Terri (film)

Last updated
Terri
Terri film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Azazel Jacobs
Screenplay by Patrick deWitt
Story by
  • Patrick deWitt
  • Azazel Jacobs
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyTobias Datum
Edited byDarrin Navarro
Music byMandy Hoffman
Production
companies
Distributed byATO Pictures
Release dates
  • January 22, 2011 (2011-01-22)(Sundance)
  • July 1, 2011 (2011-07-01)(United States)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$655,802 [1] [2]

Terri is a 2011 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Azazel Jacobs from a screenplay by Patrick deWitt, based on a story by deWitt and Jacobs. It stars Jacob Wysocki in the title role, with Creed Bratton, Olivia Crocicchia, Bridger Zadina, and John C. Reilly in supporting roles. It revolves around an oversized teen misfit who strikes up a friendship with his garrulous but well-meaning vice-principal.

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2011, and was given a limited theatrical release in the United States on July 1, 2011, by ATO Pictures. It received positive reviews from critics, who mostly praised the performances of Wysocki and Reilly, while deWitt was nominated for Best First Screenplay at the 27th Independent Spirit Awards.

Premise

Overweight and depressed 15-year-old Terri Thompson starts to slack off in school and wear pajamas, to the chagrin of his teachers. Soon Terri is taken under the wing of unconventional assistant principal Mr. Fitzgerald, who creates a series of Monday-morning counseling sessions for social outcasts at the school.

Cast

Production

The idea for Terri was conceived by Patrick deWitt in 2008, and the first pages of the screenplay were sent to Azazel Jacobs in early 2010. [3] Jacobs received a "story by" credit, saying:

I had the full intention of being a co-writer, but after the story was developed and Pat started to send me pages, I soon saw there was not much for me to do other than slight edits and sequencing suggestions. After the first draft was completed it was very clear that it really came from him, and I pulled my [screenplay] credit. [4]

Principal photography took place in Altadena and San Gabriel, California. Made for under $2 million, the film was shot in 23 days in June 2010. [5]

Release

In September 2010, ATO Pictures acquired U.S distribution rights to the film. [6] International sales were handled by Visit Films. [7] Terri had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2011. [8] It was then released in select theaters in New York and Los Angeles on July 1, and on DVD on October 12, 2011. [5]

Reception

Box office

Terri made $82,521 from six theaters in its opening weekend, an average of $13,754 per venue. [9] [10] The film ultimately grossed $655,802 in the United States. [1] [2]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 87% of 97 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.1/10.The website's consensus reads: "Embodied with compelling sensitivity by newcomer Jacob Wysocki and supported by a wonderful John C. Reilly, Terri is an emotionally powerful character study." [11] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 72 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [12]

A. O. Scott of The New York Times stated, "What makes Terri special is that you don't feel pushed around by the narrative. Mr. Jacobs paces his scenes with a relaxed, almost dreamy rhythm and allows odd, interesting details to catch his ear and eye. […] The members of the cast, Mr. Wysocki in particular, are awkward in just the right way." [13]

Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post gave the film 3 out of 4 stars and described it as "a small masterpiece of misdirection, a winsome, utterly unpredictable portrait of adolescence that flawlessly captures its cruelty and sweetness." Hornaday opined, "Thanks to Jacobs's observant eye and ear, Terri moves with the same endearing ease as its troubled but true-blue title character." [14]

Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Jacobs and deWitt use Terri's circumstances to circle a series of serious, and seriously uncomfortable, issues. DeWitt captures the way people talk about a problem without talking about a problem." [15]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 4 out of 4 stars and noted, "The entire film moves at a human pace, not prodded by impatience or a desire to rush through the story. To view Terri after the manic thrashing of Transformers: Dark of the Moon was soothing and healing. It demonstrates how films can engage us in human life, rather than mocking it." [16]

Peter Debruge of Variety remarked, "Terri may not be as personal as Jacobs' earlier work, but it feels every bit as genuine. The helmer's style, which finds poetry in cluttered, overgrown environments and potentially embarrassing situations, is perfectly suited to the material. Indeed, the filmmaking gives far more reason to get excited than the script." [17]

David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter commented, "It's not the most substantial movie and its delicate approach can seem rather studied, almost as if the director is trying on a style rather than adopting one that's an ideal fit. But there are many lovely, lingering moments." [18]

Eric Kohn of IndieWire gave the film a grade of "A-" and wrote, "As with Momma's Man, Jacobs' rhythm in these scenes places emphasis on quiet reaction shots instead of extended conversation." [19]

Logan Hill of Vulture opined, "Terri stands out for reminding us of the clumsy everyday horrors of high school. Compared to Twilight , the stakes appear small. But it's a movie about survival nonetheless." [20]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNomineeResultRef.
2011 21st Gotham Independent Film Awards Breakthrough Actor Jacob Wysocki Nominated [21]
201218th Chlotrudis Awards Best Supporting Actor John C. Reilly Nominated [22]
27th Independent Spirit Awards Best First Screenplay Patrick deWitt Nominated [23]

Related Research Articles

Maryam Keshavarz, is an American filmmaker, of Iranian descent. She is best known for her 2011 film Circumstance distributed by Participant Media and Roadside Attractions, which won the Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival.

Periscope Entertainment is a Los Angeles–based film and comic book company that was founded in 2004 by producer David Guy Levy. It has several projects in development and set for release.

<i>The Kids Are All Right</i> (film) 2010 film by Lisa Cholodenko

The Kids Are All Right is a 2010 American comedy-drama film directed by Lisa Cholodenko and written by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg. It is among the first mainstream movies to show a same-sex couple raising two teenagers. A hit at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, it opened in limited release on July 9, 2010, expanded to more theaters on July 30, 2010, and was released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 16, 2010. The film was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Annette Bening was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. The film also received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, at the 83rd Academy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greta Gerwig</span> American actress and filmmaker (born 1983)

Greta Celeste Gerwig is an American actress, screenwriter, and film director. Initially known for working on various mumblecore films, she has since expanded from acting in and co-writing independent films to directing major studio films. Gerwig was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world in 2018.

<i>Obselidia</i> 2010 film by Diane Bell

Obselidia is a 2010 American road drama film written and directed by Diane Bell in her directorial debut. It stars Michael Piccirilli, Gaynor Howe, and Frank Hoyt Taylor. It tells the story of a lonely librarian who believes love is obsolete until a road trip to Death Valley with a beguiling cinema projectionist teaches him otherwise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Olsen</span> American actress (born 1989)

Elizabeth Chase Olsen is an American actress. Born in Sherman Oaks, California, Olsen began acting at age four alongside her sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. She had her debut film role in the thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene in 2011, for which she was acclaimed and nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award. Olsen received a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination and graduated from New York University two years later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azazel Jacobs</span> American film director and screenwriter

Azazel Jacobs is an American film director and screenwriter. He is the son of experimental filmmaker Ken Jacobs. His short films include Kirk and Kerry (1997) and Message Machine (2002), and his features include the acclaimed The GoodTimesKid (2005), Momma's Man (2008), Terri (2011), The Lovers (2017), French Exit (2020), and His Three Daughters (2023).

Henry Wolfe Gummer is an American singer-songwriter and actor.

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

Christopher Jacob Abbott is an American actor. He is 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>In a World...</i> 2013 comedy film by Lake Bell

In a World... is a 2013 American comedy film written, directed, starring, and co-produced by Lake Bell. The film stars Bell as a vocal coach who does voice-overs for film trailers. The film co-stars Demetri Martin, Fred Melamed, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Ken Marino, Nick Offerman, and Tig Notaro.

<i>Whiplash</i> (2014 film) 2014 film by Damien Chazelle

Whiplash is a 2014 American psychological drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle, starring Miles Teller, J. K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, and Melissa Benoist. It focuses on an ambitious music student and aspiring jazz drummer (Teller), who is pushed to his limit by his abusive instructor (Simmons) at the fictional Shaffer Conservatory in New York City.

<i>The End of the Tour</i> 2015 film by James Ponsoldt

The End of the Tour is a 2015 American drama film about writer David Foster Wallace. The film stars Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg, was written by Donald Margulies, and was directed by James Ponsoldt. Based on David Lipsky's best-selling memoir Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself, screenwriter Margulies first read the book in 2011, and sent it to Ponsoldt, a former student of his, who took on the job of director. Filming took place in early 2014 in Michigan, with scenes also shot at the Mall of America. Danny Elfman provided the score, with the soundtrack featuring songs by musicians like R.E.M. and Brian Eno, whose inclusion was based on the kind of music Wallace and Lipsky listened to.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Zellner</span> American film director, screenwriter, and actor

David Zellner is an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He is best known for directing the films Kid-Thing (2012), Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (2014), and Damsel (2018).

<i>Stockholm, Pennsylvania</i> 2015 American film

Stockholm, Pennsylvania is a 2015 drama film directed by Nikole Beckwith, as her directorial and film-writing debut. The film premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. The screenplay was awarded the 2012 Nicholl Fellowship from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Wysocki</span> American actor and comedian (born 1990)

Jacob Wysocki is an American actor and comedian.

<i>Wind River</i> (film) 2017 film by Taylor Sheridan

Wind River is a 2017 neo-Western crime film written and directed by Taylor Sheridan. It is the third film by Sheridan on the modern American West. The film stars Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen as a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker and an FBI agent, respectively, who try to solve a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. Gil Birmingham, Jon Bernthal, and Graham Greene also star.

<i>A Kid Like Jake</i> 2018 film by Silas Howard

A Kid Like Jake is a 2018 American drama film directed by Silas Howard and written by Daniel Pearle, based on his own 2013 play of the same name. It stars Claire Danes, Jim Parsons, Priyanka Chopra, Amy Landecker, Ann Dowd, and Octavia Spencer. It follows a married couple struggling to navigate their roles as parents to a gender-nonconforming child.

<i>French Exit</i> (2020 film) 2020 film by Azazel Jacobs

French Exit is a 2020 black comedy-drama film directed by Azazel Jacobs, based on the novel of the same name by Patrick deWitt, who also wrote the screenplay. It tells the story of a Manhattan heiress who moves to Paris with her son with the little money they have left.

<i>CODA</i> (2021 film) Film by Sian Heder

CODA is a 2021 coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Sian Heder. An English-language remake of the 2014 French-Belgian film La Famille Bélier, it stars Emilia Jones as Ruby Rossi, the child of deaf adults (CODA) and only hearing member of her family, who attempts to help her family's struggling fishing business while pursuing her aspirations to become a singer.

Tango Productions, LLC, doing business as Tango Entertainment, is an American film production company founded in 2017 by Lia Buman and Tim Headington. The company is best known for producing films Little Woods (2018) The Old Man & the Gun (2018), Skate Kitchen (2019), Little Fish (2020), Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020), Resurrection (2022), and Aftersun (2022).

References

  1. 1 2 "Terri". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Terri". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  3. ↑ Guerrasio, Jason (November 10, 2011). "BALANCING ACT: AZAZEL JACOBS' "TERRI"". Filmmaker Magazine . Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  4. ↑ Dawson, Nick (January 18, 2011). ""TERRI" DIRECTOR AZAZEL JACOBS". Filmmaker Magazine . Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Toolkit Case Study: Azazel Jacobs' "Terri"". IndieWire . November 14, 2011. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  6. ↑ Smith, Nigel M. (September 29, 2010). "ATO Pictures Acquires John C. Reilly Starrer "Terri"". IndieWire . Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Terri". Visit Films. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Terri". Sundance Institute . Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  9. ↑ Knegt, Peter (July 4, 2011). "Holiday Box Office | "Terri" Tops Indies In Debut; "Buck" and "Beginners" Lead Strong Holdovers". IndieWire . Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  10. ↑ Frankel, Daniel (July 4, 2011). "'Transformers 3' Scores $400M+ Opening at Global Box Office". TheWrap . Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Terri". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  12. ↑ "Terri". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  13. ↑ Scott, A. O. (June 30, 2011). "Another Teenage Misfit Trying to Like Himself". The New York Times . Archived from the original on September 24, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  14. ↑ Hornaday, Ann (July 15, 2011). "Terri". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ↑ Sharkey, Betsy (July 1, 2011). "Movie review: 'Terri'". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  16. ↑ Ebert, Roger (July 20, 2011). "If the pajamas fit, wear them". RogerEbert.com . Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  17. ↑ Debruge, Peter (January 23, 2011). "Terri". Variety . Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  18. ↑ Rooney, David (January 23, 2011). "'Terri': Film Review | Sundance 2011". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  19. ↑ Kohn, Eric (June 28, 2011). "Growing Pains: Azazel Jacobs Triumphs With Moving Teen Drama "Terri"". IndieWire . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  20. ↑ Hill, Logan (June 30, 2011). "Movie Review: Terri Catches the Horror of High School, Without Vampires". Vulture . Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Nominees Announced for 21st Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards" (Press release). The Gotham. October 20, 2011. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  22. ↑ "2012, 18th Annual Awards". Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film . Archived from the original on February 29, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  23. ↑ "2012 Twenty-Seven Years of Nominees & Winners" (PDF). Film Independent . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
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.