The Bening and freshly Bridesmaids minted Kristen Wiig are filming the comedy Imogene (2013) just 20 plus miles from where I type this. I absolutely cannot wait and my impatience demands that I assume this will get pushed up to 2012 calendar before long since they're already filming in summer 2011.
Everyone knows Wiig is funny after years on Saturday Night Live and the Bridesmaids smash but people always seem to forget how hilarious The Bening is whenever her characters are called on for comic moments, even within heavy dramas. I'm guessing her status as Hollywood Royalty and Serious Actress obscures this.
In fact, one could argue that ALL of her best performances are comedic in nature, even if they're within dark, brooding or angsty films, The Grifters and American Beauty being two obvious examples.
⇐ Annette Bening's Imogene character, who is Wiig's gambling addict mama, looks like a cross between Carolyn Burnham and Arlene from True Blood, right?
The film, directed by the American Splendor (2003) and Cinema Verite (2011) team of Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini , is about a woman (Wiig) forced to move back in with her mother after a staged suicide attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend fails. In the most eye-brow raising bit of casting Glee sensation Darren Criss -- also recently spotted on set -- will play Wiig's love interest, though we assume he's not the ex in question. Wiig turns 38 next week, Criss is just 23. That age difference is absolutely normal for movies when the genders are reversed but it's still surprising and usually a large discussion point in the script (and may well be here) if the woman is older.
It sounds like a fun movie, right?