Welcome And House Rules

SPEAKER_06 0:00

Hold.

SPEAKER_02 0:01

And we're about ready to hold. And uh all right, I think we're rub I hold the greetings and or salutations, and welcome to the Imbibe Cinema Podcast. The Imbibe Cinema Podcast is brought to you by the Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival, otherwise known as Buiff. I am Jonathan C. Leggett, along with my co-host, Trisha Leggett, as well as our producer, Michael Noens. And we are also pleased to welcome Andrea and Nick Meir.

SPEAKER_05 0:48

Thank you guys for having us. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 0:49

Yes. Welcome, welcome, welcome.

The Film Pick And Cocktail

SPEAKER_02 0:51

In this episode, we're going to be discussing the 2013 comedy, The Way Way Back. The cocktail we are imbibing is called Way Back When, which consists of whiskey, tomorrow uh syrup, lavender bitters, and orange. Uh look for the episode recap. Link in our show notes where you'll find a written summary of our discussion, along with a picture of the Way Back When and ingredients, so that you can make your own cocktail at home.

SPEAKER_00 1:16

I have a question about the cocktail, John.

SPEAKER_02 1:17

I have an answer about the cocktail.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

I hear that originally there was supposed to be a flaming orange.

SPEAKER_02 1:22

You're supposed to twist the orange peel and then light the orange peel on fire, and it is supposed to be the garnish. You're supposed to use a lighter on the orange peel, and it does get a smoky orange flavor. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

And you decided that was not necessary.

SPEAKER_02 1:39

Well, I didn't want to have to buy an orange. Do you know what the economy is like? Have you seen what you can get for an orange? Oh no. No, I'll light shit on fire left, right, somebody is up and down. This this is simply, it's like why uh so how we are cost effective. So, yeah,

Flaming Orange And Citrus Economics

SPEAKER_02 2:00

no, I okay. I can either buy uh whiskey and uh lavender syrup and pitters or an orange uh that is only going to be used for the garnished.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

Right, and they all cost the same.

SPEAKER_02 2:12

Yeah, you're not wrong.

SPEAKER_05 2:14

I mean, it's we had oranges we could afford.

SPEAKER_02 2:17

Oh, oh now you tell me.

SPEAKER_05 2:18

Yeah, my bad.

SPEAKER_03 2:19

We we are rich in citrus in our house.

SPEAKER_05 2:23

We may not have money, but we've got citrus.

SPEAKER_02 2:27

Already we're having a situation where uh as theater people, as people who have been on stage together, we've worked together, uh, there is a certain uh dialogue. Uh there's a a familiarity uh that that can happen between theater people. And I would love to know what the percentage of script versus you know loose improv, especially with Sam Rockwell in this. But like one of the things I think we all really loved about this particular film is that that dialogue. And and uh I'll pass it over to you, Andrea, to uh discuss. Firstly, uh, but what was your big take on this script and and the characters?

SPEAKER_03 3:05

So, what I love about this film is that the dialogue is so authentic.

SPEAKER_02 3:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 3:09

I especially the dialogue between the parents and the children, uh especially Alice and Janny's character.

SPEAKER_05 3:15

Yes, best character intro ever. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02 3:17

And yet the like every intro of the.

SPEAKER_05 3:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:24

Press my laundry.

SPEAKER_05 3:25

Press my laundry.

SPEAKER_02 3:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 3:27

I I love the um uh see you next Tuesday. I never heard that before, and I was like, I love that.

SPEAKER_02 3:34

Well, yes, we we we definitely know what the word that that she was trying to spell out, but the. I've never been that classy. It's see you're gonna be able to do it.

SPEAKER_05 3:42

That word gets thrown around a lot at our house. Not in front of the children.

SPEAKER_00 3:46

Yeah, put that out there. So, like in a British way, absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 3:49

It's like a way when you just know the other person needs to take it down a notch. I'm a giant see you next Tuesday.

SPEAKER_02 3:55

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 3:55

As am I? But you said I was a classy one, so yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:59

I mean, if you're going to be, you might as well be a classy one.

SPEAKER_05 4:01

But no, she's she's great. Like her whole thing of like the his lazy eye.

SPEAKER_02 4:05

Yep. Oh god.

unknown 4:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:08

Just point. And then she kisses him on the head. So like it's it's it's the dialogue, but it's but it's also the little choices that they make that just make this feel like you're not watching a movie, you're actually just in this family.

SPEAKER_02 4:22

Yep, fully immersed.

SPEAKER_05 4:23

Yes, the conversation when Chip and Joan come in and they're having dinner and they're telling a story, and she goes, Oh, I went to a Luau once, and then they kind of stop and everyone's been in that situation when you're not the person who knows everyone there. Yeah. You're trying to intersect some story, and then you're like, Oh, Jesus, I should have just kept my mouth shut. And she's just like, No, I just passed out at the beat. That's all I was trying to say.

SPEAKER_03 4:46

I don't feel like you've ever been in that situation.

SPEAKER_02 4:49

That I've ever been uncomfortable in the things that I have said.

SPEAKER_00 4:52

I think you just say them. I I guess and then like 20 years later, he's like in the shower, and he's like, Oh god, I said that. Yeah, and then he comes out and he goes, Trisha, do you ever like have random things come to you decades later and go, I'm so humiliated by what I said, and now I'm thinking about it all the time. I'm like, you caught up to my world.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

Like, yeah, I don't do the reboot in real time. My reboots are all like post-mortem reboots where it's like you're you're sitting there like on a treadmill or something like that, and all of a sudden you just go like you're trying to fix it in post. Yeah, no, I know. I can't and and and and and I should probably just go with my initial instinct, which is yeah, I said it. Uh you accept it and you move in.

Dialogue That Sounds Like Life

SPEAKER_03 5:43

Yes. That you you just get a little bit of everything in the short amount of time. We try to figure it out how how long did you get it?

SPEAKER_05 5:50

Well, they get down there within like a week of 4th of July. Yeah. Because it basically they have the 4th of July, and then you know what hits the fan, and then they leave.

SPEAKER_02 5:58

Yeah. They're definitely leaving earlier than than intended.

SPEAKER_05 6:02

Which also, just to be off work for like the whole summer, that's what he does. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:07

But he's a car salesman, he's not gonna make money, so we talked about it's his family's house.

SPEAKER_05 6:11

That's what we're like, all these people who have been down there, it's like that's a house they all grew up in. Yeah, probably.

SPEAKER_00 6:17

One of the stories I had heard was they went and they sent someone out to take pictures of houses that could be used in the film. And one of the houses they had taken as an option actually was Steve Corell's in-law's house.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

Oh god, that's hysterical.

SPEAKER_05 6:30

But I'm sure there is like how most scripts with people who like to improvise is like you try to do what's in the script, and then usually the director's like, well, here's some takes to kind of go off and see what you do. And the only one that feels more, I think, improvise is Sam Rockwell's character because he's supposed to be the guy, the man child, the Bill Murray type, like, I don't take anything serious until I have to.

SPEAKER_03 6:53

Oh, he's so Bill Murray.

SPEAKER_05 6:54

He's Bill Murray from Meatballs, like it's such a good performance. But like everything he does, where it's just like, oh great, well, now I could die. Like his quick responses, I'm sure it was many things. And the writers, I mean, Jim Rash, who uh is Lewis, there's no way that his are like all of his great lines are just written. It's probably like, here's what he's gonna say, and then just let it go and see where we go with the scene.

SPEAKER_02 7:17

So so you actually have uh Jim Rash and Natfax in the Nat Facts.

SPEAKER_05 7:22

Yeah, who plays uh Roddy. Yeah, or Roddy, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:25

Yeah, so I mean, like you literally have the the the two writers and directors, yeah. Um, who are, you know, in in the thick of it, like absolutely enjoying the what they've got going.

SPEAKER_00 7:38

They didn't do trailers for this film, they rented a house, and then everybody kind of like stayed in the house when they weren't, and then they found out people who weren't even like scheduled to shoot were just hanging out at the house. And you can tell there's this real comfortable vibe on like just from the way everybody interacts that they're very familiar with each other. And like that party uh scene, it's very like, oh, I've been to that party.

SPEAKER_03 8:03

Yes, the inappropriate party where the child shows up and everyone just keeps partying.

unknown 8:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:08

Oh, you oh that party. Wait, which party? There's a lot I mean the work party. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:13

You are talking about that the inappropriate child party. But he does have his moment.

SPEAKER_02 8:17

No, not the inappropriate child party.

SPEAKER_03 8:19

That is a completely different party that thankfully is not in this movie. Different movie.

SPEAKER_05 8:24

But like Rockwell does have the moment where he's like, hey, you could hang out for a little bit. Like he loves Duncan, but he's just like, well, you know, you're still a kid, like you shouldn't run the stuff.

SPEAKER_03 8:32

No, I was talking about Peter. Peter is much younger.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Yes. And he also says to Peter, you can hang out for a little while.

SPEAKER_05 8:38

Mind if I mingle his type of energy where he's just like, I can let Peter go off and then I'll reel him back.

SPEAKER_02 8:44

But you don't find out that Peter has that energy until later. And it is that, like, what a what a wonderful moment it is for those two characters where it's like, you know, okay, there's this the you know, kindred spirit type thing, and all of a sudden they're cool. In fact, that does not fly very well too.

SPEAKER_05 9:01

I see your lazy eye goes, you know the bits I could do with that? Yeah, come on.

SPEAKER_02 9:05

Yeah. Yep. Nope, they're absolutely perfect. Uh the the the dialogue is fantastic. Um, uh I had actually mentioned, I think, on a previous podcast, that I I worked on the breakup and watched Vince Vaughn in action.

SPEAKER_03 9:17

Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_02 9:18

Vince Vaughn will do the scripted dialogue for the first three takes. After that, it's fair game. Uh, it is it is never the same. Uh he is all over the map, and I mean, it is uh absolutely fantastic to watch because you see what ends up in the.

SPEAKER_05 9:35

As much as that movie was probably mismarketed, yeah, because people are like, it's not really a comedy, it's way more of a drama. Yeah. It just has a funny lead, which respond is but so many good.

SPEAKER_03 9:45

Anytime they're on the double decker.

SPEAKER_02 9:47

Oh, yes.

SPEAKER_05 9:47

But I think that's a good way to do a movie with people it improvising is a true skill that not every actor has, and plenty of actors don't like it. Or they're like, I don't want to improvise, I just want to stay true to the script.

SPEAKER_01 10:00

Yep.

SPEAKER_05 10:00

So you have to have a cast comfortable with that. And like even Steve Carell, I'm sure some of his stuff, and he's not the comedic, which is a big surprise.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

It's like, how many movies and shows have you seen Steve Carell? And he's like, he's such a good jerk.

SPEAKER_05 10:17

Yeah, but then it started with this movie. This was like one of his first playing a dick where you're like, oh, that's Steve Carell playing.

SPEAKER_04 10:24

And from the very first scene. Yep, right away. Right away. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:28

You're like, you're

Improv, Ensemble Chemistry, And Vibe

SPEAKER_03 10:30

like, oh god, he's so interesting, interesting bit of information about that first scene that actually comes from Jim's actual life. His stepdad asked him that question. Where would you rate yourself? And he gave the safe answer of six. And the dialogue between Steve Carell and or Duncan, Trent and Duncan, it's almost verbatim, according to um what Jim said. Because everyone asked, like, is this based on a true story? It just seems so authentic. So parts of it, the I think the icky parts come from his actual childhood.

SPEAKER_06 11:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 11:06

What a great way to process that, right?

SPEAKER_05 11:08

Yeah, right. Oh, yeah. Very therapeutic. He's also like the ultimate gaslighter, too, because every time he makes a mistake, he responds with okay, let let's let's do this together. It's it's we both want this. You know, let's start over. It's like we're in this together. So like you could tell he's that type of guy where it's a car salesman.

SPEAKER_03 11:29

Yeah, I was gonna say, very car salesman.

SPEAKER_05 11:31

But he's not even like a schmoozy type. He's a oh man, I'm so sorry I messed up, but you know what? We'll do this together. Yeah, it'll be fine. And right there's so many good nods to what he was like before meeting uh Pam because of reactions from his friends. You know, when you talk about like authentic dialogue, all their reactions to their stories look authentic, like, oh yeah, no, they know he's so full of shit.

SPEAKER_02 11:57

Yeah. Although at the same time, what like one of the the moments that I think gets me uh now this was actually Trisha's my first time watching this. I know this it's weird because Michael has been pushing this film for a while. Oh, good job. And and and so, like, you know, we we knew it was going to be a good one. We just had never gotten around to it. The moment that that Steve Carell almost brings me back uh uh like into his corner is is the moment where Joan starts making out with him in the side of the house and he stops her. And it's almost like Oh, not this summer?

SPEAKER_00 12:31

Yeah, like we do this every year, and you know it's like her husband has to know.

SPEAKER_05 12:37

That's a discussion we've had is like, does know? And is it some one of these things where he feels it, but he hasn't caught them in the act? So once Duncan does call it out, you because his reaction is not to snap at Steve Carell. It's like I think it's the realization of I've always known this, I didn't want to believe it. But like but it's also like how often do they see each other? They are they really good friends who have grown up together, but it's only in the summertime. So like part of maybe Kip's thing is like, well, my being paranoid because we only see him for a month and a half and we've been close, or it's like, are they sneaking off?

SPEAKER_00 13:15

Well, and they're it's they seem to be they're heavy partiers, yes, yeah. And the fact that like even though they're not adults, yeah, love that line.

SPEAKER_03 13:24

Sucks here.

SPEAKER_01 13:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:26

One of the things I really, really loved about it was how everybody is different with different people. So you see different sides of Pam when she's dealing with her son and when she's dealing with Trent, and then how the kids are when they're with each other versus with their with their parents, and then really how uh Duncan really comes into like his own and kind of finds who he really is when he's at the water park. Yes. And how that that's that's the coming of age part, right? That's the words like you're finding your own voice. And one of the things I would really be interested in hearing about the experience in the theater, because when watching it at home, I'm like, I feel like this would have been like a laugh out loud in the theater moment was when he gets on the boat and he has to wear the stupid um lights. And he's just so quietly sitting there being miserable.

SPEAKER_04 14:15

And she even walks up to him and he's like, Could you look even more miserable or something like that?

SPEAKER_05 14:20

But his response is great, where she's like, Can he be even more of a dick? Yeah, she's like, hey now, he's try but what's funny is me and my two siblings saw it first on a day Andrea was moving into what we used to call the cornucopia of awesomeness when she lived downtown. We like helped her moved in and she was there with her parents, and we were like, Hey, let's go see this movie called The Way Way Back, which none of us watched the trailer. I thought I watched the trailer uh and then was totally confused by like, oh, Sam Rickle's the good guy. For some reason thought he was the bad guy. But like we went and saw it, so it wasn't a pack theater, but like we laughed at all the stuff and were like, this movie's amazing. Why are more people not talking about this? Because it is a stacked cast, but it's not a stacked cast of like blockbuster A-list actors, even at the time, like Steve Carell, while a big actor, he wasn't marketed as the star of this movie, and he's not. It's a total ensemble, and your teen actor wasn't big. And I think to me, not that it's the same type of movie, but it's like when in Boogie Nights casting someone like Mark Wahlberg, who wasn't a strong actor,

Trent’s Damage And Where It Comes From

SPEAKER_05 15:30

but you needed someone who was a deer in the headlights experiencing this world for the first time, and kind of has this like almost awe shucks, even though and I think that's what Duncan does a good job is you have all these great veteran actors who have either been stars in movies or have been in thousands of movies, and you have this kid who is awkward because he has this great, like awkward feel to him.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

It's so awkward in the beginning, especially, and then when the kid smiles, you're like, Oh, it's a whole different person.

SPEAKER_03 16:00

Yeah, when he smirks and like he's tan now, and he has like the attitude a little bit, yeah, the confidence, right?

SPEAKER_00 16:08

But yeah, I really it it it like it struck me in the whole like that awkward, like 11 to 14 phase where there's such a little freedom that you have and all the things that they are stuck doing because the adults are like, well, you have to do this. Yeah, and you are just like present.

SPEAKER_05 16:28

And they're too young to do what the adults do. They're not like 18, like her older son, where it's like, oh, they're gonna do your dead dance.

SPEAKER_03 16:36

Do your dance next to the fire, Charlie. Don't want my firstborn bursting into flames. Looks like my brother made another sail.

SPEAKER_06 16:44

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 16:45

Oh, such a great scene. And they're all just like falling over each other to go towards the beach.

SPEAKER_05 16:50

And and there's also this thing of absentee fathers because both her and Duncan make their dads out to be these great guys. You mean Susanna? Susanna. Is that what you're talking about? And what you would when we were talking about Pam, you really feel for Pam in the scene when Duncan calls out, you know, he's been sleeping with her, like, why don't you do something? You could tell she was so beaten down by that first marriage, but also like she's like, you don't just understand adulthood, and you don't understand what your dad's done to me, you don't understand. And then when Trent tells him about, like, oh, good luck, your dad doesn't watch your kid, and she's just like, Trent, why would you do that? Yeah, like you're supposed to be the adult. Yeah, and like there's a lot in Pam that while she's more of an a like an observer in a lot of the like group scenes, because she's again, she's not familiar with these people, and Timothy. Yeah, but there's a lot she does. She's such I mean Tony Collette's such a good actress. And and it was like the as an adult, the more I feel like you watch it, you're like, Man, you really feel for her because you know it's like that marriage is probably awful.

SPEAKER_03 17:52

And you cheated on her a bunch, and it's well, she says I've been through this before after they have that um big fight over Candyland. What what a great scene. Like talk about authentic dialogue, authentic fighting when she freaks out, like trying to be quiet with the soup in the other room, and then just like goes off, and then he leaves, and then he's just gone for a while, like just so authentic, and then you know you know where he went. Yeah, he's with Joan, and it's just like, oh well, there's the thing back to he pushes her away, and he's like, Okay, you know, I'm gonna I'm here with Pam. And at the beginning of the movie, he's like asserting like Pam is my woman, he's all over her. That's why Joan's making the stink face over there, and like it just keeps getting worse. But then when things get hard, when we have the fight over the Candyland game, which isn't about the Candyland game, right? It's about Joan. Yep, he just goes back to her.

SPEAKER_05 18:50

No, I'm kidding.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

That's that was about Candy Land. Yeah, no, it's about rules of a board game, and you can't. You cannot take the thumbs up past.

SPEAKER_05 19:01

He was like, I mean, he was right about that.

SPEAKER_02 19:03

It is down for a reason. He's not a five-year-old uh child who needs to be coddled and take the Candyland Road. But oh, sorry, yes.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

Funny, the the character that breaks the rules is the one that's like, no, you have to follow the rules, except for me, I don't have to oh absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 19:21

Oh, but that's that's see, but that's the thing is I think in Trent's head, there's uh a board game, it's actually written down what the rules are. Whereas in life, the rules are are it is our social contract with each other. To him, I don't think that he sees that as a board game rule.

SPEAKER_00 19:43

Well, and here's the other thing that like I really love, and I feel like most kids need this said to them, and too few get this at the young enough, is Sam Rockwell's at at the end when he's when the kid says he says I'm a three, and he's like, That's not about you, that's about him. And then it's like Trent is that you know he's got his own demons, and he's just projecting all that on everybody around him.

SPEAKER_06 20:10

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 20:11

And uh it's it's really good that you have this great character that is like a role model for a kid that doesn't have one. Yeah, right? His dad has disappeared, doesn't want him, and his uh stepdad to be maybe is uh dick.

SPEAKER_02 20:28

The dude courting his mom.

Water Wizz As A Coming-Of-Age Engine

SPEAKER_00 20:30

Right, courting, yes, courting, and then he by chance like meets Sam Rockwell, who seems to be like this guy who just like sees maybe uh a version of himself, or he just takes lost things in. We're not sure, but he he's so good. And one of the reasons I think when Nick, when you had said, Oh, when I saw the trailer, I think as a society we have been conditioned to see any young man who's vulnerable to see it as uh oh, this is gonna get dark, all go there because like the film has conditioned us to think that first and not something that is really truly beautiful, but they have this great intimate moment, and the whole time you're like, why do I feel like they're gonna kiss all of a sudden? And they're like, Oh, because movies have ruined me. You're not wrong, and I see the dark everywhere.

SPEAKER_02 21:21

Yeah, although like the one I think possibly one of my favorite moments is at the end when they're they're at the gas station, they're they're literally leaving town, and he breaks out of the the the station wagon, which like it's the movie starts, and I'm like, wait, is this a period piece? Yes, you think and I'm like, no, because look at all of the rest of the cars are in the the modernity. Anyway, right?

SPEAKER_03 21:48

So Trent is proud of that. That's his vintage video. Oh, that's his vintage video. We we talk about all the time like the things that Trent said uh and that he says and the things that he does. We Like that comes from his dad. It that comes from his childhood. Those are phrases that he's heard before. Yeah. That was his dad's car that he wasn't allowed to touch. That's why he gets on Duncan for being on top of it. Because there is not one dent in that car. He just saw him there. Like we yeah, we love to break down Trent all the time.

SPEAKER_02 22:20

Oh, yeah. That's that's that's a fair assessment. He is a CU next Tuesday, but like the the moment that Sam Rockwell actually finally meets Trent and literally steps in the way. That little moment he just blocks him in like. Oh, you're Trent. And and and Trent tries to make one more move to like, you know, collect.

SPEAKER_03 22:41

It's like a game of chess. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:43

And and he does an extra like juke move to just be like, you are not laying a hand on this kid. Back the ever-loving, you know.

SPEAKER_05 22:51

It's one of the best moments of the movie, is when they go down the water slide, he passes them, and then when he meets Pam and he's like, Oh, you're his mom. Like, uh, that's so great to meet you. You know, you got a hell of a kid here. And then just that little moment of stepping in front of Trent. And it's funny because it's the only time they're ever talking the movie. But like Trent doesn't say anything.

SPEAKER_02 23:11

Anything just right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 23:12

And it's just that great little moment, and you're like, it's also really sad because it's like, is that the last time they ever see him? Like, is because obviously, why would Duncan and his mom go back there? That's not their summer home that's anybody. Yeah, so it's like this beautiful, like, oh that's why it's the story. You'll always remember each other, even though you only run each other's lifestyle. A reason and a lifetime.

SPEAKER_03 23:33

This was a reason.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 23:35

These people needed to find each other. That's the other thing.

SPEAKER_02 23:37

And it also helps connect mom and son when she jumps all the way into the way, way back.

SPEAKER_03 23:45

There you go.

SPEAKER_05 23:46

Because if she would have went to the back seat, it's only way too.

SPEAKER_02 23:50

She had to go all the way. But that was another thing. That window was down the entire time.

SPEAKER_04 23:54

He did keep saying, You gotta speak up, buddy.

SPEAKER_02 23:57

Yeah. Well, that's that's a good point. Is that because that was actually a really good speech? Um, but like, is it is it because the window whipping through there? I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 24:08

I guess I've never really thought about the window. I'm gonna have to watch it.

SPEAKER_06 24:11

That's just called a continuity area.

SPEAKER_03 24:12

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 24:14

Don't call it continuity. I don't think you need an open window to have a child in the back that suddenly is like I'm mumble mumble. Yeah. And then you're like, I can hear you when you don't want me to hear you. Now when I'm asking a question, it's and you're like, oh my god, speak up.

SPEAKER_02 24:28

Yeah. You've you've been on stage. I know you can enunciate and like with clear dictionary.

SPEAKER_05 24:34

Uh also, though, the we were talking about the the teenage girls that dialogue, which was like, I want to do it. I can't wait to do drugs with my kid.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

And like, oh did you hear what's their face broke off? Oh, I don't get her face.

SPEAKER_02 24:47

Yeah, yep. Okay, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_05 24:50

Okay, like that's so funny.

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Babe, I'll toss it.

SPEAKER_05 24:54

Yeah, we're like, oh, we talked about this.

SPEAKER_00 24:57

Yeah as if they had a conversation. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 24:59

I am tossing. We talked about this.

SPEAKER_02 25:01

I'm tossing, yeah. What a what a weird verb.

SPEAKER_03 25:04

Oh, yeah. That little scene on the middle.

SPEAKER_05 25:08

Oh, God, no. You want to toss a football? It's like, no, you just pick I'm throwing away.

SPEAKER_03 25:12

Maybe it's like a regional thing, though. Because they're all tossing your if only he liked it.

SPEAKER_02 25:17

I feel that they no, I feel that they put that word in there very specifically.

SPEAKER_05 25:22

Babe, I'm Tom Brady. I'm tossing.

SPEAKER_02 25:25

We're gonna

Festival Message And How To Reach Us

SPEAKER_02 25:26

take a few moments to fill our glasses and get ready to imbibe more after this.

SPEAKER_01 25:33

The Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival exhibits short and feature-length motion pictures that utilize story elements in a new and exciting way. Our official selections are a carefully assembled blend of imaginative, sophisticated, and full-bodied stories. This is what our name represents. Filmmakers can expect an intimate festival experience where their personal story is valued as much as the one projected on the big screen.

SPEAKER_02 26:23

So I'm Jonathan C. Leggett, and I'm here along with Trisha Leggett. And Michael Nones. And we are also blessed with Nick Mir.

SPEAKER_03 26:32

And Andrew Mirror.

SPEAKER_02 26:34

Uh, and we are discussing the way, way back. Uh, enjoying this podcast, please subscribe or follow us on your favorite podcast providers to get the new episodes as soon as we release them every Wednesday. Rate andor leave us a review to help our show reach that larger audience. And you can also follow Imbibe Cinema on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Letterboxd. Uh, and we want to hear from you. We want to hear your thoughts on the way way back. We want to hear your thoughts on maybe our cocktails or movies that you think we should be talking about. Look for the link in our show notes to send us a text or leave us a voicemail, and we will uh take some time on the next episode to discuss.

Rewatching As An Adult Hits Different

SPEAKER_02 27:11

All right, so one of the things I think that that we all appreciate about this this movie, uh especially um as we have all uh gotten older, um is the perspective. Um this is a a coming of age film, and I I I know Andrea, you already mentioned that like you know, when when you watched this the first time, you had felt more connected with the youth uh uh of the film, whereas uh a now possibly not as much. Uh I'm gonna I'm gonna throw it around here in a spin because I I am maniacal and evil.

Favorite Coming-Of-Age Movie Draft

SPEAKER_02 27:45

Coming of age movies. Favorite coming of age movie?

SPEAKER_03 27:49

Besides this one?

SPEAKER_02 27:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 27:51

Um for me, it would be now and then. Oh I love that movie. It's a really good one. The story of the four girls growing up in the 70s with the mystery, and you've got like the four different personalities, and then you get like their future, and they've turned into these like not powerful women, but they've grown into their their selves, and despite all the trauma as kids, they're okay. They're not perfect, but they're okay, and I think it's such an important message to send, especially young girls who are like living in their childhood trauma and things like that, and then just see, like, okay, they're okay, and they're still friends, especially because and we talk about this all the time, Trish. Like, female friendship when you're older is kind of rare because it it takes a lot of work because you've got kids, you've got everything going on, and like moms very rarely put themselves first, and you have to put yourself first sometimes if you're going to keep up with female friends.

SPEAKER_00 28:49

And then you have to spend the time overthinking every conversation after it happened, being like, oh my god, are we really friends? Or I just feel like this isn't I'm stupid.

SPEAKER_03 28:56

Oh, Trish, I think I think we're really friends. Maybe I'm wrong. Am I wrong? Oh my god, oh shit.

SPEAKER_02 29:01

Now she's gonna start thinking, oh, the cast just made this interesting. Oh boy.

SPEAKER_05 29:09

No, no, but making friends, I think, when you're older is actually just really hard because a lot of times people are like, well, here's my already core group of friends.

SPEAKER_02 29:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:18

It's awkward. And then doing doing this theater group was an example of like you knew Marcy already. So when I first started doing it, it was like, I didn't know John, I didn't know John's family, I didn't know Marcy, I didn't know their. But it's like, am I what if these people don't get along with me? Now am I just gonna be the guy who's always showing up? Because it's like it's Andrea's husband, so he's gonna he's gotta be there, and I guess he'll be in a show. So but it's like it's awkward. It it's awkward meeting other adults and trying to become friends.

SPEAKER_00 29:48

This is our friend, Andrea. This is our other friend.

SPEAKER_05 29:51

Andrea's husband.

SPEAKER_03 29:53

That's funny, because usually, usually I'm the sidekick in the scenario, but oh, that's sweet. You think that's it?

SPEAKER_05 29:58

What friends do I have?

SPEAKER_03 30:00

You have my friends, yes, who you love, right?

SPEAKER_04 30:03

Like it's like Have you seen the SNL, the SNL sketch where it's like the the man park?

SPEAKER_00 30:09

Oh yes, they go to make friends. It's so real.

SPEAKER_05 30:14

Okay, and they just had a new sketch this past season where it's the wives are in that like the friend wives, and then the husbands they cut to them and they're just like, hey, huh. And they all have tearaway pants.

SPEAKER_03 30:25

Yes, yeah, at the end. That part doesn't make sense, but it's funny.

SPEAKER_02 30:28

Oh, it does.

SPEAKER_05 30:29

But it's the whole like, hey guys, uh, you know, we have tearaway pants on right now, don't we?

SPEAKER_02 30:33

Yeah. Oh, dude.

SPEAKER_03 30:34

I was like, you like Marvel? I like Marvel.

SPEAKER_02 30:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 30:36

Marvel? Marvel.

SPEAKER_02 30:38

You like seagulls.

SPEAKER_05 30:39

Men are just seagulls.

SPEAKER_02 30:40

They're just like, huh? My movie? My movie? My movie? Podcast?

SPEAKER_03 30:44

Sports ball? Sports, sports ball, sports balls balls, balls, balls. Like that, but back to this movie and my shift in the perspective. Like, it's hard, it's hard to make those friendships. So I feel for the parents in this movie, because I feel like this is their one time a year they get to be young again.

SPEAKER_00 31:03

Right, because Tony Collects' character is basically like, I have to make sure everybody else is okay. That's my job. I need to make sure everybody else feels good, and then I get some time for me, maybe. Maybe, maybe.

SPEAKER_03 31:14

And so, like, it's kind of a like as much as it's Duncan's story, it's her story too. Correct. And it's funny when everyone, I'm pointing to the water whiz right now that has been so gorgeously constructed out of the Lagos, and we have Vladimir, Ishmael, and Mingley stuck in the slide, my absolute favorite part of that. But um, but the water whiz is a magical place because the minute that everyone gets there, they come into their own. So it's not just Duncan's coming of age movie. Correct. It's Sam Rockwell's, it's Tony Collette's. Like she finally stands up to Trents when she yes, my Rudolph.

SPEAKER_00 31:51

This whole like, you made me this person. I don't like this person. Oh, that line. That is so heartbreaking.

SPEAKER_03 31:57

Yeah. That's why this doesn't happen. Well, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 32:00

Why don't you come up here and we'll talk politics? Yeah, it's my film.

SPEAKER_03 32:03

You say that all the time. That's one of your favorites.

SPEAKER_05 32:07

When he's like, We're stuck, dumbass. And he goes, I don't see how I'm the dumbass in this situation. There's so many good, like when the kids get stuck and he's like, Okay, I need a hero. Yes. And he's holding out for a hero. Put loose anyone.

SPEAKER_03 32:20

The remake? Anyone see the remake? And then I was like, oh my god, did the remake come out around that time? Like that was a while ago.

SPEAKER_02 32:27

Like that, I think it was probably one of the things that I loved most. I and again, how much of this is script, how much of this is just Sam Rockwell. But all of his outdated references never landing. It just that is so Really?

SPEAKER_03 32:43

That's the Cold War. Pivotal. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 32:45

He's like, really? Do you get comedy?

SPEAKER_00 32:46

So it's my best material, and I'm wasting it.

SPEAKER_03 32:48

And I'm wasting it. So, funny story. Uh, the water was an actual water park, and those people in the background are actual people at the water park. And Sam Rockwell was just riffing one day on the PA doing some like R-rated, X-rated stuff, and they had to shut him down because they're like, Sir, this is a business.

SPEAKER_04 33:09

Yeah. Yeah, they were doing it in an open water park.

SPEAKER_03 33:13

In Boston, somewhere, like the South Shore. So talk about authentic there.

SPEAKER_02 33:18

A little too much. Alright. So, yes, you were talking about now and then was your pick. All right. So then, Nick, you've had you've had time to think about this.

SPEAKER_05 33:30

Actually, I'm gonna I'm gonna go with two that are basically each generation's favorite high school movie. And that's um Fast Times at Ridgemount High and Superbad. Super Bad is a coming up. Yeah, friends coming to the realization that they are aging. That but that and they're going off to college and things are gonna change.

SPEAKER_03 33:50

Amazing authentic dialogue in Superbad.

SPEAKER_05 33:52

I feel like Superbad and Fast Times are two very like it came out, I was a senior in high school when Superbad came out, and I was like, this is the movie that spoke to me and everyone at my school. It's like this is the way they talk. They weren't popular, and they're also not complete losers, but they're like in that middle ground of like, okay, I know these people, but I don't necessarily hang out with them. Yeah, and Fast Times is all about all these things that happen in a teen comedy, but you you get everything. You get the the girl gets pregnant, she has an abortion, her brother's the one who's like the kind of jock cool guy. Like, there's just all these little moments in that movie where you're like, oh, this is not what you would think an 80s high school comedy would be about. Yes, you have Spicoli, which is like the stoner funny story, but like they deal with some real stuff. And like, you know, her one friendly Jason older guy, yeah, where it's like, oh, my older boyfriend, you know, and it's like everyone had knew someone in high school who was dating someone in college, where they're like, Yes, we get it, you date someone older. We know you're so mature for your you knew that person?

SPEAKER_02 34:57

Yes, I did not know that person.

SPEAKER_05 34:59

I I had a few people I knew. It doesn't mean anything. It's and then what happens? Breaks up with them.

SPEAKER_02 35:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 35:04

And then she starts dating. And then I love the joke of like, oh, she dated her college professor, because of course she would. Like, but no, I I those two movies to me are they're not like the typical coming of age, but I just think they capture what high school is like for a lot of people in a more sincere way, but done in a comedy setting.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

Yeah. When we were kids, like my girl, right? It's traumatizing, right? But she gets her period, and there's this whole like she's not a kid anymore, and that kind of thing, and it's such a traumatic film. And then you go, and it's like this generation gets turning red, or whatever the pan. Oh, yeah, they get that turning red to to explain you know that journey, and we had my girl, and I feel like that's just mean.

SPEAKER_04 35:49

Another one I would throw out there that I just think is like unusual, but like the 40-year-old version, I actually think is a normal movie being a baby.

SPEAKER_03 35:58

Yes, talk about a movie I can watch anytime, any place, at any point. That movie for sure.

SPEAKER_00 36:04

I think it's funny because it's like uh puberty is this whole like cocoon, like you know, you start a caterpillar, you become a butterfly. There's this whole thing with puberty where it's like your your body changes, your brain is changing, your emotions are like one and then eleven, and it's just crazy. And we make so many movies about that. Yeah, and I want to see menopause, the movie, because I feel it's the same damn thing.

SPEAKER_03 36:27

Yeah, I feel like that's like steel magnolias. No, they're not quite on the nails. Let me think. No, because I don't think menopause doesn't exist though, you know.

SPEAKER_00 36:36

So no, it just recently became something we talk about and acknowledge and we talk about we don't treat it.

SPEAKER_03 36:42

I'm like, oh my god, there are these people that came before God don't even talk about Perry.

SPEAKER_00 36:47

Come, Perry, do Perry do No, but thanks to like national heroes like Amy Schumer, we bring these things to light. Oh, Amy Schumer. Oh, talk about a good biography. Oh god.

SPEAKER_03 37:00

Read her books, they are so funny. Right?

SPEAKER_00 37:01

Because like so many things like uh uh like her health. Um was it endrometiosis? Yes, she has that, yeah. Right, where it's like nobody knows what that is, and then she makes it public and they're like, Oh, these people were gaslit to think that they were just wimps. It's not that at all. Yes.

SPEAKER_05 37:20

I like how Steve Carell plays Trent because the actor, you have to play him, like in his mind, and this is what we talk about with the conversation he has with Duncan at the very beginning of the movie. Yeah, we loved it. In his mind, he thinks he's always doing the right thing. Yeah. Like when he wakes up for Duncan and he's like, Look, if we're gonna get through this, we have to do it together. Even though it's like if you would just stop being a dick to Duncan, he would appreciate respect you that.

SPEAKER_02 37:46

Yeah, when he talks about like we need to have mutual respect between each other, it's like, all right, start with you assholes.

SPEAKER_03 37:51

Father 100% said that too.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

Correct.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

But then I'm sorry, and then every time this subject is breached, then I immediately have Death's Mutie play in my head. Oh my gosh, such a good thing. Your stepdad's not mean, he's just adjusting. Remember, kids, stepdads are like new puppies, they need love and patience. Oh man, I love Edward Norton. I love the fact that it's children's television and the world is so dark, it's so jaded and cynical and and and just really corrupt and awful, and everybody is either part of it or they've given up on it. And and then here comes this guy who's just like believes in the dream, and over the course of it, he just turns everybody to either on his side or they just can't, they they have to get out of the way. And it's that power of one person being able to alter the perspective that is beautiful, and then it's and then there's Robin Williams being Robin Williams.

SPEAKER_05 38:50

Are we talking about the way way to smoochy?

SPEAKER_00 38:53

Smoochie is burgundy, Moochie is mauve. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:58

My my selection, I think, for um Yeah, you didn't tell us you're yeah, sorry. No, that we we uh it's it just took us this long to get too much. Yeah, yeah, I was about to say, I did I did my job. I I knew I engaged conversation, but yeah, we'll we'll get to my smoochie, isn't it? Coming of age is smoochie. No, mine uh mine's gonna be Sandlot.

SPEAKER_04 39:20

Oh yes. Good one.

SPEAKER_02 39:23

Yeah. I mean, it's a uh absolutely perfect movie of you know, you you've got the the narrator who is the adult version who is talking about the the the good old times and and how it you know that he and his group of friends uh navigated that particular uh uh time in their lives.

SPEAKER_04 39:41

Yeah, great, great movie. Correct. I always it's funny because like I forget about Sandlot, and then the moment somebody brings up Sandlot, I'm like, oh, that's a great obvious one.

SPEAKER_00 39:54

Where I go, where I go to the media same guy? I immediately then go to all the dark places and I'm like, stand by me. Oh yeah, yeah, another great one. Fried green tomatoes, oh yeah, riding in cars with boys. That one should be. I think every girl, as soon as if you have a daughter and you want to make sure they make good choices, you don't tell them to make good choices, you make them watch writing in cars with boys, and then they'll be like, oh shit. Now I get it.

SPEAKER_03 40:24

Thank you for that strong model, mom.

SPEAKER_02 40:28

So uh Andrea, Nick, uh uh tell us what you guys got going on. Tell

Theater Life, Podcast Plugs, And Cheers

SPEAKER_02 40:32

us what uh our listeners should look for.

SPEAKER_03 40:35

I'm currently directing nine to five at the community theater at the Rock How. Um that'll be middle of August with uh the teens. So it's gonna be our first teen theater. It's gonna be really fun. Um, and then in the fall, I'll be directing uh play on at uh Dundee Crown High School for the teens again, and that'll be fun because it's a play within a play where everything goes wrong.

SPEAKER_06 41:00

Hmm, that sounds fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 41:02

And then, you know, we'll be doing our theater stuff this year. Christmas Carol in the winter. We got the cabaret that we do have a date for February 13th. And then 2027. Uh Elaine says she's gonna do another play, so we'll we'll be busy as long as you know we can we can do all the shows. Because we love doing the shows. Like it has brought so much joy to our life that we didn't think that we were gonna be able to experience again.

SPEAKER_02 41:27

It's mainlining joy back into your probably be such a gift, probably be dead somewhere. Oh god.

SPEAKER_03 41:35

Dark caller talk about dark.

SPEAKER_05 41:37

Sorry, coming of age movie. He went there.

SPEAKER_03 41:40

Oh my god. But I'm actually glasses. I I'm Mrs. Mirror, but I'm also Mrs. Nickflick podcast. So I'm gonna turn it over to my better hats.

SPEAKER_05 41:51

I uh I have two podcasts, which means I uh have no one who really listens, but I do have two of them.

SPEAKER_03 41:57

Your mom listens.

SPEAKER_05 41:58

Uh my mom does, and uh my brother and sister-in-law do. Uh out of all out of my seven or six siblings and however many uh in-laws, two of them listen, so that's nice. Uh, but yeah, I have Nickflix podcast, which uh I'm I have a uh Disney live action episode coming out, and then uh my middle of the year kind of like favorite movies of 2026 so far. I'll be recording soon. Um, and then I have my other podcast, Nickflix and fill at the movies, where we're gonna be covering Christopher Nolan uh and doing like our favorite movies of his with um The Odyssey coming out, and then we're gonna do a Spider-Man movie ranking uh with Spider-Man coming out. So yeah, check it out.

SPEAKER_03 42:43

And you just had your Spielberg one come out. That one was really good. I like that one.

SPEAKER_05 42:47

Yeah, so if you check us out, we're on Apple and uh Spotify, but yeah, just a movie podcast, two of them.

SPEAKER_02 42:53

Yeah, fun. That's why you're perfect for this. Uh, we greatly appreciate all of our listeners for choosing this podcast, supporting the Independent Film and the Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival. I'm Jonathan C. Leggett, and thanks for imbibing with us. Cheers.