Amy Poehler and Liz Cackowski on the set of WINE COUNTRY. Courtesy of Netflix.
Courtney Howard // Film Critic
Director Amy Poehler’s WINE COUNTRY spotlights what it’s like when a bunch of longtime friends get together to celebrate each other and air some difficulties. But for co-writer Liz Cackowski, writing the film took on deeper meaning as she was able to blend a few of her real-life experiences in while bringing out the vibrancy of this ensemble’s comedic strengths.
At the film’s recent press day, I spoke with the quick-witted writer about everything from how her SNL background informs her writing techniques, if the cast was ever taken off-guard by the filmed shenanigans, and what personal touches she brought into the fold.
With everyone having a background in improv, are you less precious about sticking every word of the script?
The script was pretty tight and shot what was scripted. Because we knew everybody’s voices so well, I take it as a compliment when people ask if it’s improv. I hope it does come across as the camera just happened to pick up a real conversation between people.
I don’t know if we did any “fun run,” when you completely improvise, but we really didn’t do it much. If anything, we had alt jokes. I was on set every day to do any rewrites, or if something was wonky in a scene, we could fix it. We’re all writers as well so we do like to craft the scene and make sure what’s written is good. SNL teaches you that. Writing and re-writing is like trying to beat that joke. The style of writing we do is an improv style of writing where you riff for a while before you figure out what you would do. Emily and I would talk about the scene for a while before we’d actual write it.
Let’s talk about the scene where the ladies are given the choice to do MDMA and instead they take a vote to listen to the podcast about it.
There are so many films where people go on a trip and things get crazy – they go wild. The way we would pitch this movie is, “So this is the movie where all these ladies go on a trip and they don’t do drugs.” The people would stare at us and wouldn’t get it. We’d have to explain it’s because these women were in their 40’s and wanted to make sure they could sleep and not feel crappy tomorrow.
The realization they have that they aren’t really drug people, but are on a shitload of prescription drugs. That day on set, we said, “If anyone wants to say the drugs they are on, let me know and we’ll create a list. If not, you can say the ones I’m on, because I’m on so freaking many.” Hearing all the drug names cracked me up.
Did the ladies know which dildo Paula (“Val”) would give them in advance?
That I love so much. Emily and I love writing characters. We could talk characters all day. It almost was like an improv scene where Paula was going to hand out those dildos to everyone. The props department were like, “What kind of dildos?” We were like, “Oooh. What if every dildo represents a character? It’s like a character study.” Instead of “What’s this character’s job? What’s this character like to wear?” it was “What’s this character’s favorite dildo?” (laughs)
There’s a scene that revolves around Fran Drescher’s THE NANNY. Did you have to clear it with legal to use her name or likeness?
I don’t know. I didn’t ever look into that. It was always going to be Fran Drescher. That’s all Emily Spivey’s brilliant idea. We knew we wanted to do a scene with different generations – specifically millennials. Emily was like, “They love THE NANNY.” I was like, “They do?! What?!” She wrote the first draft of that scene. She’s exactly Jenny in the movie.
One of my favorite scenes is when Maya’s in the winery fields talking about getting her bikini line lasered and she does the Billy Bob Thorton in SLING BLADE impression.
Oh my gosh. So that’s my story. I’m the one who did the laser hair removal. I was like, “I kinda want to put this in the movie because it’s something I’m thinking about right now.” I asked Maya, “Would you feel comfortable talking about your bikini area because that’s what happened to me.” She said, “Oh my god, yes.” That one is not her truth, but she delivered it so well. She represented my shameful truth. It’s a warning to the younger generation about lasering their hair.
Are exercises like “Path not taken” or inside jokes like “The Things we say now” something that came from you and your friends?
“Things we say now” is from my life. It started just by talking about how early we wanted to eat dinner. I was out with my friends and I was kind of embarrassed to [ask for an early dinner]. Back in New York, you ate at 8 o’clock if not later. Now we all have kids and I said, “Would it be okay to do an early dinner?” My friends were like, “Yes! 6:30 would be great! Boy times have changed. Things we say now!” We would riff back and forth. “Let’s find a restaurant that doesn’t have loud music because I want to talk to you. I can’t hear if the music’s loud.” Any medical talk, that’s me on the phone. Things we say now.W
WINE COUNTRY’sexclusive theatrical engagements begin on May 8th. It streams globally on Netflix starting on May 10.
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Oak Cliff Film Festival announces lineup including Danny Boyle’s ‘YESTERDAY’ and A24’s ‘THE FAREWELL’
DALLAS – While AVENGERS: ENDGAME snapped the summer into effect, there’s more to the season than big-budget blockbusters. Summer is also a great time that offers an eclectic mix of absurd comedies, crowd-pleasing dramas, breakout documentaries, and under-the-radar narratives that are sure to get a dialogue going.
Fortunately, you don’t have to stress to map out your cinema strategy for the months ahead because the Oak Cliff Film Festival assembles all those elements into one weekend of glory.
Running June 6-9 at the historic Texas Theatre, the Kessler Theater and the Bishops Art Theatre, the Oak Cliff Film Festival has announced another exciting year of programming. Highlights include the absurdist satire GREENER GRASS, a 35mm screening of Ozu’s silent 1933 gangster film DRAGNET GIRL (with a live score) and the Jeff Goldblum-starring THE MOUNTAIN.
Below are a few other buzzworthy features that will be making an appearance at the festival.
YESTERDAY
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle, the visual talent behind such films as SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and TRAINSPOTTING, YESTERDAY is a unique narrative about a struggling musician (Himesh Patel) who one day wakes up to a world that has forgotten The Beatles.
Co-starring Ana de Armas, Kate McKinnon and Ed Sheeran, the film explores a fantasy we’ve probably all thought up when amazed by great art: What if I wrote those great songs? What if I made that iconic film? What if I created that famous painting?
Considering the talent involved and the film’s fun scenario, YESTERDAY makes the Oak Cliff Film Festival a must-attend event.
YESTERDAY screens Sunday, June 6 at 3 p.m. at the Bishops Art Theatre.
THE FAREWELL
Whenever A24 is behind a movie, you know it’s reason enough to see. Whether it’s an emotional odyssey from the perspective of a ghost, a high-concept space drama, or a poignant tale of a young black man coming to grips with his identity, A24’s films can send you back out into the world as a more fulfilled and vibrant person.
Their latest work, Lulu Wang’s THE FAREWELL, is going to be no different.
Awkwafina (CRAZY RICH ASIANS) stars as a young Chinese-born, U.S.-raised woman who discovers that her grandmother in China has terminal lung cancer with only a short while left to live. However, instead of the family (including Tzi Ma and Diana Lin) breaking the news to her, they decide to keep it a secret and organize a wedding for the family to ensure there’s happiness until her ultimate demise.
The film was a massive hit at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Reviews have noted that THE FAREWELL is beautifully crafted and tender and that audiences should seek it out for Awkwafina’s dramatic turn and filmmaker Lulu Wang’s storytelling abilities.
THE FAREWELL screens Sunday, June 9 at 8:30 p.m. at the Texas Theatre.
SATANIC PANIC
If you’re a sucker for horror like I am, SATANIC PANIC should strike your fancy. Starring Rebecca Romijn (X-MEN franchise), Jerry O’Connell (STAND BY ME and PIRANHA 3D) and AJ Bowen (YOU’RE NEXT), the new Fangoria movie is about a pizza delivery girl who, on her last order of the night, encounters a high society of Satanists in need of a virgin sacrifice.
Not exactly uncharted territory for the genre, but whenever a horror comedy is in the works, and it’s made by people I greatly admire, it has earned my butt sitting in a theater seat to watch it. Expect blood, laughs and wow moments!
SATANIC PANIC screens Saturday, June 8 at 7:15 p.m. at the Texas Theatre. Director Chelsea Stardust will be in attendance.
STRANGE NEGOTIATIONS
I’ve been listening to acclaimed band Pedro the Lion for years. I’ve seen singer-songwriter David Bazan’s solo sets a few times. He’s such a profoundly thoughtful human being. His music is so soulful and personal that it’s infectious.
Now that there’s a documentary about him facing and overcoming his demons while helping his listeners in the process, you can find me learning more life lessons from Bazan in Oak Cliff next month with STRANGE NEGOTIATIONS.
STRANGE NEGOTIATIONS screens Friday, June 7 at 9:15 p.m. at the Texas Theatre. Director Brandon Vedder will be in attendance.
SWORD OF TRUST
Filmmaker Lynn Shelton
Her new film, SWORD OF TRUST, aims to pick at some more universal themes and societal truths. Elevated by an exceptional cast (Jillian Bell, Marc Maron, Jon Bass and Michaela Watkins) and a story about a handful of strangers coming together to seek the profit of an alleged Civil War artifact, Shelton’s film is going to be a flavorful and pleasant experience filled with complex characters.
SWORD OF TRUST screens Sunday, June 9 at 4 p.m. at the Texas Theatre.
Other titles to consider:
20th-anniversary screening of THE IRON GIANT; 20th-anniversary screening of documentary AMERICAN MOVIE; Cross-dressing Mexican wrestling documentary CASSANDRO, THE EXOTICO!; and the Jim Gaffigan-starring drama LIGHT FROM LIGHT.
For the full lineup, showtimes and ticket information, visit oakclifffilmfestival.com.
