Type of Film: Romantic comedy Write your review below!
The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the exclusive Northern Arizona premiere of the award-winning romantic comedy “Cyrus” on Thursday, June 10. There will be two screenings of the film. The film is being presented by the Sedona International Film Festival.
“Cyrus” features an award-winning ensemble cast including: Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei and Academy Award nominees John C. Reilly and Catherine Keener. The film played to critic and audience rave reviews at the Sundance and South-By-Southwest film festival and has been winning the hearts of audiences around the world.
“We are honored to have been hand-picked by Fox Searchlight to premiere the film in Northern Arizona a week before its scheduled theatrical release,” said festival director Patrick Schweiss.
Written and directed by Jay & Mark Duplass, the iconoclastic filmmaking team behind Sundance Film Festival favorite “The Puffy Chair”, “Cyrus” takes an insightful, funny and sometimes heartbreaking look at love and family in contemporary Los Angeles.
With John’s social life at a standstill and his ex-wife about to get remarried, a down on his luck divorcee finally meets the woman of his dreams, only to discover she has another man in her life, her son.
Still single seven years after the breakup of his marriage, John (John C. Reilly) has all but given up on romance. But at the urging of his ex-wife and best friend Jamie (Catherine Keener), John grudgingly agrees to join her and her fiance Tim (Matt Walsh) at a party. To his and everyone else’s surprise, he actually manages to meet someone: the gorgeous and spirited Molly (Marisa Tomei).
Their chemistry is immediate. The relationship takes off quickly but Molly is oddly reluctant to take the relationship beyond John’s house. Perplexed, he follows her home and discovers the other man in Molly’s life: her son, Cyrus (Jonah Hill). A 21-year-old new age musician, Cyrus is his mom’s best friend and shares an unconventional relationship with her. Cyrus will go to any lengths to protect Molly and is definitely not ready to share her with anyone, especially John. Before long, the two are locked in a battle of wits for the woman they both love, and it appears only one man can be left standing when it’s over.
Using the innovative improvisational techniques that have earned them critical accolades and a devoted following, Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass enter the mainstream with a touching, original story that blends humor and heartbreak, much like life itself.
In “Cyrus”, the brothers continue to focus on the painfully funny realities of modern relationships.
The original idea was simple: make a relationship-based movie with experienced, professional actors that maintained the intimacy and autonomy of the brothers’ previous films.
“We wanted to use a relatively small group of people and try to do what we do best,” said Mark. “We have always focused on the funny and the tragically comedic elements of relationships. We love that ambiguity. Is this very serious? Is this funny? You can talk about it over coffee afterwards.”
“What we have to offer are the truthful moments that you might not normally see in movies, but you have experienced in life,” added Jay. “And that’s honestly what we’re going for emotional rawness and truth in a relationship movie. Hopefully when you’re watching it, you’re laughing a lot but knowing that underneath it’s really about the people and what they’re going through.”
The title sponsor for the event is M&I Bank. The series is also made possible by a grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Sedona and the Sedona Community Foundation.
“Cyrus” will be shown at Harkins Sedona Six Theatres on Thursday, June 10 at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Sedona members, and will be available starting at 3:00 p.m. that day in the Harkins lobby. Cash or checks only. Film Sedona members can purchase tickets in advance at the Sedona International Film Festival office, 1785 W. Hwy. 89A, Suite 2B, or by calling 282-1177.
Please note: This is a high-profile film which means that security will be present in the theater to protect from piracy. Cell phones will not be allowed into the theater. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.com
