Late Bloomers is a 2023 American coming-of-age comedy drama film, directed by Lisa Steen in her directorial debut, from a screenplay by Anna Greenfield. It stars Karen Gillan, Margaret Sophie Stein, Jermaine Fowler, Talia Balsam and Kevin Nealon. Principal photography took place in New York.
| Late Bloomers | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Lisa Steen |
| Screenplay by | Anna Greenfield |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | John de Menil |
| Edited by | Anisha Acharya |
| Music by | Osei Essed |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Vertical |
Release dates |
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Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 10, 2023, and was released on June 7, 2024, by Vertical.
Synopsis
editLouise, an aimless twenty-something musician who is recently single, is injured when she drunkenly breaks her hip. The subsequent physical therapy sees her associate with people twice her age, and she meets Antonina, a Polish lady who speaks no English, and is hired to be her caretaker.[1]
Cast
edit- Karen Gillan as Louise
- Margaret Sophie Stein as Antonina
- Jermaine Fowler as Brick
- Talia Balsam as Dorothy
- Kevin Nealon as Al
- Lori Tan Chinn as Inez
- Michelle Twarowska as Sylvia
Production
editThe script was written by Anna Greenfield and based on her personal experiences. Greenfield collaborated on the film with Lisa Steen, whom she had known since college.[2] In July 2022, Karen Gillan, Margaret Sophie Stein, and Jermaine Fowler were revealed to have joined the cast, and principal photography was said to have wrapped in Brooklyn, New York. The film was produced by We're Doin' Great and Park Pictures.[3]
Release
editThe film had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas on March 10, 2023.[4] In March 2024, Vertical acquired distribution rights to the film.[5] It was released on June 7, 2024.[6]
Reception
editCritical reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 22 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.40/10.[7] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 58 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[8]
In Deadline Hollywood, Damon Wise described Late Bloomers as "an intimate, defiantly female-fronted indie, showcasing an engaging and refreshingly vanity-free performance from Karen Gillan".[9] Jason Bailey of The Playlist felt the film was predictable in places and had familiar tropes, but described it as "about as well-acted and enjoyable a version of this particular thing as you're likely to find."[10] Samantha Bergeson of IndieWire gave the film a grade of D, writing that "the film doesn't open up in time to blossom into something great", and its "whispers of emotional depth…come too little and too late."[4]
References
edit- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 9, 2023). "SXSW Preview + Hot List: Movies With Ewan McGregor, Sydney Sweeney, Karen Gillan, Anthony Mackie & More". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ Dresden, Hilton (March 10, 2023). "Karen Gillan Enjoyed Working Without the Amenities of a Marvel Set While Filming 'Late Bloomers'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (July 14, 2022). "Karen Gillan, Margaret Sophie Stein & Jermaine Fowler To Star In Lisa Steen's Comedy 'Late Bloomers'; Kevin Nealon, Talia Balsam Also Set". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ a b Bergeson, Samantha (March 10, 2023). "Late Bloomers' Review: Karen Gillan Stumbles in Coming-of-Age Dramedy". Indiewire. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (March 7, 2024). "Karen Gillan Comedy 'Late Bloomers' Acquired By Vertical". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
- ^ O'Rourke, Ryan (May 21, 2024). "Karen Gillan Finds an Unlikely Friend in First 'Late Bloomers' Trailer [Exclusive]". Collider. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Late Bloomers". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ "Late Bloomers". Metacritic. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ Wise, Damon (March 10, 2023). "'Late Bloomers' Review: Karen Gillan Stars In Messy Coming-Of-Age Story – SXSW". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ Bailey, Jason (March 11, 2023). "Late Bloomers' Review: Karen Gillan Is Hilarious And Heartbreaking In A Predictable But Enjoyable Dramedy [SXSW]". The Playlist. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
