The Hater (2022 film)

Last updated

The Hater
The Hater (2022 film).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJoey Ally
Written byJoey Ally
Story by
  • Joey Ally
  • TJ Williams, Jr.
Produced by
  • Thomas Benski
  • Tory Lenosky
  • Adrienne Childress
  • Daniel Crown
  • Angeline J. Sanfilippo
Starring
CinematographyTJ Williams, Jr.
Edited byJosie Azzam
Music byBenjamin Jaffe
Production
companies
  • Red Crown Productions
  • Monarch Pictures
  • Pulse Films
Distributed by Vertical Entertainment
Release date
  • March 18, 2022 (2022-03-18)
Running time
108 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Hater is a 2022 American political satire film written and directed by Joey Ally in her feature debut. Ally stars alongside Bruce Dern, Meredith Hagner, D'Angelo Lacy, Ali Larter, Ian Harding, and Nora Dunn. The plot follows a liberal speechwriter (Ally) who goes undercover as a Republican to defeat her conservative childhood nemesis (Harding) and to lose him the Texas primary nomination. The film was released in the United States on March 18, 2022, by Vertical Entertainment. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

Contents

Plot

As a child, Dorothy Goodwin loses the class presidency year after year to jokester Brent Hart, the son of a Senator.

As an adult, Dorothy is a liberal environmentalist. She is arrested and bailed out of jail after unintentionally burning the U.S. flag. As a result, she loses her job as a speechwriter on a U.S. Senate campaign. Dorothy returns to her conservative Texas hometown of Alabaster to live with her grandfather, Frank. After learning Brent is running for the state legislature against Democrat Sally Jensen, who has already lost three times before, Dorothy creates an elaborate scheme to make him lose. Based on real American law, she plans to go undercover as his opponent on the Republican ticket, win the primary nomination, and drop out before the midterms to force a victory for Sally.

While talking with her best friend Glenn over the phone, Dorothy accidentally disarms a thief robbing a convenience station. She is called a hero on the news. Her high school friend Greta, who opposes Brent because he plans to tear down the community center where she works and build a Ford dealership, serves as Dorothy's campaign manager and arranges a press tour using her connections in Alabaster. To win, Dorothy has to dodge questions, but promises herself she will never "lie," about Republican policies she dislikes, such as the right to bear arms. The town matriarch, Genie, sponsors her campaign. Glenn visits Dorothy from Washington and gives her a make-over.

Dorothy grows closer to her grandfather, who starts to promote her campaign. Dorothy is criticized on the news when she takes a pregnant Greta to a Planned Parenthood health clinic. Greta publicly declares she is pro-choice, which damages the campaign. Privately, Brent tells Dorothy that he once drove his college girlfriend to have an abortion. He also apologizes for his actions as a child. Dorothy encourages him to do the right thing now, moving forward, assuming he has bested her and will win the ticket.

The next day, Brent - moved by Dorothy's vulnerability, and integrity, and convinced she really would make a better State Senator than he - announces the withdrawal of his candidacy. At the Alabaster Community Center, Sally tells Dorothy that she leaked the news of Greta's abortion because she is, in fact, anti-abortion. Sally details her plan to release the video of Dorothy's arrest after she accepts the Republican nomination. Shocked, Dorothy takes Greta outside and tells her the truth about her run for office. Greta is initially critical but understanding. Dorothy decides to help Greta run against her as an independent. In September 2020, two months before the election, Greta is ahead in the polls.

Cast

Release

On February 18, 2022, Vertical Entertainment acquired the film's distribution rights. [1] The film was released in the United States on March 18, 2022. [2]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 88% based on 8 reviews, with an average rating of 6.50/10. [3]

Critics praised The Hater for its performances, comedy, and deft handling of complex themes of contemporary America. Tim Cogshell of KPCC's "FilmWeek with Larry Mantle" said, "This movie manages to do correctly what a film like Don't Look Up did so badly, which is to have a political point of view and believe in it while knowing that not everyone on your side of the camp is great while not everyone on the other side is evil." [4] The Hater was also recommended on KPCC's FilmWeek Marquee. [5] Benjamin Franz of Film Threat wrote, "Generally, I found The Hater charming and lovable. If you're looking for a Capra-esque satire to take your mind off the crazy clown world demonstrated by national politics, seek this out. It will be a wonderful investment of your time." [6] Nine female journalists from The Alliance of Women Film Journalists listed it as their "Movie of the Week". For the AWFJ, Loren King wrote, "A political comedy that’s smart, empathetic, funny and aces the Bechdel test and then some? Welcome to The Hater." [7] Liz Whittemore wrote, "Through moral ambiguity and a whole lot of laughs, I loved every minute of this film." [7] Jennifer Merin wrote, "If we need an UP at the moment, Joey Ally’s charming first feature fits the bill." [7] Sandie Angula Chen said The Hater "highlights Ally's expressive performance, comic timing, and observational humor. Looking forward to her next project." [7] Movie Nation's Roger Moore said the "cleverest thing about The Hater is the way it upends expectations just enough to keep things interesting and make you wonder 'How will Ally write her way out of this?' And then Ally manages just that." [8] In a negative review, Peter Sobczynski wrote for RogerEbert.com, "Aside from a couple of good moments from Hagner and the always reliable Dern, The Hater is a mess that's bereft of laughs, ideologically suspect, and tedious from start to finish." [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Divorcee</i> 1930 film

The Divorcee is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film written by Nick Grindé, John Meehan, and Zelda Sears, based on the 1929 novel Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott. It was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. The film was also nominated for Best Picture, and won Best Actress for its star Norma Shearer.

<i>Coming Home</i> (1978 film) 1978 film by Hal Ashby

Coming Home is a 1978 American romantic war drama film directed by Hal Ashby from a screenplay written by Waldo Salt and Robert C. Jones with story by Nancy Dowd. It stars Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern, Penelope Milford, Robert Carradine and Robert Ginty. The film's narrative follows a perplexed woman, her Marine husband, and a paraplegic Vietnam War veteran with whom she develops a romantic relationship while her husband is deployed in Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Harding</span> American actress

Ann Harding was an American theatre, motion picture, radio, and television actress. Harding was a regular on Broadway and on tour in the 1920s. In the 1930s Harding, was one of the first actresses to gain fame in the new medium of "talking pictures," and she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1931 for her work in Holiday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diane Ladd</span> American actress

Diane Ladd is an American actress. She has appeared in over 200 films and television shows. She received three Academy Award nominations for her roles in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), Wild at Heart (1990), and Rambling Rose (1991), the first of which won her a British Academy Film Award. She was also nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards, winning one for her role in the sitcom Alice (1980–1981).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Richards</span> American politician (1933–2006)

Dorothy Ann Richards was an American politician who served as the 45th governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995. A Democrat, she first came to national attention as the Texas State Treasurer, when she gave the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards was the second female governor of Texas, and was frequently noted in the media for her outspoken feminism and her one-liners.

<i>10 Things I Hate About You</i> 1999 film by Gil Junger

10 Things I Hate About You is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Gil Junger in his film directorial debut and starring Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larisa Oleynik. The screenplay by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith is a modernization of William Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew, retold in a late-1990s American high school setting. The film follows new student Cameron James (Gordon-Levitt) who is smitten with Bianca Stratford (Oleynik) and attempts to get bad boy Patrick Verona (Ledger) to date her antisocial sister Kat (Stiles) in order to get around her father's strict rules on dating. Named after a poem Kat writes about her romance with Patrick, the film was mostly shot in the Seattle metropolitan area, with many scenes filmed at Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington.

<i>Dr. T & the Women</i> 2000 American film

Dr. T & The Women is a 2000 American romantic comedy film directed by Robert Altman, featuring an ensemble cast including Richard Gere as wealthy gynecologist Dr. Sullivan Travis and Helen Hunt, Farrah Fawcett, Laura Dern, Shelley Long, Tara Reid, Kate Hudson, and Liv Tyler as the various women that he encounters in his everyday life. The movie was primarily filmed in Dallas, Texas, and was released in US theaters on October 13, 2000. The film's music was composed by American composer and alternative country singer Lyle Lovett, who released an album of his score in September 2000.

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

Alison Elizabeth Larter is an American actress and former model. She portrayed fictional model Allegra Coleman in a 1996 Esquire magazine hoax and took on guest roles on several television shows in the 1990s. She made her film debut in Varsity Blues (1999), which was followed by the horror film House on Haunted Hill (1999). Her role as Clear Rivers in the first two films of the Final Destination horror franchise earned her a reputation as a scream queen.

<i>Citizen Ruth</i> 1996 American film directed by Alexander Payne

Citizen Ruth is a 1996 American satirical black comedy film directed by Alexander Payne, in his feature film directorial debut, and starring Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz, Kelly Preston, Burt Reynolds, Kurtwood Smith, Mary Kay Place, Kenneth Mars, and Tippi Hedren. The film follows a poor, drug-addled, irresponsible pregnant woman who unexpectedly attracts national attention from those involved in the abortion debate. The story was inspired by the case of Martina Greywind, a homeless, unmarried mother from North Dakota who was offered $11,000 to carry what would have been her seventh child to term. This film marked Kenneth Mars’ final theatrical film role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Dern</span> American actress (born 1967)

Laura Elizabeth Dern is an American actress. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards.

<i>Smooth Talk</i> 1985 film by Joyce Chopra

Smooth Talk is a 1985 film directed by Joyce Chopra, loosely based on Joyce Carol Oates' short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" (1966), which was in turn inspired by the Tucson murders committed by Charles Schmid. The protagonist, Connie Wyatt, is played by Laura Dern. The antagonist, Arnold Friend, is played by Treat Williams.

<i>Down Will Come Baby</i> 1999 American thriller television film

Down Will Come Baby is a 1999 American suspense thriller television film written and directed by Gregory Goodell, based on the 1991 novel of the same name by Gloria Murphy. The film tells the story of Leah, a career woman who prioritizes work over her husband Marcus and their young daughter Robin. Leah accepts an out-of-state promotion that takes her away from her family, just as Robin is going through a difficult time following the accidental death of her friend at summer camp. The family's kindly new neighbor Dorothy steps in to help, but Leah suspects that Dorothy's seemingly innocent interest in her daughter belies a darker motive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellie Sattler</span> Fictional character

Dr. Ellie Sattler is a fictional character in the Jurassic Park franchise. She is introduced in Michael Crichton's 1990 novel Jurassic Park, which began the franchise. Steven Spielberg directed the 1993 film adaptation, casting Laura Dern as Sattler and giving the character a more substantial role compared to the novel. She is a paleobotanist in both the novel and its film adaptation. In the novel, she is a student of Dr. Alan Grant. For the film, Spielberg made them a romantic couple, with Sam Neill portraying Grant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucile Browne</span> American actress (1907–1976)

Lucile Ruth Browne was an American film actress. She starred opposite John Wayne in the 1935 films Texas Terror and Rainbow Valley.

<i>Damsels in Distress</i> (film) 2011 film by Whit Stillman

Damsels in Distress is a 2011 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Whit Stillman and starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, and Lio Tipton. It is set at a United States East Coast university. First screened at the 68th Venice International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival, it opened in New York and Los Angeles on April 6, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wanda McKay</span> American actress (1915–1996)

Wanda McKay was an American actress and model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Make America Great Again</span> American political slogan

"Make America Great Again" is an American political slogan and political movement most recently popularized by Donald Trump during his successful 2016 presidential campaign. "MAGA" is also used to refer to Trump's political base, or to an individual or group of individuals from within that base. The slogan became a pop culture phenomenon, seeing widespread use and spawning numerous variants in the arts, entertainment and politics, being used by both supporters and opponents of Trump's presidency. Originally used by Ronald Reagan as a campaign slogan in his 1980 presidential campaign, it has since been described as a loaded phrase. Multiple scholars, journalists, and commentators have called the slogan racist, regarding it as dog-whistle politics and coded language.

<i>Irresistible</i> (2020 film) 2020 American political comedy film written and directed by Jon Stewart

Irresistible is a 2020 American political comedy film written and directed by Jon Stewart. It stars Steve Carell in the lead role, Chris Cooper, Mackenzie Davis, Topher Grace, Natasha Lyonne, and Rose Byrne. The film follows a Democratic strategist who tries to help a candidate win a local election in a small right-wing town. Originally set for a theatrical release in May 2020, the film was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, and then released on Premium VOD and selected theaters on June 26, 2020, by Focus Features. It received mixed reviews from critics, who called it "a soft political satire".

<i>Texas Chainsaw Massacre</i> (2022 film) 2022 American film by David Blue Garcia

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2022 American slasher film directed by David Blue Garcia, with a screenplay by Chris Thomas Devlin, from a story by Fede Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues. It is the ninth installment of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. Set fifty years after the original film, the story focuses on the serial killer Leatherface targeting a group of young adults and coming into conflict with a vengeful survivor of his previous murders. The project is a joint-venture production between Legendary Pictures, Exurbia Films, and Bad Hombre. The film stars Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham, Moe Dunford, Nell Hudson, Jessica Allain, Olwen Fouéré, Jacob Latimore, and Alice Krige.

<i>Baby Ruby</i> 2023 film by Bess Wohl

Baby Ruby is a 2022 American psychological horror-thriller film written and directed by Bess Wohl, in her directorial debut. It stars Noémie Merlant, Kit Harington, and Meredith Hagner.

References

  1. Grobar, Matt (February 18, 2022). "Vertical Entertainment Acquires Joey Ally's Political Comedy The Hater; Ally Stars Alongside Bruce Dern, Meredith Hagner & More". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  2. King, Jack (March 4, 2022). "Exclusive: The Hater Trailer Reveals Joey Ally and Bruce Dern in a Biting Political Satire". Collider . Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  3. "THE HATER". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  4. "FilmWeek: 'The Outfit,' 'Phoenix Rising,' 'Deep Water' and More".
  5. "FilmWeek Marquee: 'The Outfit,' 'Jujutsu Kaisen 0: The Movie,' 'The Hater' and More".
  6. "The Hater | Film Threat". July 17, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "MOVIE OF THE WEEK March 18, 2022: THE HATER – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS".
  8. "Movie Review: "The Hater" makes Texas Politics even more twisted". March 15, 2022.
  9. "The Hater movie review & film summary (2022) | Roger Ebert".