Cinema Verite (2011 film)
2011 television film
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Cinema Verite is a 2011 HBO drama film directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. The film's main ensemble cast starred Diane Lane, Tim Robbins, James Gandolfini and Patrick Fugit. The film follows a fictionalized account of the production of An American Family, a 1973 PBS documentary television series that is said to be one of the earliest examples of the reality television genre. Principal photography was completed in Southern California.[1] The film premiered on April 23, 2011.[2]
Robert Pulcini
| Cinema Verite | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Screenplay by | David Seltzer |
| Directed by | Shari Springer Berman Robert Pulcini |
| Starring | Diane Lane Tim Robbins James Gandolfini Kathleen Quinlan Thomas Dekker |
| Theme music composer | Rolfe Kent |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producers | Gavin Polone Zanne Devine |
| Cinematography | Affonso Beato |
| Editors | Sarah Flack Robert Pulcini |
| Running time | 90 min |
| Production company | HBO Films |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | April 23, 2011 |
Plot
In 1971, Craig Gilbert discusses with Pat Loud the idea of a documentary series that would concern her family's day-to-day lives in Santa Barbara, California. Pat considers the proposal and accepts, amidst her son Lance moving to New York City. Pat's husband Bill travels often away on business, leaving Pat alone to care for their five children.
The crew, including Alan and Susan Raymond, moves in with the Louds and begins to document them. Relations between Pat and Bill grow frayed due to his time away and the stress of the TV show's production. Gilbert tells Pat of his suspicions surrounding Bill's trips away, giving fairly strong evidence that he is cheating on her. The crew fights with Gilbert about his documentary technique, as he makes them film many personal moments.
After surreptitiously duplicating the keys to Bill's office, Pat makes a late night trip to the office and discovers documents that confirm he is cheating on Pat with two other women, resulting in Pat's preparations to file for a divorce. Angry, she tells Gilbert to have cameras there when she tells Bill, wanting "his bimbos to see it, the whole world to see it." Against her wishes, he films Pat's conversation with her brother Tom Russell and his wife Yvonne.
Pat begins to regret her decision to let Gilbert film the break up and tries to get Grant, one of her sons, to tell him while driving Bill home instead. He, however, does not work up the courage to do this and Pat kicks Bill out of her home on camera.
One year later, An American Family is experiencing its premiere. The show airs to strong television ratings but much criticism of members of the family, in particular Pat for how she came off on camera and Lance for his homosexuality. The family then gets together to "fight back", addressing their critics by appearing on many talk shows.
Title cards at film's end offer updates for each Loud family member. Lance died of AIDS-related hepatitis in 2001; his last wish for his parents was to cohabitate. They currently live together in Los Angeles.
Cast
- Diane Lane as Pat Loud
- Tim Robbins as Bill Loud
- James Gandolfini as Craig Gilbert[1]
- Thomas Dekker as Lance Loud
- Caitlin Custer as Delilah Loud
- Kaitlyn Dever as Michelle Loud
- Nick Eversman as Grant Loud
- Johnny Simmons as Kevin Loud
- Patrick Fugit as Alan Raymond
- Shanna Collins as Susan Raymond
- Jake Richardson as Tommy Goodwin
- Kathleen Quinlan as Mary Every
- Lolita Davidovich as Val
- Matt O'Leary as Cameron
- Stephen Caffrey as Tom Russell
- Monika Jolly as Yvonne Russell
- Willam Belli as Candy Darling
- Kyle Riabko as Jackie Curtis
- Richard Fancy as Hartford N. Gunn Jr.
- Don McManus as Host
- Robert Curtis Brown as Anthropologist
- Dawn Hudson as Commentator
- Molly Hagan as Kay
- Sean O'Bryan as Johnny Hall
- Michelle Morgan as Salesgirl
- Emilio Rivera as Nightwatchman
Production
Principal photography was completed primarily in Los Angeles, California.[3]
The film is presented in chapters, with chapter titles such as The Chelsea and The Battle for the Camera Begins. When the chapter titles are shown, short clips from the original 1973 documentary An American Family are shown alongside in split screen format.
Critical reception
Cinema Verite met with a positive reception from television critics. On review aggregator Metacritic the film received a "generally positive" score of 74 out of 100, based on 23 reviews.[4]
