Written and directed by Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, Horns, Scrubs), Chosen Family is a heartwarming and hilariously relatable film that navigates the complexities of relationships with a blend of comedy and drama.
Featuring an ensemble cast, including Graham, John Brotherton, Andrea Savage, Michael Gross, Julie Halston, Thomas Lennon, and Julia Stiles, the film brings humour and heart to its exploration of family and connection and is a must-watch date movie (you'll walk away with a bigger smile on your face than you did after watching Joker: Folie à Deux).
So, while Chosen Family isn't a comic book movie, we couldn't pass up the chance to talk with Heather after checking this one out.
During our conversation, the actor and filmmaker talked us through her approach to telling this unconventional rom-com story, took us behind the scenes of some standout moments, and reflected on getting physical with The Bourne Identity star Julia Stiles.
We also hear from Heather on the importance of having female voices in Hollywood to tell stories like this one.
This was an audio-only interview, so there's no video, but you can check out our full Q&A with Heather below.
One of my favourite things about this movie is the war between Anne and Lily. How difficult was it to find the right young actor to go toe-to-toe with and who could portray that necessary level of disdain for your character?
[Laughs] It was challenging! We did have auditions and I was so grateful to find Ella [Grace Helton]. One of the great things about her is she looks really young but is a few years older than she looks. She's got the maturity and she can work longer hours. She's freakishly talented. Besides being an actress, she competes in dance competitions, runs marathons, and is an amazing artist. She's really cool. She really got into doing the dancing and came up with this whole dance she wanted to do with John and they did the choreography together and were rehearsing it. She competes in ballroom dance competitions!
Anne also has a very complicated, wacky family to contend with and there is a serious side to that as well, particularly with the relationship with Julia Stiles' character. What was it like creating that sisterhood and trust with her on set?
Oh, I'm so glad you got that out of the movie. That's awesome. of course, I'm a fan of her work and she always seemed like a cool girl and was always doing activism. She seems like she really cares and I think she wanted to support a female writer/director. She really loved the script and I thought it was really fun because it's a different role for her. I feel like she often plays somebody who is really together and high functioning and I liked seeing her as this drug addict girl. It was so fun to see how she just got to rage. She's very good dramatically but also funny so that's a great combination.
I read your brilliant director's statement and it's clear from that this is a very personal movie for you and I loved how you incorporated your own past into the film. As a filmmaker, how important is it to have a personal connection to the films you make?
It is really cool to tell a story you really care about. I wanted to tell a story about a journey that I had gone on and I feel like I've gotten to the other side. Not that I've completely cured everything but I have a lot more awareness and I wanted to make it fun and entertaining but also have a poignant side that I think people can relate to. Or you can have a conversation afterwards about dysfunctional families and the legacy of how that can lead you to make the wrong decisions in your love life.
That dance-off sequence with you and Ella is hilarious. It must have been hard to get through that with a straight face?
[Laughs] I mean, it's funny because when I wrote the script, I thought, 'Okay, this might be the biggest comedy scene in the movie' but then you don't really know. On the day, I was nervous but everyone at the monitor was cracking up. I thought, 'Is this too pathetic or is it funny?' I feel like when we've gone to film festivals, people really laugh during that scene so I'm really happy people see the humour in it. It's very awkward, but also I think very funny.
John [Brotherton] as Steve is this dreamy dad and the perfect rom-com love interest, but he's so whipped by his daughter. What made you head down that route and subvert expectations in a lot of ways?
[Laughs] Yeah, I think as a woman watching romantic comedies - which I love - I find, 'Okay, this isn't really true to real life most of the time.' These dream, wish fulfilment movies. So, I feel like this is a subversive rom-com because it doesn't work out and he's not perfect. He has a lot of great qualities and maybe for another woman, they could make it work, but I like the idea of you falling in love with somebody and thinking they're so amazing, but usually, you learn things about them and wonder, 'Can I really live with these things?!' A lot of times, you can't. [Laughs]
A lot of classic rom-coms have been directed by men and it's strange we haven't had more female filmmakers have their voices heard in the genre. Why was it important for you to change that with this film? I think we need to see more of that.
It's awesome you think that. I mean, yeah, I do miss romantic comedies. When I was growing up, there was a lot of them. I think now people are somehow too cynical, they don't make them as much anymore. I like the fresh take on the romantic comedy and I love stories told by women, so it is cool to have a story told from a female point of view that's romantic but romantic in the way she realises how much she loves her friends. It's less about this one guy just coming in and solving all her problems.
When it came to casting Anne's friendship group, how challenging was it for you to find the right people to bounce off as Anne?
Well, I feel really lucky that I got such talented actors for those roles. In independent filmmaking, we don't have the huge studio movie budgets but Thomas Lennon, I'd worked with him before, and I'm so grateful he agreed to do it. Andrew Savage, to be honest, I was shocked she agreed. I was watching her show 'I'm sorry' and she really reminds me of my friend Alison so I was so excited when she agreed to do it. And then Odessa [Rae] who plays Tom's wife, she's my real-life really close friend and a really successful producer of documentaries. It was really fun having a real friend in that mix as well.
I think the one scene people will really talk about is the punch and the chaos with ensues. I won't spoil too much but it must have been a blast shooting an action scene of sorts here?
[Laughs] It was really fun. It's funny because I've just done a Q&A with Julia Stiles at the Screen Actors Guild and she said she had a lot of fun playing a rageaholic. When we did that scene, she came to work and said, 'I'm pregnant so please be careful in this action scene because I don't want anything to happen to my baby.' We wanted to get as violent as we could while still preserving her pregnancy which is obviously great and her kid is healthy. It was fun to have that moment where we, you know, I don't want to give it away but it's fun having that stunt moment together!
Chosen Family is now playing in theaters and available On Demand.