Home · Entertainment · Sep 12 archive
Girl Power and Dark Divorce Comedy in Purgatory
Developing
In Short: Purgatory, a 1980s-set dark divorce comedy, explores a girl's coming-of-age in a small town where empathy has vanished.
In a 1980s-set dark divorce comedy, Purgatory navigates the tumultuous journey of a young girl named Beatrice as her parents split, leaving her sheltered life in ruins. Director Lindsay Lanzillotta delves into Beatrice's trauma and the heartlessness that pervades her small town, with the exception of a supportive community center director and rival coach. The film, which stars J.K., offers a poignant exploration of familial divorce and the resilience of young girls.
Rebel Wilson, who directed and starred in the film Girl Group, shares insights into her "girl power household" with her wife Ramona Agruma's daughters, Royce and Rose, in an exclusive interview with E!. Wilson's approach to filmmaking and her commitment to empowering young girls are evident in both her work and her personal life. The film's ensemble cast, including Jennifer Coolidge and Jamie-Lee O’Donnell, delivers hilarious performances that complement Wilson's direction.
In Purgatory, the Catholic priest character becomes a mentor for Beatrice, teaching her difficult truths about growing up while her life is under siege. This mentorship provides a vital opening for tenderness in a world where empathy has virtually disappeared. The film's approach to handling the subject matter is both heartwarming and challenging, making it a compelling watch for audiences.
The film's exploration of familial divorce and the resilience of young girls resonates across different cultures, as Ang, the writer of the screenplay, notes. Ang says she kept returning to a single question while drafting the script: what does Ah Girl see, feel, and think is happening, rather than what the audience needs to be told. This approach ensures that the film's message is authentic and relatable.
What's confirmed
- Rebel Wilson shared insight into her " girl power household" with her and wife Ramona Agruma's daughters Royce, 4, and Rose, 4 months, in an exclusive interview with E!
- News at the world premiere of her movie during the Toronto International Film Festival Sept.
What's still developing
- With an addictively enjoyable film like Girl Group that blends heart and humor, Wilson has returned to her roots to provide a fun, character-driven musical comedy that is sure to appeal to anyone who couldn’t stop singing “Cups (When I’m Gone)” for the majority of 2011.
- Lanzillotta directed Purgatory from a screenplay by Christine Speer and looked to get into Beatrice’s head as, while naive as a coming-of-age tween, she’s also hyper-aware and traumatized by her disrupted home and school life.
- “It’s like when feelings are on top of your skin, everyone does feel a little fake around you and doesn’t feel what you’re feeling and you wonder, ‘Does anyone see how I’m feeling,’” the director explains.
- Here the director also puts her film’s audience in its own confessional chair, should their own dark secrets around familial divorce resonate.
- After all, during the 1980s when Purgatory is set, family skeletons generally remained deeply hidden in the closet.
- The Aniplex One Focus livestream event on Saturday revealed a trailer for the "Yoroshiku★Girl" story segment of Atsushi Nishigori 's original anime film Grotesqqque (previously titled Grotesque).
- CloverWorks producer Yūichi Fukushima and Wit Studio producer Tetsuya Nakatake are the representative directors of JOEN.
- Omos says his parents were scared for him when he told them he would be joining WWE, noting that he understood why.
Sources
- The Hollywood Reporterlink