

"Love" is a song by American musician Kid Cudi. Originally recorded in 2013 for his fourth solo album Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon (2014), the song failed to make the final cut for the album, however Cudi would release the song on March 3, 2015 as a promotional recording via his verified SoundCloud page. Although Kid Cudi had declared that due to copyright issues the song would never be released officially, it was ultimately released in 2022, re-mastered and included as a bonus track on his first greatest hits compilation The Boy Who Flew to the Moon, Vol. 1, issued on July 8.

References

  1. ↑ "James White". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Foundas, Scott (January 23, 2015). "'James White' Review: Josh Mond's Raw Family Drama". Variety. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "James White". Sundance Film Festival . Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Lincoln, Ross A. (August 27, 2015). "James White, Sundance Hit Gets November Theatrical Release". Deadline. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  5. ↑ Gale, Alex (January 25, 2015). "Kid Cudi Dishes on His Deleted Male-on-Male Kissing Scenes in New Film 'James White'". Billboard . Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Check Out the Kickstarter for "James White," Starring Kid Cudi and Christopher Abbott". Complex Networks . April 10, 2014.
  7. ↑ Betancourt, Manuel (November 3, 2015). "Kid Cudi on Playing a Gay Man, Thirsting for Latinas, and Scoring 'James White'".
  8. ↑ "Josh Mond on his debut feature James White". filmfestivals.com. October 12, 2015. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Interview: Exploring Josh Mond's James White with Cynthia Nixon & Christopher Abbott". Comingsoon.net. November 13, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  10. ↑ Jacobs, Matt (January 22, 2015). "Cynthia Nixon & Christopher Abbott On Their Powerful Mother-Son Drama 'James White'". The Huffington Post . Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ Bernstein, Paula (November 13, 2015). ""James White" is his directorial debut, but Josh Mond is far from a first-time filmmaker". IndieWire . Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  12. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (January 9, 2014). "'Martha Marcy May Marlene' Producer Josh Mond Sets Directorial Debut 'James White' (Exclusive)". TheWrap . Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  13. ↑ Thompson, Anne (October 22, 2015). "Gotham Nominee Christopher Abbott Breaks Out in 'James White'". IndieWire . Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  14. ↑ Trumbore, Dave (April 19, 2014). "Indie Spotlight: JAMES WHITE, A New Feature from Borderline Films Starring Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Ron Livingston, and Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi". Collider . Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  15. ↑ "James White". TIFF . Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  16. ↑ Donnelly, Matt (November 12, 2015). "AFI Fest Jury, Audience Award Winners Include 'James White,' 'Mustang'". TheWrap . Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  17. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (April 20, 2015). "Sundance: The Film Arcade Takes U.S. Rights to 'James White'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  18. ↑ "James White (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved December 6, 2015.
  19. ↑ "James White". Metacritic . Retrieved December 4, 2015.
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.