Lauren Graham - Birds of America #2 - They're Returning to the Nest & Not Everyone's Pleased

Nadine · 12-13-2007, 08:48 PM

Previous thread

Lauren has signed onto the film "Birds of America" (formerly known as "The Laws of Motion") which will be released in 2008.

Anything with the words Laws of Motion refers to this film which has been renamed "Birds of America".

Birds of America Casting Sides

Writer: Elyse Friedman
Director: Craig Lucas

Cast/Characters:

Lindsay Allen - Roller Girl
Peter Conboy - Man on street
Ben Foster - Jay (brother of Ida and Morrie and husband of Gillian)
Jennifer Gargano - Student
Daniel Eric Gold
Ginnifer Goodwin - Ida (sister of Jay and Morrie)
Lauren Graham - Betty (wife of Morrie)
Brandon Hanson - Roger
Takako Haywood - Nurse
Vivien Kells - ?
Zoe Kravitz - Gillian (wife of Jay)
Matthew Perry - Morrie (main character, brother of Ida and Jay and husband of Betty)
Hilary Swank - Laura (next door neighbour)
Stacie Theon - Ellen Thomas
Gary Wilmes - Paul (married to Laura)

Production Notes can be found here *NEW*

Premise:

The story centres on a husband (Perry) struggling with life in a repressive career and community and enduring headaches caused by his free-spirited brother (Ben Foster) and sister (Goodwin). Swank will play a supporting role as the all-too-perfect neighbour of Perry's harried character.

Sundance Description (Please do not duplicate pdf file anywhere else)

In “normal” middle-class suburban families, kids grow up, move out, and visit only on special occasions. But Morrie Tanager never got to leave. His parents died and left him, and he became the parent, raising two siblings, Ida and Jay, in the home he now shares with his wife, Betty. So it’s not surprising this family is a bit askew. Ida is a promiscuous, broke, itinerant artist; Jay, an odd duck prone to antisocial experiments; and Morrie, a chronically constipated pleaser, who hasn’t had a bowel movement in ages. When Jay goes completely off the deep end and Ida drops in unannounced, the motley clan is thrust under one roof, and childhood dynamics reemerge. The big problem is that Ida and Jay’s recklessness could upend a delicate social ritual Morrie and Betty are masterminding to secure his tenure.

Birds of America is about socialization and growing up when there are no grown-ups. For Jay it means living within social boundaries and telling an occasional lie; for Ida it’s accountability for her actions, whereas Morrie must learn to loosen codes, assert the naked truth, and release responsibility to others. What’s so satisfying and moving in Craig Lucas’s eccentric, yet lyrical, comedy—besides the stellar cast— is the way the siblings’ transformations adjust the geometry of interdependence, and that genuine tenderness is the familial glue that ultimately bolsters each in the world. –CAROLINE LIBRESCO

IMDB Page

Filming: May - July 2007

Lauren talking about Laws of Motion

Courtesy of MoviesOnline - Latest Movie News / Reviews.

Well this movie I'm doing right now is called "Laws of Motion.” It's an independent film that the playwright Craig Lucas is directing and Hilary Swank is a producer on it and has a supporting part in it just to lend her name to it. And that's really cool actually and inspiring to see an actress who has a company who is helping get stuff made because she believes in it. It's the story of a dysfunctional family and Matthew Perry is my husband and we have sort of a quiet marriage that is in trouble and his brother and sister come to stay with us to disastrous results. And it's just kind of a dark comedy, but it's a very conservative, preppy shut down character who is just trying to be nice to these people who she thinks are freaks. And so that's a cool kind of different place to be.

Articles

Norwalk Hall of Fame (Norwalk Advocate) (March 21, 2007)
GreeneStreet picks up 'Laws of Motion' - international rights (Variety) (May 2007)
Stamford Advocate (May 30, 2007)
Lights, Camera, Action in Winslow Park (Westport Now) (June 1, 2007)
Lights, Camera, Norwalk (Fairfield County Business) (June 4, 2007)
The Hours (June 14, 2007)
Perry spotted in Darien (Norwalk Advocate) (June 17, 2007)
Chill More Girl (NY Daily News) (June 17, 2007)
IMDB Sightings in Darien (IMDB)
A Girlmore Girl Exits Onto Career Fast Track) (Washington Post) (June 22, 2007)
Zoe Kravitz in Laws of Motion (EW)
Filming in Norwalk (originally from Norwalk Advocate) (July 5, 2007)
Ben Foster mentions Laws of Motion here and here (September 2007)
Ben Foster talking about LoM (Out Magazine)
Hart / Lunsford Pictures - LoM Page
Playbill
Louisville filmmakers return to Sundance
Private-equity exec's interest in movies earns him credits (Chicago Tribune) (20 December 2007)
Jeremy Walker & Associates (representing the film at Sundance - publicity)
Sundance Buzz: Oh say, did you see? (Salt Lake Tribune) *NEW*

Interviews

Craig Lucas Interview (The Advocate) (January 14, 2008) *NEW*
Craig Lucas Interview (The Reeler) (January 16, 2008) *NEW*

Fan Encounters / Images

LG on the set in Westport (out of respect not posting the one with the lady who took the picture - credit niesche @ imdb)
WestPort filming (credit lien)
Film wrapping July 2 (IMDB)

Reviews / Test Screenings

IMDB
IMDB #2 *NEW*
Demogorgon
Movie Confession

Images

Yaron Orbach's Site (Director of Photography)
‘Birds of America’ Promotional Photo*NEW*
MTV Clip Thumbnail *NEW*
Caps of MTV clip courtesy of pretty-genes *NEW*

Videos
'Birds Of America' Clip: 'Welcome Home' | Video | Sundance Fever: Clips Galore! | MTV (Mirror) (Mirror #2) *NEW*

Release Dates:

Premiering at 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

Premiere Luncheon: January 21
World Premiere: January 24 @ 5.30pm
Other Screening Dates: January 25 @ 11.30am, January 26 @ 6pm and January 27 @ 6.30pm

Confirmed Talent @ Sundance *NEW*

Quote:

Talent Available:
Director Lucas, Actors Matthew Perry, Lauren Graham, Ginnifer Goodwin and Ben Foster

pretty-genes · 12-13-2007, 08:52 PM

Thanks for the new Thread

agiepagie07 · 12-13-2007, 08:56 PM

Thanks!!! title is perfect

LaurensFanJessica · 12-13-2007, 09:07 PM

Thanks for the new thread Nadine.

lancer1993 · 12-13-2007, 09:10 PM

Thanks for the new thread Nadine.

Good news about the movie, so when is it likely for general and international release?

Danke · 12-14-2007, 01:01 AM

Thanks for new thread, I still don´t like the new name of the movie.

the new review of the pre-screening doesn´t sound so fantastic.

Nadine · 12-14-2007, 01:24 AM

Well to the benefit of the film, that test screening was of a rough cut of the film.

It won't be till Sundance, where there will be a proper screening, unless they throw in a media screening before the festival.

blaab · 12-14-2007, 02:08 AM

Thanks for the new thread Nadine!

-Denise- · 12-14-2007, 04:20 AM

thanks for the thread nadine!

Copop · 12-14-2007, 04:31 AM

Thanks for the new thread, Nadine.

Big Head want Dolly · 12-14-2007, 05:08 AM

Thanks for the thread Nadine

I still have to get used to the new movie title though

Lauren Graham Brasilian Fan · 12-14-2007, 05:37 AM

thanks for the thread Nadine

agiepagie07 · 12-14-2007, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Head want Dolly (View Post)

Thanks for the thread Nadine

I still have to get used to the new movie title though

reading the title on the board reminds me everyday. soon i will get use to it!!

Nadine, thanks for answering my questions on the other thread

l.a.thunder · 12-14-2007, 10:39 AM

Thanks for the new thread Nadine.

Quote:

reading the title on the board reminds me everyday. soon i will get use to it!!

Same here

Gilmoregirl82 · 12-14-2007, 01:17 PM

it's going to take me awhile to get used to the new title. At first I was like what is this?! lol