Mary Kay Place is one of those go-to Hollywood character actors whose name might not come to you right away, but you’ve undoubtedly seen the fingerprints of her talent on something, if not many things, before. Between appearing in television programs ranging from “M*A*S*H“— which she also scripted a few episodes of — “Pushing Daisies,” and (most recently) “The Romanoffs;” as well as ‘80s classics “The Big Chill” and “Terms of Endearment,” just to name a few, she’s been a prominent figure in the filmmaking community for years. Also, an accomplished writer, director, and singer in her own right, Place even directed an episode of “Friends.” Known for docs like “Hitchcock/Truffaut,” and “A Letter To Ella,” which he co-directed with Martin Scorsese, Kent Jones’ narrative feature-length debut, “Diane,” awards Place a with a layered lead character, and if early reactions are any indication, it may not be the last time.
READ MORE: The 25 Best Films Of 2019 We’ve Already Seen
“Quiet and profound” – the words our review led off with – are an apt description of the hard working industry veteran’s career; it’s always great to watch a renowned supporting player being afforded a showcase vehicle, and “Diane” looks to be no exception to that rule.
Here’s the film’s synopsis.
Diane fills her days helping others and desperately attempting to bond with her drug-addicted son. As these pieces of her existence begin to fade, she finds herself confronting memories she’d sooner forget than face.
IFC Films (“Boyhood,” “The House That Jack Built”) picked up distribution rights to “Diane” at the New York City Film Festival.
“For me, IFC Films has always been a kind of gold standard in film distribution,” director Kent Jones said, “Over the years, as the business has changed in so many ways and on so many levels, they’ve stayed true to the art of cinema: in other words, they buy movies not because they think they’re ‘distributable’ but because they believe in them. I’m so proud that they will be the ones to bring Diane out into the world.”
We’ve already included the movie on our 25 Best Films Of 2019 We’ve Already Seen, so be sure to be on the lookout. The picture also stars Jake Lacey and Andrea Martin.
IFC Films will release “Diane” on March 29.