More first looks from the Cannes marketplace this evening, with a pair of star-studded indies looking to find distribution at home and abroad before the Croisette empties out. First up, there's comedy-drama "The Longest Week," from debut feature writer/director Peter Glanz, who was behind AMC's web series "The Trivial Pursuits of Arthur Banks." The film's got an impressive cast, led by "Arrested Development" star Jason Bateman, and also including Billy Crudup and Olivia Wilde. Images, a poster and a synopsis below, and click on to page two for your first look at James Franco starrer "Maladies."
When Conrad’s (Bateman) wealthy parents took a 20 year vacation to Paris, they left him to be raised by their Hotel staff at the age of 11. Now in his early 30’s, Conrad’s troubled life is filled with chasing girls, relaxing, and enjoying all the comforts of a prestigious hotel. However, all that changes when his parents’ divorce, ending his trust fund and forcing him out on the street. After some advice and 200 dollars from his therapist, hilarity ensues as Conrad begins his new life. Broke, homeless, and single, Conrad moves in with an old friend, Dylan(Crudup), while trying to sort his life together. Conrad finally meets the girl of his dreams, Beatrice (Wilde) and realizes this is the girl to turn his life around; although he soon discovers she is actually Dylan’s girlfriend! Will he be able to keep his friendship with Conrad and still win over the love his life, or does everything come crashing down as he is in way over his head?
Secondly there's "Maladies," yet another project for the ever-busy James Franco. The film, directed by his occasional collaborator, the efficiently-named Carter, is a sort of sequel/payoff to the star's appearance on "General Hospital," with Franco playing a successful actor who's retired because of his schizophrenia, with Catherine Keener, David Strathairn, Alan Cumming and relative newcomer Fallon Goodson making up the rest of the cast. Given their previous collaboration, "Erased James Franco," we're not expecting this to be super accessible, but we're still somewhat intrigued. Check out images, a synopsis and posters below. [Voltage Pictures]
Maladies follows three people struggling to coexist together in a little house in a beach town, separated and bonded by their mental illnesses from the rest of the world. Franco plays a former actor whose schizophrenia forces him to leave his craft and remain only a shell of his former self. Keener supports his the cross-dressing best friend whose struggle with her own gender identity precludes her from keeping the group together, and Goodson rounds out the trio as Franco’s sister whose mental detachment exacerbates the tensions already prevalent in the house.
