The new movie, “Stuck in Love,” comes from first-time writer and director, Josh Boone. Boone grew up loving his dog-eared copies of Stephen King novels and even his 2-year-old daughter knows how to say, “Stephen King.” The prolific horror master himself granted a wish for Boone by lending his voice in the film.
“Stuck in Love” is best described as a dysfunctional family portrait painted with drama, sadness, and comedy.
Boone landed Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly to play mom Erica and Academy Award nominee Greg Kinnear as the dad. Nat Wolff plays the son and Lily Collins (daughter of Phil Collins) plays the daughter. Additional cast members include Patrick Schwarzenegger (son of Arnold Schwarzenegger), Liana Liberato, Logan Lerman and Kristen Bell.
The movie centers on a tumultuous year for the Borgens family. A formerly successful but now floundering writer, Bill Borgens, is obsessed with his ex-wife Erica and he is way too intent on having his teens Rusty and Samantha (Wolff and Collins) become writers. Rusty, who is obsessed with Stephen King (like writer Boone), gets jealous when his sister Samantha lands a book deal before he does. Then Rusty gets his heart broken by the drugged out hot mess, Kate (Liberato).
Josh Boone sat down this week in Soho with Examiner Dorri Olds for an interview.
Dorri Olds: Gosh, you look so young for a director.
Josh Boone: [Blushes] Oh no, I’m so old. I’m 34.
So you weren’t an overnight success?
No, I’ve been trying for 10 years to get a movie made.
What sparked the idea for “Stuck in Love”?
My idea was to show young love, a first mature relationship, then marriage and divorce so that any age range can sit down and watch the movie and have, like, a story line they can relate to. Or maybe they’ll rent it in five years and watch it on Netflix or download and watch it in iTunes and then maybe they’ve changed enough by then so when they see it again they’ll have a different point of view.
Are there actors you hope to work with?
Oh my god, the list is so long of people that would be amazing to work with. I’ve been such a huge movie nut since I was a kid and I have so many actors that I like. I got to work with Jennifer Connelly in my first movie and she was literally my favorite female actress. She’s somebody I’ve always looked up to and thought was amazing and I just feel so lucky to have her be part of my movie. That was the dream. When I got her I said, “I guess I can get hit by a bus now.” [Laughs]
The story was so autobiographical; did you feel exposed during filming?
Yeah, especially when we were on set filming scenes of Nat [Wolff] with Liana [Liberato]. That was very uncomfortable for me because a lot of that came from real life. It was embarrassing so I wanted to go hide behind my monitor. It was weird watching somebody play a fictionalized version of me. That was all kinds of weird but I enjoyed it.
Are your parents supportive of your movie?
Oh yeah, they’re fantastic. I mean, they’re still divorced [Laughs] and didn’t get a happy ending like in a movie but that’s okay. I get along with them and we talk all the time.
What can you say about your daughter? What were her first words?
She can say, “Steven King” and “Bob Dylan.” She’s only two and can count to 12 and she reads. We don’t let her watch TV.
Why, because of violence?
No, I just want her to love books. I show her movies, and take her to movies. Movies will be a huge part of her life but I don’t want her sitting in front of the TV. I want her reading. She reads Spiderman comics and Dr. Seuss books. I like to give her what I loved when I was a kid. I hope she’ll love the same things so we can hang out. [Laughs]
Is there anything you’d like to say that I haven’t asked about?
I hope people go see the movie. [Smiles]
“Stuck in Love” opens in New York City this week on July 5, 2013. Rated R. 96 Minutes.
Written for Examiner
