Bringing Up Bobby (2011 film)

For the 2009 film, see Bringing Up Bobby.
Bringing Up Bobby
Directed by Famke Janssen
Produced by Sofia Sondervan
Famke Janssen
Executive producer:
Chad Burris
Phil Hunt
Compton Ross
Line producer:
Lynn Appelle
Written by Famke Janssen
Starring Milla Jovovich
Bill Pullman
Rory Cochrane
Marcia Cross
Spencer List
Music by Junkie XL
Cinematography Guido van Gennep
Edited by Job ter Burg
Distributed by Monterey Media Inc. (US)
Release dates
  • May 12, 2011 (Cannes)
  • September 28, 2012 (United States)
Country United States
Language English
Box office $4,975[1]

Bringing Up Bobby is a 2011 drama film written, directed and produced by Famke Janssen (marking her first directorial effort). Milla Jovovich stars as a European ex-con artist and single mother in the United States. The film received its market premiere at the 64th Cannes Film Festival.

Plot

Ukrainian con artist Olive (Jovovich) and her 10 year-old son Bobby (List) arrive in Oklahoma to begin a new life, and enjoy a series of adventures. However, when Olive's criminal past catches up to her, she is faced with putting her son's happiness before her own. Mary (Cross) deals with the death of her own son by becoming adoptive mother to Bobby, providing him a home with her husband Kent (Pullman).[2]

Cast

Production

In summer 2010, the film was shot over 20 days in Oklahoma. The film was inspired by Janssen's own perception as a European that came to live in the United States.[3]

Soundtrack

The original film score was composed by Junkie XL (as Tom Holkenborg).[4] In addition, the soundtrack includes a cover version of "Proud Mary", sung by lead actress Milla Jovovich in her native language Ukrainian.[5] The song plays in the background at the beginning of the film. The recording, which is credited to Milla Jovovich with The Modern Mothers,[4] is based on Ike & Tina Turner's popular version of the song. After the recording session, Jovovich's voice was hoarse for a few days.[6]

The American alternative rock band The Flaming Lips recorded a version of "Amazing Grace", also in Ukrainian. The recording plays during the end credits. Lead singer Wayne Coyne does not speak the language but sang the lyrics phonetically.[5] The soundtrack also contains various country, folk and jazz songs—some of them quite obscure—by artists such as Johnny Paycheck, Count Basie, Jack Teagarden, Cat Stevens, Jorma Kaukonen, Ray Hatcher, Roy Lanham & The Whippoorwills, and Joe Mahan.[4] A soundtrack album was not released.

Release

Video Film Express holds all media rights for the Netherlands, while Monterey Media Inc. holds all rights for the United States and Canada.[7]

Festivals

Bringing Up Bobby was selected to screen at the following film festivals:

Reception

The film has received mainly negative reviews, with a 'rotten' 17% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes[16] and a 4.9 rating on the Internet Movie Database.[17]

References

External links