At Middleton

At Middleton
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Adam Rodgers
Produced by	Andy García Glenn German Sig Libowitz
Screenplay by	Glenn German Adam Rodgers
Starring	Vera Farmiga Andy García Taissa Farmiga Tom Skerritt
Music by	Arturo Sandoval
Cinematography	Emmanuel Kadosh
Edited by	Suzy Elmiger
Production company	CineSon Entertainment Look at the Moon Productions North by Northwest Entertainment
Distributed by	Anchor Bay Films
Release dates	May 17, 2013 (2013-05-17) (Seattle) January 31, 2014 (2014-01-31) (United States)
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2.5 million
Box office	$53,837

At Middleton is a 2013 American romantic comedy film directed by Adam Rodgers and starring Vera Farmiga, Andy García and Taissa Farmiga. Written by Glenn German and Adam Rodgers, the film is about a man and a woman who meet and fall in love while taking their children on a college tour.

The film premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival on May 17, 2013.^[1] It was released in a limited number of theaters in the United States and video on demand providers on January 31, 2014.^[2]

Plot

Edith Martin (Vera Farmiga) is a strong-willed, free-spirited and successful businesswoman who takes her highly strung 18-year-old daughter Audrey (Taissa Farmiga) on a tour of potential colleges. George Hartman (Andy García) is a buttoned-up heart surgeon accompanying his not-very motivated son Conrad (Spencer Lofranco) on the same tour.

Their paths cross at idyllic Middleton College, nestled in the picturesque Pacific Northwest. As the campus tour gets underway, and their well-intentioned support turns clumsy in the extreme, Edith and George not only embarrass their kids, but are soon told by them essentially to take a hike.

Now banished together, these two time-pressed, responsible adults suddenly find themselves with a free day in the midst of a beautiful setting. The hours Edith and George subsequently share change their lives as they play out a unique college tour all their own, and begin to fall in love with each other.^[3]

Cast

• Vera Farmiga as Edith Martin
• Taissa Farmiga as Audrey Martin
• Andy García as George Hartman
• Spencer Lofranco as Conrad Hartman
• Tom Skerritt as Roland Emerson
• Nicholas Braun as Justin
• Daniella García as Daphne
• Stephen Borrello IV as Travis
• Peter Riegert as Boneyard Sims
• Mirjana Jokovic as Professor Riley

Production

Development

The film was directed by Adam Rodgers, and co-written by Rodgers and Glenn German. It was produced by German, Andy García (who also stars in the film), and Sig Libowitz, via the production companies Look at the Moon Productions, CineSon Entertainment, and North by Northwest Entertainment.

Casting

In April 2012, it was reported that Vera Farmiga and Andy García had been cast in the film as Edith Martin and George Hartman, respectively.^[4] In June 2012, it was announced that Taissa Farmiga, Spencer Lofranco and Nicholas Braun had been cast in the film, portraying Audrey Martin, Conrad Hartman, and Justin the admissions tour guide, respectively.^[5]

Filming

Principal photography for the film took place in July 2012 in Washington State, on the campuses of Gonzaga University in Spokane and Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. With a budget of $2.5 million dollars.^[6]

Release

Box office

The film was given a limited release in the United States through Anchor Bay Films, opening in a maximum of 20 theaters. It made $33,768 in its opening weekend for a per theater average of $1,688. The film went on to make a further $20,069 for a total domestic gross of $53,837.^[7]

Home media

The film was released onto DVD & Blu-ray on April 1, 2014.^[8] As well as being released in movie theaters, the film was released onto iTunes and other video on demand providers to rent beginning on January 31, 2014. The film was available to purchase through video on demand providers from April 1, 2014.^[9] The film has made an additional $321,107 via DVD sales and $18,834 via Blu-ray sales, for a grand total of $339,941.^[10]

Soundtrack

A soundtrack entitled At Middleton: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released on September 9, 2014, via digital download and CD format courtesy of Perseverance Records. The soundtrack includes the original score composed by Arturo Sandoval, and "There Was A Day" by Andy García, which is included as a bonus feature on the DVD & Blu-ray.^[11]

Reception

Critical response

The film received mixed reviews from film critics. Rotten Tomatoes, the review aggregator website, gave the film a 58% rating out of 33 reviews. Susan Wloszczyna of RogerEbert.com wrote: "At Middleton is the just the sort of trite if inoffensive diversion that barely tiptoes into theaters before landing in the cable and video on demand listings. And Garcia and Farmiga, as good as they can be in the right roles, aren't doing themselves or their careers any favors with this sort of C-level effort. At least the ending is brazen enough not to conclude in a tidy fashion. But watching George and Edith cavort in slo-mo while being drenched in a campus fountain is antithesis of enjoying Annie Hall and Alvy Singer as those classic polar opposites engage in battle against a runaway lobster. One scene has comic snap. The other is merely soggy."^[12] Vulture critic Bilge Ebiri gave a positive review, stating: "At Middleton is a modest movie with modest aims, but at times it feels like a small miracle. A daylong romance starring Andy García and Vera Farmiga as two parents who meet cute while their kids tour the same small college, it takes a relatively undistinguished premise and sets itself apart with details that ring true. It's all fairly predictable enough. Edith (Farmiga) and George (Garcia) meet as they try for the same parking spot on the grounds of the titular, pastoral liberal arts institution; he's the type who backs into a parking spot, while she's the type who rolls in without looking to see if anyone else got there first... If Garcia has always brought a subtle, playful quality to even his most serious roles, Farmiga has always had a certain gravity to hers; this movie felt like the first time in ages I'd seen her smile. If At Middleton did nothing else than get these two underutilized actors to charm us for 90 minutes, it would have already been a pleasurable experience; that it does so while also telling a simple, touching story feels like a genuine indulgence."^[13]

Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times gave the film a positive review, writing: "Some advance publicity is describing At Middleton as a romantic comedy, but that is too simplistic a label for this delicate, restrained movie. Yes, it's full of droll humor, but it's also a bittersweet portrait of two people, who, in the process of helping their children choose a college, confront the emptiness of their respective marriages... Ms. Farmiga does lovely work as Edith, a woman who seems perpetually on the edge of losing control of her emotions, for reasons that she hides well. Her daughter, Audrey, is played by Taissa Farmiga, Ms. Farmiga's sister, who does a fine job of showing in subtle ways that she is just as tightly wound. Mr. Garcia, as a nerdy heart surgeon, and Spencer Lofranco, as his son, also pair nicely."^[14] Betsy Sharkey of The Los Angeles Times gave the film a lukewarm review: "Garcia and Farmiga have such an easy, natural chemistry that their on-screen sparkle helps mitigate the film's weaknesses. At others times, it serves to underscore what might have been. It's a feckless conundrum. Edith (Farmiga) is the free-spirited mom. Audrey is her serious, literary-minded daughter, nicely played by Farmiga's real-life sister Taissa, who shares Vera's luminous presence on screen. George (Garcia) is a cardiac surgeon, nattily uptight in his crisp white shirt and bow tie. He's with his reluctant son Conrad (Spencer Lofranco)... Together, Garcia and Farmiga are a sweetheart couple whose mild flirtation makes the time spent At Middleton bearable. With a stronger script, it might have turned into a beautiful day."^[15]

Accolades

References

External links

• At Middleton at the Internet Movie Database
• At Middleton at Box Office Mojo
• At Middleton at Metacritic
• At Middleton at Rotten Tomatoes