Faults (film)

Faults
Directed by Riley Stearns
Produced by Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Keith Calder
Jessica Wu
Written by Riley Stearns
Starring Leland Orser
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Chris Ellis
Jon Gries
Lance Reddick
Beth Grant
Music by Heather McIntosh
Cinematography Michael Ragen
Edited by Sarah Beth Shapiro
Production
company
Snoot Entertainment
Release dates
  • March 9, 2014 (SXSW)
  • March 6, 2015 (United States)
Running time
 93 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Faults is a 2014 drama film written and directed by Riley Stearns in his feature film debut. The film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Leland Orser, Jon Gries, Beth Grant, Chris Ellis and Lance Reddick. The film premiered at the 2014 SXSW on March 9, 2014, and was picked up by Screen Media Films for theatrical release on March 6, 2015.[1]

Cast

Production

Stearns came up with the idea by being inspired and fascinated with the process of deprogramming that was introduced by Ted Patrick in mid-to-late 1970’s.[2] He also stated that the interest came when he watched an episode of Cops when he was a child, in which “a girl called the police and was like,'I’m locked in this hotel room and they’re not letting me out.' […] and the cops told her that her parents knew what was best and that she had to stay. And they left. And I was freaked out by that because even as a kid you realize there’s something weird about that – telling you that you have to stay in a place you don’t want to be.” [3]

Stearns cited Paul Thomas Anderson’s works, namely Punch-Drunk Love, The Coen Brothers’ Fargo, Yorgos Lanthimos’ Dogtooth and Alps among the many works he was inspired by.[4]

To prepare themselves for the role, Winstead and Orser read the book “Let Our Children Go” by Ted Patrick, as well as watching YouTube videos from that era of people in cults or people who had just gotten out of cults. They had both also created their own backstories for their characters based on Stearns’ script.[5] Winstead has repeatedly mentioned that Claire is her most challenging role to date. “I have to play a few different characters over the course of the film [and] I had to sort of really keep track from scene to scene to remind myself of where she was,” Winstead says.[3]

The film was shot in 18 days in the Los Angeles area (Long Beach and San Pedro).[6]

Casting

In July 2013, it was reported that Mary Elizabeth Winstead had been cast in Faults.[7] In December 2013, Leland Orser was also cast.[8]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the SXSW on March 9, 2014, followed by additional screenings on March 10, 12 and 13.[9] It was also screened at the Maryland Film Festival on May 9 and May 10,[10] as well as at the Fantasia Festival on July 18 and July 24.[11] Faults is also scheduled for screening at the London FrightFest Film Festival on August 24.[12] The film played at the Australian Film Festival on August 16,[13] and also at the AFI Fest from November 6 to 13.[14]

On August 26, it was reported that Screen Media Films has picked up Faults for theatrical release on March 6, 2015[1] and will run day-and-date on Video on demand.[15]

Reception

Faults has received positive response since its release. Rotten Tomatoes has given Faults an approval score of 88%, based on 24 select reviews.[16] Many reviewers commended the film's off-kilter black comedy that underlays the plot; Hollywood Reporter says, "Faults is not what it seems. Though a black-comic atmosphere persists, the debut feature is serious about manipulation and brainwashing, and a quietly commanding performance by Mary Elizabeth Winstead helps establish that seriousness."[17] In a 4.5/5 review, Bloody Disgusting calls it "a modern cult thriller [... that] manages to be laugh out loud funny in a manner that doesn’t even come close to undercutting its central objective."[18] IndieWire's writeup that gives it a grade of B+ praises the film's cast, saying "Much of the odd comedic formula emerges from a pair of carefully orchestrated lead performances."[19] Howard Gorman of SCREAM: The Horror Magazine gave Faults a 4.5 star review, calling it a "stunning debut with a creepily cryptic, thought-provoking script loaded with caustic satire, all of which is invigorated by absolutely stunning performances." [20]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 ‘Faults’ Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead Gets March 2015 Release Date | Deadline
  2. ↑ SXSW 2014 Interview: The Team Behind Faults: Shockya.com
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 [SXSW '14 Interview] Riley Stearns, Mary Elizabeth Winstead And Leland Orser On Their 'Faults'! -
  4. ↑
  5. ↑ SXSW Interview: Mary Elizabeth Winstead & Leland Orser Discuss ‘Faults’, Horrible Auditions and 12-Page Scenes | Daily Actor
  6. ↑ Austin at SXSW 2014: Riley Stearns, 'Faults' | Slackerwood
  7. ↑ 'Die Hard's' Mary Elizabeth Winstead Joins Two New Indie Features - Deadline.com
  8. ↑ Leland Orser Cast In 'The Gambler' & 'Faults'; Ivana Milicevic Joins Untitled Cameron Crowe Project - Deadline.com
  9. ↑ Schedule | sxsw.com
  10. ↑ MD Film Fest | Festival | Film Schedule
  11. ↑ Faults - Ztélé Presents Fantasia 2014
  12. ↑ Whats on at Frightfest
  13. ↑ FAULTS - Possible Worlds
  14. ↑ AFI FEST 2014 presented by Audi ANNOUNCES BOLD NEW AUTEURS, SHORTS AND AMERICAN INDEPENDENT TITLES
  15. ↑ Screen Media Films plans to distribute Faults on March 6, 2015, with a nationwide theatrical release accompanied by a day-and-date VOD platform release
  16. ↑ Faults - Rotten Tomatoes
  17. ↑ Faults SXSW Review - The Hollywood Reporter
  18. ↑ [BD Review] Funny and Terrifying, 'Faults' Is An Incredibly Assured Debut
  19. ↑ SXSW Review Mary Elizabeth Winstead Stars In 'Faults,' a | Indiewire
  20. ↑ Gorman, Howard (1 April 2015). "FAULTS: Film Review". Scream: The Horror Magazine. Retrieved 29 April 2015.

External links