The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Ned Benson
Produced by
  • Cassandra Kulukundis
  • Ned Benson
  • Jessica Chastain
  • Todd J. Labarowski
  • Emanuel Michael
Written by Ned Benson
Starring
Music by Son Lux
Cinematography Christopher Blauvelt
Edited by Kristina Boden
Production
company
Distributed by The Weinstein Company[2]
Release dates

Him/Her:

  • September 9, 2013 (TIFF)
  • October 10, 2014 (United States)

Them:

  • May 17, 2014 (Cannes)
  • September 12, 2014 (United States)
Running time
  • 89 minutes (Him)
  • 100 minutes (Her)
  • 119 minutes (Them)
Country United States
Language English
Budget $3 million (sale price)[3]
Box office $985,007 (all versions)[4]

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby[5] is the collective title of three films written and directed by Ned Benson.[6][7] The films star Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy, and is Benson's first feature film project.[8]

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is broken into three films, Him, Her, and Them. Him and Her were screened at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival as a "work in progress".[9] Them premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.[5] Them premiered in the United States on September 12, 2014, while Him and Her was released together as a double feature on October 10, 2014 in select art house cinemas.[6][10]

Plot

All three films follow the same time period, but are told from the differing perspectives of Conor Ludlow (James McAvoy) and Eleanor Rigby (Jessica Chastain), a young married couple living in New York. Him looks at their relationship from Conor's angle, while Her follows Eleanor's. Conor spends his days working in his restaurant while his wife Eleanor returns to college for further education.[11] During the course of their daily lives, the couple encounters a life changing event that threatens the stability of their marriage.[12]

"Eleanor Rigby" is the title of a famous Beatles song, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, included on the album Revolver.

Cast

Development

In February 2012, Variety announced that Jessica Chastain and Joel Edgerton had been signed to star in The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, with screenwriter Ned Benson set to direct the two films.[13] Edgerton was later replaced with Scottish actor James McAvoy in May 2012.[14] William Hurt was also named to be starring in both films, but in an unspecified role.[15]

Production

Filming

Filming began in summer of 2012 in New York,[16] with filming lasting about 40 days and wrapping around late August of the same year.[8] Of the film, Myriad executive Kirk D'Amico stated that the films' characters were "complex, and it is unique to have two different scripts to tell the story".[15]

Release

Myriad Pictures initially began pre-selling the rights to the two films at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival,[17] with the films being sold in nine territories.[8] After the film's Toronto premiere, The Weinstein Company acquired domestic distribution rights to the film for $3 million.[18]

Marketing

On June 27, 2014, The Weinstein Company released the first trailer for the film.[19]

Reception

Critical response

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby was met with generally positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 62%, based on 77 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The site's consensus reads: "Led by strong performances from Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is a hauntingly original rumination on love and loss."[20]

Kyle Smith of the New York Post, while commenting on the film's gimmicky title and plot similarities to the 2010's drama film Rabbit Hole, found the film elegant and wrote that Benson makes it "ache and shimmer like a sublime concerto."[21]

References

  1. ↑ Foundas, Scott (September 13, 2013). "Toronto Film Review: The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby". Variety (PMC). Retrieved December 20, 2013.
  2. ↑ Fleming, Mike (September 13, 2013). "Weinstein Company Acquires The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby". Deadline.com. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ http://variety.com/2013/film/news/toronto-weinstein-acquires-the-disappearance-of-eleanor-rigby-1200607827
  4. ↑ "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (2014)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. September 12, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "2014 Official Selection". Festival de Cannes. April 17, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Fleming, Mike (May 7, 2014). "Cannes: How New Version Of Toronto Pic Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby Found Its Way To Croisette In Un Certain Regard". Deadline.com. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Jessica Chastain And James McAvoy Get In Bed For The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby Poster". Cinema Blend. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Sells Ahead of Toronto (Exclusive)". Yahoo Movies. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  9. ↑ Kohn, Eric (September 12, 2013). "Toronto: The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is the Most Innovative Movie at TIFF, But Does Its Gimmick Actually Work?". The Playlist. Indiewire. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
  10. ↑ Ford, Rebecca (May 2, 2014). "Imitation Game, Tim Burton's Big Eyes Get Release Dates". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton to Star in Myriad's Two The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Films". Reuters.com. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Myriad Teams James McAvoy And Jessica Chastain In Disappearance Double Feature". Deadline.com. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  13. ↑ McNary, Dave (February 2, 2012). "Chastain, Edgerton join Myriad films". Variety (PMC). Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  14. ↑ Kay, Jeremy (May 22, 2013). "James McAvoy in for Joel Edgerton on Myriad's Eleanor Rigby". Screen International (Emap International Limited). Retrieved December 21, 2013.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Jessica Chastain & Joel Edgerton to Lead Two Eleanor Rigby Films". First Showing. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Wants to Film at Your Place". The Local East Village. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  17. ↑ "James McAvoy Joins Jessica Chastain in Myriad Pictures' Eleanor Rigby Films". The Wrap. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  18. ↑ McNary, Dave (September 11, 2013). "Toronto: Weinstein Acquires The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby". Variety (PMC). Retrieved December 20, 2013.
  19. ↑ Murphy, Niall (June 27, 2014). "First trailer for Ned Benson's The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby". Scannain.com. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  20. ↑ "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixter. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  21. ↑ Smith, Kyle. "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is elegant and sorrowful". New York Post. Retrieved September 13, 2014.

External links