Jeri Jacquin
Coming to Bluray from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
and writer/director Hallie Meyers-Shyer is a film that reminds us it’s good to
be HOME AGAIN.
Alice (Reese Witherspoon) finds herself back in Los Angeles separating from husband Austen (Michael Sheen)
who is in New York .
Getting in a routine with daughters Isabel (Lola Flanery) and Rosie (Eden Grace
Redfield), she has a little help from Mom Lillian (Candice Bergen). Trying to
start a new business and find her footing isn’t being helped with her 40th
birthday arriving.
Out with friends for a night of relaxing and a few drinks,
she meets Harry (Pico Alexander) who, after a few flirty moments, ends up at
the girls table. He brings brother Teddy (Nat Wolff) and George (Jon Rudnitsky)
to join the party. These three are in Los
Angeles to pitch their short film into a feature.
Waking up the next morning, Alice is uncomfortable to find everyone passed
out in her house. Of course that’s right around the time Mom shows up with the
girls yet something calming happens, everyone seems to hit it off nicely. When
George realizes who Alice ’s
father is and meeting Lillian, he is thrilled.
That leads to Lillian and the three guys spending the day
chatting while Alice
gets on with life. Trying to land her first design job with Zoey (Lake Bell ), Alice doesn’t have time to
nonsense – or does she?
Lillian talks Alice
into letting three young would-be artists stay in her guest house while
pitching their film. One person who isn’t happy is Austen who learns from his
daughters what is going on. Yet, it all seems to work as even Alice and Harry
get closer.
As everyone begins to find their way, Alice must decide how her life plays out
without the complications of manipulative husbands, mothers or house guests.
It’s time to discover how to be comfortable and home again!
Witherspoon is delightful, as she always is, in the role of Alice caught up in just
the jumble of life. Trying to find her place without a husband she can’t count
on and girls who really need her, the character of Alice is learning to stop trying to control
and let loose now and again. That is the diversity of Witherspoon in that she
can play roles such as Alice
with her frailties and bit of comedy and at the same time nail characters like
Madeline in the series Big Little Lies (of
which I’m a huge fan).
Alexander as Harry is as cute as he wants to be and knows it
as he two companions know all to well. Yet he is also endearing and protective
of Alice and the girls which sort of makes up for it all. He wants to succeed
but on his own terms and fragile when it comes to believing that things work
out the way they are suppose to. Putting on a good front from time to time
keeps him focused.
Wolff as actor and brother Teddy is just wonderful in his
protection of his new found family and the scene between he and Sheen is
hilarious. Being quiet most of the film, this scene is his moment to express
every emotion he’d been holding in. Rudnitsky as George is the writer of the
group who brings out the confidence in young Isabel. He also wants to protect Alice from making a
mistake while also herding in Harry!
I had the opportunity to speak with Pico Alexander who plays
Harry to talk about making a movie about making a movie, his friendship with
cast mates and what we all can learn about unconventionally conventional
families.
Jeri Jacquin: Hi Pico, how are you today?
Pico Alexander: Very well, thanks for asking.
JJ: I saw your film.
PA: Lovely, and what
did you think?
JJ: I thought it was funny, endearing, moving and it’s a
little bit of everything actually.
PA: Not to much tragedy, we stayed away from it.
JJ: Tell me about how you came to get the role of Harry?
PA: I did a self tape for it. I was in Europe
and I did a casual tape with my friend and didn’t think there was really a
chance that I would get the role.
JJ: You didn’t think you were going to get the role and I’m
taken back hearing that. Why didn’t you think you would get the role of Harry?
PA: I just didn’t think I would be the guy to star opposite
of Reese, I didn’t think I would be here love interest. It was just too crazy
of an idea for me to wrap my head around. It just seemed like a total unreal
concept that I would be a romantic love interest. Then it happened so I guess
it wasn’t so surreal although I thought so at the time.
JJ: It wasn’t so crazy after all because I think you and
Reese reacted to each other perfectly.
PA: So do I and thought it was such a joy and honor to act
with her. It was a gift I was given.
JJ: You are with some pretty heavy hitters in the film with
Candice Bergen and Michael Sheen as well.
PA: The cast is
unreal! I am so lucky to have gone from acting for three years to have the opportunity
to share the screen with the likes of Candice Bergen, Michael Sheen, Reese
Witherspoon, Jon Rudnitsky and Nat Wolff. Everybody else as well and everyone
who even came in to play for day were so tremendous. I think that Nancy and
Hallie did a great job casting the film.
JJ: I was going to say I don’t think there was a hair out of
place with this film. It looked effortless.
PA: I can tell you it wasn’t effortless (laughing) and a lot
of effort goes into making them look so graceful. There are a lot of takes and
there is a vision and it’s our job to fulfill that vision to a tee.
JJ: You did it so well that in watching HOME AGAIN you feel
like a fly on the wall watching the lives of everyone unfold. When you can do
that you know it’s done by a really good cast.
PA: That is so cool to hear and the credit goes to Hallie,
the casting and the editing. The way the film was put together with the
material they had putting together our performances is a huge testament to
them.
JJ: The relationship between you, Jon and Nat – you meshed
so well together. You guys were hilarious in this film.
PA: That’s awesome and luckily it happened on screen and off
screen.
JJ: I was wondering if a friendship came about.
PA: We went into best friend mode within like three days. I
was to be staying at a hotel during the shoot being from New York and Nat and I started talking. Nat
was staying at his parents place and he’s convinced it’s haunted so he asked if
I wanted to move in with him. It was crazy but I liked it. We did the whole
brother thing and then Jon would be there every night without fail. One of the
first times we hung out, you know the scene where we meet with the producer who
wants to fiancé our film? Then we are on the beach and Harry jumps in the water
followed by Nat’s character Teddy. We had gone to the beach our first weekend
off and we literally did the scene without even realizing it. We were trying to
convince Jon to jump in the water because he had never been in the Pacific and
we all jumped in while John was on the beach. We really leaned into that
relationship because we felt it should be strong and a chemistry with a number
of inside jokes. Hopefully that reads in the movie and I think that’s why we
got along.
JJ: It absolutely does. Your relationship with Lola and
Eden, you guys are just so sweet together.
PA: Those were the best days when they were on set. They
were so awesome. Lola and Eden are two of the most charming and fantastic girls
I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Eden
is a genius and probably win a number of Oscars years from now – that is if she
keeps on acting. She might decide to go and find a cure for cancer. Eden is so good and a
natural talent. We would all joke that Eden
was the most talented person on set. Lola is just so awesome and she was
listening and learning her place on the set and see her pick up on acting tips
and cues on how to function on a set. She is very savvy. They both have secure
futures in acting and their parents are great as well. Their parents are so lovely.
JJ: When the three of you are dealing with Austen, Sheen’s
character, it is hilarious when the three of you deal with it. It’s almost as
if you three are the adults and Austen is the child.
PA: Well, that is an
interesting take away (laughing)
JJ: His character gets away with things like a kid and the
three of you are guarded and protective.
PA: Yes, we know he is a significant threat to the family we
have created. We want to make sure that Alice
is in a fragile state. He does act childish but that’s what I appreciate about
the film. It explores every characters childishness. Everyone has that little
six year old in him or her even if we grow up, there are parts of us that don’t
grow up. We have those tricks that the six year old in us has kept to get what
we want. It’s important for generations to check you by saying you can’t do
this anymore.
JJ: The funny thing is you are young men and you get that!
PA: I feel like Teddy gets it and he’s the baby in the group
but the most emotionally mature. I don’t want to vilify Austen’s character
because I get where he is coming from and he feels a little neglected. Harry
acts a little irresponsible as well and kicks the door in to Alice ’s life so there is a bit.
JJ: So would you say that Harry and Austen were probably
closer than they even realized?
PA: Yes, Harry could easily grow up and be an Austen if he
didn’t meet Austen. It’s a gift to see the result of impulses to always think
you can get what you want and not really thinking things through and being self
centered. There are long term consequences in that and seeing Austen he
realizes he needs to spend more time being in someone else’s shoes. At the end
of the day, what ever you take away from it.
JJ: How is it for you making a movie about three guys trying
to get a movie made?
PA: It’s great because I didn’t really have to draw on
imagination circumstances but instead draw on it from a personal level. I liked
that about the movie and I like that these guys travel out from the east coast
to get a movie made. I traveled the same way going to LA and they are given a
great opportunity like I was given. It’s autobiographical in a weird way. I
like movies about making movies.
JJ: Being that you are the younger man and playing opposite
the character of Alice ,
I know its weird because it’s Reese Witherspoon, but the chemistry you two have
is so amazing.
PA: That’s awesome, I’m so glad you feel that way. It was
very nerve wracking and I haven’t spent too much time around many high profile
people. I had a number of expectations wondering what it would be like to work
with someone so famous. I was a little intimidated at the time and nervous to
be close to someone like that. But ultimately it comes down to trust and a
passion for the work. We just needed some time to get to know each other and
have conversations talking about it all to make the best movie we could. We
wanted to do the characters justice and after a week we were more comfortable
around Reese and I can’t be grateful enough for her. I have so much gratitude
for Reese’s ability to make me feel at ease, she has more experience than I do
when it comes to these kind of things. She did a tremendous job in leading and
guiding me without making it obvious that she was doing it. She made me feel
like it was my own doing and she is just a tremendous actor and it was really
all about the work. It was about this relationship and she thought it was an
important story to tell. It was high time we reevaluate the May-December
romances and she convinced me that it was important. I could keep raving about
her.
JJ: The same with you guys and Candice Bergen on screen.
PA: I have never met anyone from the royal family but I can
imagine they don’t come close to carrying themselves with the same grace and
dignity at Candice Bergen. She is the classiest person I have ever met and a
totally fantastic actress to top it all off.
JJ: Her sense of humor and timing is endearingly graceful.
PA: Graceful, class and doing it with such a straight face.
I thought I was intimidated working with Reese? Forget it! The moment I met
Candice I hoped she would like me. I think when I introduced myself to her, it
was the first day and I was giddy and excited. I went over to her to introduce
myself and she just looked at me and then cracked up. I still to this day I
don’t know what that meant and that intimidated me.
JJ: I bet she thought it was charming that you came over to
say hello.
PA: That’s it, of course, that’s what it was and I’m
sticking with that (laughing).
JJ: The film is coming out on Bluray and DVD and I’d like to
know what you’d like viewers to take away from the film.
PA: I would hope that when they finish their Bluray that
they make a phone call to someone they care about. The movie has a strong sense
of family for me and second chances. Relationships are difficult as we get
older and I think it’s important to apologize for things and make them right.
Take away a gratitude for people that are in their lives as unconventional
families are formed every day.
JJ: I understand, this is a family that is unconventional
where families are now are unconventional and this is another take on that. It
can work if you all put your differences aside.
PA: Put differences aside and realize the love you have for
each other is stronger than all the things that have gone wrong in the past.
Pick up the phone and make that call to someone telling them how much they
mean. It’s a heartwarming film and everyone needs a second chance.
JJ: I thank you so much for talking with me Pico.
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