BlownPotential

A Buzzing Junebug
Celebrity scoop by Joel Fowler

Buzz can be a fickle beast. Have too much of it, and audiences feel inundated with too much information and grow tired of the product before it’s even released. Not enough of it, and your film will fail to attract a profitable number of viewers on your opening weekend, closing a theater run rather quickly (unless of course it gets great word of mouth from the small group who actually saw your movie).

This summer amid the field of independent film, the full spectrum of buzz was on display. The documentary “Murderball” seemed crushed by a tidal wave of positive buzz since the topic, quadriplegic rugby players and its bad boy star Mark Zupan, made for great copy, but unfortunately that didn’t translate into a strong box office showing. The John Singleton-produced urban drama “Hustle & Flow”, on the other hand, generated just enough buzz to be both in the black profit-wise and earn its star, Terrence Howard, early Oscar consideration. Then, there’s the little doc that could “March of the Penguins”, the G-rated National Geographic pic that garnered absolutely no press notice (except maybe in a weekly science pages) but has earned over $75 Million with no stars other than those cute little birds and a voiceover by Morgan Freeman.

Yet, leave it to a movie named after an insect to generate the ideal amount of buzz. “Junebug” (now available on DVD) built an aura PR firms dream of. The off-beat, intense ‘you never want to go home again’ story tells of ‘hometown boy made good’ George (Alessandro Nivola) bringing his new bride, Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz), from Chicago to North Carolina for both business and displeasure. The business being the eccentrically racist rural folk painter whose work would be the crown jewel of Madeleine’s gallery’s ‘outsider art’ exhibit. The displeasure focusing on George introducing his wife to his family, especially his hostile younger brother and high school drop-out Johnny (‘The OC’s’ Benjamin McKenzie).

Doesn’t sound like we’re talking about an ‘indie darling’, does it? But, I have failed to mention the best (and alas the most buzzworthy) part of “Junebug” – the performance of thirty-year-old actress Amy Adams, as Johnny’s positively positive (and very pregnant) wife, Ashley.

Now, you may have seen Amy’s work before. She was Leonardo DiCaprio’s naïve and bubbly young flame in “Catch Me If You Can.” The obnoxious little sister to Debra Messing’s Kat in this spring’s “The Wedding Date” – that was her, too. And on television, she appeared this season on ‘The Office’ as Jim’s never-to-be-true-love Katy.

The Colorado native gets so often typecast as an effervescent nymph that her being picked to play the sunny-side-of-life church girl wasn’t that much of a stretch. What was different about this role (and her portrayal) was the underlying truth the director Phil Morrison chose to investigate, a reality her stereotypical big-budget roles never came close to addressing.

During a four-day break from filming the pilot for the Rob Lowe short-lived drama ‘Dr. Vegas’, Amy was available to audition on the part that no one had yet nailed. As Morrison describes her run-through, “she read it in a way I wasn’t expecting, but was brilliant at it.” Arriving ten days before the rest of her cast on location in North Carolina, Amy got to know the community by going to places like Bennigan’s and karaoke bars, honing in on who exactly the character was aside from her Wal-Mart chic.

Her co-star Alessandro Nivola revealed what makes Amy’s Ashley (and therefore “Junebug”) so special. “The interesting thing about her performance is that her whole (positive) personality is revealed to be this fragile layer that protects her from a nervous breakdown… It’s a part that definitely will get her noticed.”

And noticed she has been. First, there was the Sundance film festival, where Amy earned a special jury prize for her acting. Then, ‘Entertainment Weekly’ named her as a summer MVP (for making the season’s movies tolerable). Rave reviews kept slowing creeping in; a “Best Supporting Actress” nomination at this year’s Academy Awards almost a sure thing.

The great buzz for Amy’s film was created by a great quality performance. While on a press tour in D.C. to support the film, Amy let us in on the inspiration for her noteworthy performance - herself. “In life, I would say I am an effervescent person. In that way, I guess I know these characters who are supposedly sweet and / or naïve. But, usually that (personality) is a choice. It’s not like these women go ‘there’s nothing bad happening at all in my life.’ I think it’s really easy to be depressed in life. It doesn’t seem easy because it feels so horrible, but I know from my own experiences of not feeling good, it is easier.”

And specifically her character’s Ashley’s perspective of being a teenage mom, married, and ill educated? “On the simpler, she’s a religious person. She sees the bad things and thinks that’s just the way it’s supposed to be. God has a plan for everything and everybody. If you want to call that naïve, we’ve got a lot of naïve people in this country. It’s a sad day when people who are positive are (always) seen as either naïve or stupid.”

While not a big drug experimenter like her Ivy League co-star Alessandro, Amy does admit to a bit of a coffee kick, enjoying her third or fourth cup of the day (she lost count) while we talk. She was so bright-eyed for such a humid July day. She’s probably the type of morning person night owls wanted to strangle in college. So, does her own personality typecast her?

“Oh, I want to play something dark. But, it often comes down to (producers saying) ‘she just looks too pristine.’ Pristine? I’m like the least pristine person I know. The fact that my hair was washed today says a lot… When Phil was casting and made his decision on me, an agent I know, who had clients up for the part, in a very passive aggressive sort of way said to me ‘You know, I didn’t think they were going this way. I saw the part as she (Ashley) was darker and angry.’ Like I couldn’t play angry?!” Ms. Adams says with her own passive aggressive laugh that speaks volumes to how the agent’s comments got to her psyche.

So, what appealed to her about this independently-financed film, especially after her big screen, big-budget experiences? “Well, if it was a studio film, they would have hired Kirsten Dunst… It’s (just) the opportunity to play larger roles that Hollywood films won’t offer (me). I’m going to be honest, let me say, I don’t think it’s ever, and I know this is going to sound so egotistical, it’s not necessarily your ability that keeps you from getting parts. So, I don’t know if this film if THE film that will be a springboard for me.”

And as for the lack of a financial windfall from such a small film? “Would it be great to have a big payday? Yeah! But, it’s not the most important thing right now, at this point in my career and at this point in my life. As long as I can pay my bills, I mean I don’t have children. I live in an apartment and drive an old car. As long as I can stay in nice shoes – I’m good.”

Even without her Manolo Blahnik’s and Jimmy Choo’s, Amy Adams is good. So good in fact, she’s buzzworthy.

Check out Amy and the rest of her eclectic cast in “Junebug”, now out on DVD.