Strawberry Mansion (film)

Last updated

Strawberry Mansion
StrawberryMansionPoster2021.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Written by
  • Albert Birney
  • Kentucker Audley
Produced by
  • Sarah Winshall
  • Taylor Shung
  • Emma Hannaway
  • Matisse Rifai
Starring
CinematographyTyler Davis
Edited by
  • Albert Birney
  • Kentucker Audley
Music by Dan Deacon
Production
companies
Distributed by Music Box Films (United States), ShutterSTOCK Liner Entertainment (United States),
Alief (International)
Release dates
  • January 29, 2021 (2021-01-29)(Sundance) [1]
  • February 18, 2022 (2022-02-18)(United States)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$97,526 [2] [3]

Strawberry Mansion [4] is a 2021 American science fiction adventure romantic comedy film directed and written by Albert Birney and Kentucker Audley. It stars Penny Fuller, Kentucker Audley, Grace Glowicki, Reed Birney, Linas Phillips and Constance Shulman. [5]

Contents

Plot

In 2035, society's dreams are taxed by the government, which has mandated increased surveillance measures upon the general public. Dream Auditor James Preble travels to the countryside home of the elderly Arabella Isadora, an artist who lives alone with her pet tortoise Sugar Baby in the self-titled Strawberry Mansion. Arabella's dreams are stored on a vast library of VHS tapes, which Preble reviews to conduct an audit; at Bella's insistence, he stays in her guest room. In his dreams, he regularly spends his time in a pink room with Buddy, who presents him with commercial products; one such session is interrupted by a younger apparition of Bella. During his audit, Preble begins to fall in love with the younger Bella; he grows closer to her in the real world, and she reveals that the government allows advertisers to transmit ads to a person's dreams. She presents him with homemade headgear designed to hold them off; it successfully defends against Buddy. Sometime later, she dies peacefully and is discovered by Preble.

Bella's estranged son Peter Bloom arrives with his wife, Martha, and son, Brian, to handle Bella's affairs. Peter suggests to Preble that he is finished his audit and may now leave. A suspicious Preble discovers Martha and Brian destroying the VHS tapes mid-audit and declares it a federal offense, angrily informing Peter that he will have to notify his superiors; Peter responds by later knocking him unconscious with a bowling pin. Preble vividly dreams of himself being chased around the house by exaggerated incarnations of the Blooms before he is rescued by the younger Bella. They escape to a small island, where they sustain and entertain themselves for a long time. Eventually, Bella reveals that Peter is the CEO of the country's largest advertisement corporation and that his knowledge of the dream-infiltrating advertisement scheme has placed him in danger. Various incarnations of Buddy appear and Preble wakes up; Peter knocks him out a second time and sets the room on fire; he and the family leave Preble to die.

Preble reawakens in his dream as the captain of a ship, helmed by two humanoid sailor rats, Richard and Marcus Rat. For the next seven years, they sail the seas in search of Bella, but the Rats eventually begin to question the mission's viability. As the fire in his room picks up, a giant Blue Demon attacks the ship at sea. Preble's surroundings dissolve around him and he dines with the normal-sized Blue Demon, who is keeping Bella in servitude. After the Demon goes to bed, Preble frees Bella and they escape back to the island. Bella warns him that he cannot stay with her for much longer, as he will soon die from the fire if he does not wake up. At her insistence, Preble turns into a caterpillar and spends the next several centuries traversing the earth, finally arriving at his pink room. He is confronted by a wrathful Buddy, but Bella arrives to help Preble overpower and ultimately vanquish him.

Preble and Bella are bid farewell by a sendoff party of all of the dream's characters; an apparition of Peter warmly greets and apologizes to both of them. They float off into space but find themselves disintegrating as Preble's mind continues to feel the fire's heat. Preble awakens and escapes the house, but reenters to retrieve the headgear, Sugar Baby, and a tape. Preble sorrowfully watches Strawberry Mansion burn down.

Upon returning home, Preble reminisces on the VHS tape, the contained dream of which shows Bella on a date with a mysterious grass man; Bella eventually brushes off the grass to reveal Preble underneath. The film ends with the two of them walking hand-in-hand to Strawberry Mansion.

Cast

Release

The film premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 29, 2021 in the Next section. [1] [6] On June 21, 2021, Music Box Films acquired its US distribution rights and Alief acquired its international distribution rights. [7]

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, the film earned $34,004 from twenty-seven theaters in its opening weekend. [8] It made $11,055 in its second weekend, [9] $3,577 in its third, [10] $3,744 in its fourth, [11] $1,309 in its fifth, [12] $356 in its sixth, [13] $2,486 in its seventh, [14] and $552 in its eighth. [15] The film returned to theaters in its eleventh weekend, earning $165 from one theater. [16] It left theaters the following weekend, but once again returned to a single screen in its thirteenth weekend that added $705. [17]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 76 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.0/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Strawberry Mansion's sci-fi premise provides cover for a film whose dream logic and surreal visuals are underscored by quietly poignant themes." [18] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 75 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [19]

In a review published by New York Times , Amy Nicholson referred to the film as "soulful sci-fi oddity". [20]

Related Research Articles

<i>Blind Date</i> (1987 film) 1987 film by Blake Edwards

Blind Date is a 1987 American romantic comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and starring Bruce Willis and Kim Basinger. Blind Date earned mostly negative reviews from critics, but was a financial success and opened at number one at the box office.

<i>Mouse Hunt</i> 1997 black comedy film by Gore Verbinski

Mouse Hunt is a 1997 American slapstick black comedy buddy film written by Adam Rifkin and directed by Gore Verbinski in his feature film directorial debut. It stars Nathan Lane, Lee Evans, Maury Chaykin, and Christopher Walken. The film follows two Laurel and Hardy-like brothers in their struggle against one small but crafty house mouse for possession of a mansion which was willed to them by their father. While the film is set in the late 20th century, styles range humorously from the 1940s to the 1990s. It was the first family film to be released by DreamWorks Pictures, who released it in the United States on December 19, 1997, to mixed reviews, but was a commercial success. It has also grown a cult following in recent years.

Strawberry Mansion may refer to:

<i>Hunt for the Wilderpeople</i> 2016 film by Taika Waititi

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a 2016 New Zealand adventure comedy-drama film written and directed by Taika Waititi, whose screenplay was based on the book Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump. Sam Neill and Julian Dennison play "Uncle" Hector and Ricky Baker; a father figure and foster son who become the targets of a manhunt after fleeing into the New Zealand bush. Carthew Neal, Leanne Saunders, Matt Noonan, and Waititi produced the film.

<i>Dream Horse</i> 2020 sports comedy-drama film

Dream Horse is a 2020 sports comedy-drama film directed by Euros Lyn from a screenplay by Neil McKay. The film stars Toni Collette, Damian Lewis, Owen Teale, Joanna Page, Karl Johnson, Steffan Rhodri, Anthony O'Donnell, Nicholas Farrell, and Siân Phillips, and follows the true story of Dream Alliance, a horse that raced in the Welsh Grand National. It had previously been the subject of the documentary, Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance.

<i>On the Count of Three</i> 2021 film by Jerrod Carmichael

On the Count of Three is a 2021 American dark comedy drama film directed by Jerrod Carmichael and written by Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch. It stars Carmichael and Christopher Abbott as two best friends who make a suicide pact and spend their final day taking care of unfinished business. The supporting cast includes Tiffany Haddish, J. B. Smoove, Lavell Crawford, and Henry Winkler.

<i>Dog</i> (2022 film) 2022 film directed by Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin

Dog is a 2022 American comedy drama road film directed by Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin, both making their respective film directorial debuts, based on a story by Carolin and Brett Rodriguez. The film stars Tatum as an Army Ranger who is tasked with escorting the military dog of his fallen friend to his funeral. The film also stars Jane Adams, Kevin Nash, Q'orianka Kilcher, Ethan Suplee, Emmy Raver-Lampman, and Nicole LaLiberte in supporting roles. The film was produced by Free Association on a budget of $15 million.

<i>Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train</i> 2020 Japanese animated film by Haruo Sotozaki

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, also known simply as Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, is a 2020 Japanese animated dark fantasy action film based on the "Mugen Train" arc of the 2016–20 manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge. It is a direct sequel to the first season of the anime television series as well as its first film adaptation. The film was directed by Haruo Sotozaki and written by Ufotable staff members.

<i>Belfast</i> (film) 2021 film by Kenneth Branagh

Belfast is a 2021 British coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Kenneth Branagh. The film stars Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan and Jude Hill. The film, which Branagh has described as his "most personal", follows a young boy's childhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland, at the beginning of The Troubles in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Sundance Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 2021 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 28 to February 3, 2021. The first lineup of competition films was announced on December 15, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Utah, the festival combined in-person screenings at the Ray Theatre in Park City, with screenings held online as well as on screens and drive-ins in 24 states and territories across the United States.

<i>The Cursed</i> (2021 film) 2021 film by Sean Ellis

The Cursed is a 2021 gothic horror film written, directed and co-produced by Sean Ellis. The film stars Boyd Holbrook, Kelly Reilly, Alistair Petrie, and Roxane Duran. Its plot follows a 19th-century village in rural France that is menaced by a werewolf.

<i>Jockey</i> (film) 2021 drama film

Jockey is a 2021 American drama film written by Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley, who also is the director. The film stars Clifton Collins Jr., Molly Parker and Moises Arias.

<i>Watcher</i> (film) 2022 film by Chloe Okuno

Watcher is a 2022 psychological thriller film written and directed by Chloe Okuno in her feature directorial debut, based on an original screenplay by Zack Ford. The film stars Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman, and Burn Gorman.

<i>Try Harder!</i> 2021 American film

Try Harder! is a 2021 American documentary film, directed and produced by Debbie Lum. It follows students at Lowell High School as they apply and hope for admission to the college of their dreams.

<i>Studio 666</i> 2022 American comedy horror film directed by B. J. McDonnell

Studio 666 is a 2022 American comedy horror film directed by B. J. McDonnell from a screenplay by Jeff Buhler and Rebecca Hughes, based on a story by Dave Grohl, who stars, alongside his Foo Fighters bandmates Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Shiflett, and Rami Jaffee, portraying fictionalized version of themselves.

Andrew Michael Nenninger, known professionally as Kentucker Audley, is an American filmmaker and actor. He appeared on the 2007 Filmmaker Magazine list of 25 New Faces of Independent Film. He founded the independent film platform NoBudge, first as a Tumblr blog in 2011 and then a full website in 2015.

<i>The Automat</i> 2021 American documentary by Lisa Hurwitz

The Automat is a 2021 American documentary directed and produced by Lisa Hurwitz and written by Michael Levine. It is about the automats once operated by Horn & Hardart. It features an original song by Mel Brooks. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2021. It was released in the United States on February 18, 2022, by A Slice of Pie Productions. The film received generally positive reviews from critics.

Ley Line Entertainment, LLC is an American independent film production company founded in 2018 by Theresa Steele Page and Tim Headington. The company is best known for producing films Light from Light (2019) Miss Juneteenth (2020), The Green Knight (2021) and Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022).

References

  1. 1 2 "Sundance - FPG". Sundance. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Strawberry Mansion (2022)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Strawberry Mansion (2022)". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Film and TV Projects Going Into Production - Strawberry Mansion". Variety Insight . Archived from the original on March 22, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  5. ↑ Adam Patterson (February 18, 2022). "30 Anticipated Films of 2021". Filme Pulse.
  6. ↑ Debruge, Peter (December 15, 2020). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Features 38 First-Time Directors, Including Rebecca Hall and Robin Wright". Variety . Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Sundance Title 'Strawberry Mansion' Acquired by Alief (EXCLUSIVE)". June 21, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 7". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 8". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 9". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 10". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 11". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved March 24, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 12". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 13". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 14". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 17". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 19". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Strawberry Mansion". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Strawberry Mansion". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  20. ↑ Nicholson, Amy (February 17, 2022). "'Strawberry Mansion' Review: Adventures in Slumberland". The New York Times. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
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.