The F Word (2013 film)

The F Word

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Dowse
Produced by David Gross
Macdara Kelleher
André Rouleau
Jesse Shapira
Jeff Arkuss
Screenplay by Elan Mastai
Based on Cigars and Toothpaste 
by T. J. Dawe
and Michael Rinaldi[1]
Starring Daniel Radcliffe
Zoe Kazan
Megan Park
Adam Driver
Mackenzie Davis
Rafe Spall
Music by A. C. Newman
Cinematography Rogier Stoffers
Edited by Yvann Thibaudeau
Production
company
No Trace Camping
Caramel Film
Fastnet Films
Distributed by Entertainment One
Release dates
  • 7 September 2013 (TIFF)
  • 20 August 2014 (Ireland)
  • 22 August 2014 (Canada)
Running time
 101 minutes[2]
Country Ireland
Canada
Language English
Box office $7,847,000[3]

The F Word (released in some countries as What If) is a 2013 Irish-Canadian romantic comedy film directed by Michael Dowse and written by Elan Mastai, based on T. J. Dawe and Michael Rinaldi's play Toothpaste and Cigars.[4] The film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, Megan Park, Adam Driver, Mackenzie Davis and Rafe Spall.

It premiered at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and was a nominee for Best Picture at the 2nd Canadian Screen Awards, and won for Adapted Screenplay.

Plot

Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) has a miserable job and lives with his sister and nephew in Toronto, Ontario. He dropped out of medical school after becoming aware of his girlfriend having an affair with his Anatomy teacher and decides to not be social for a year. He is coerced by Allan (Adam Driver) into going to a party where he quickly gets bored and begins to amuse himself by arranging fridge magnets bearing single words into phrases.

While playing he is joined by Allan's cousin Chantry (Zoe Kazan) and the two fall into conversation. At the same time Allan meets Nicole (Mackenzie Davis) and they begin flirting with each other. Chantry and Wallace leave the party and he walks her home where he finds out that Chantry has a boyfriend. Even so, she gives him her phone number, but he decides against pursuing the idea of going out with her. He soon changes his mind about this when they run into each other in a movie theater, where they had both gone alone, and end up having dinner together.

Over time the friendship grows and Wallace is invited to meet Ben (Rafe Spall), Chantry's long-term boyfriend, who works for the United Nations. Ben, however, ends up in the hospital due to a series of unexpected accidents when Wallace visits their house for the first time. At the hospital Wallace and Chantry run into Wallace's ex-girlfriend, Megan. Ben later moves to Dublin, Ireland for six months due to requirements of his job. During this time Wallace and Chantry begin to see their relationship develop further and they begin to have deeper feelings for each other. Even when Dalia (Megan Park), Chantry's sister, tries to seduce Wallace in her car he is unable to reciprocate, because Wallace is worried that it would ruin any chance he would have with Chantry. From then on Dalia only speaks negatively of Wallace to Chantry.

Allan and Nicole get married and later invite Wallace and Chantry to have a walk in the beach at night. They decide to go skinny dipping and soon Wallace and Chantry decide to join, whereupon Allan and Nicole steal their clothes, forcing them to sleep naked together on the beach. Wallace and Chantry feel forced into the intimate situation and begrudgingly decide to share the sleeping bag. The next day they leave the beach angrily.

Chantry is offered a promotion to direct an animated project in Taiwan. However, she is pressured because of her strained relationship with Ben so she travels to Dublin to join him. On arriving she discovers that Ben has accepted more work commitments that require him to travel frequently and they decide to break off the relationship. Meanwhile Wallace decides to follow Chantry; upon arriving Ben punches him in the face, knocking him down the front stairs. He then checks his voicemail, learning that she has returned to Toronto. They meet, but Wallace tells Chantry about the trip and his feelings for her and she responds extremely unfavorably.

Wallace considers going back to medical school and moving on with his life; however, he decides to attend Chantry's farewell party and they have a tearful goodbye. They finally admit to their mutual feelings while giving each other a Fool's Gold Sandwich, something they had previously discussed while hanging out together, and kiss.

In an epilogue set 18 months later, it is revealed that Wallace followed Chantry to Taiwan and proposed to her there, while he completed his medical studies. They marry, and contemplate on the rest of their lives while sitting on Wallace's rooftop.

Cast

Casey Affleck was originally attached to play the lead, but was later replaced by Radcliffe.[11]

Production

Elan Mastai's script was included in the Black List's 2008 survey.[12] Principal photography began mid-August 2012, in Toronto.[13] A six-week shoot took place in Ontario,[14] and ended with three days in Dublin, Ireland.[15] The scene in which Wallace runs into Chantry at a movie theater was filmed at the Royal Cinema.[16] Filming additional scenes for a new ending took place in Toronto in November 2013.[17]

Release

The film's worldwide distribution rights were acquired by Entertainment One[18] and they handled the theatrical release in Canada and the United Kingdom.[19] North American sales of distribution were obtained by the UTA.[20]

CBS Films eventually bought the U.S. distribution rights,[21] following the film's world premiere at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.[22] CBS Films changed the release title in the United States to What If due to the Motion Picture Association of America taking issue with the implied foul word in the "F" part of The F Word.[23] It was retitled by Entertainment One for the UK,[24] but retained the original for the Canadian release.[23]

Reception

The F Word has received generally positive reviews from critics, earning a 70% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 6.3/10, based on an aggregation of 113 reviews; the consensus states: "Its narrative framework may be familiar, but What If transcends its derivative elements with sharp dialogue and the effervescent chemistry of stars Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan."[25] On Metacritic, the film has achieved an average score of 59 out of 100, based on 36 reviews, signifying "mixed or average" reviews.[26]

John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter gave a positive review of the film, remarking, "Hitting all the rom-com notes with wit and some charm, it'll be a crowd-pleaser in theaters and help moviegoers move on from seeing co-star Daniel Radcliffe only as the world's favorite wizard".[27] Justin Chang of Variety wrote, "Roughly three parts charming to one part cloying, "The F Word" attempts and largely succeeds at pulling off a smart, self-aware riff on romantic-comedy conventions while maintaining a core of earnest feeling".[28] Film.com gave it a 7.2 out of 10, noting that it was "elevated from an above-average romantic comedy to a movie worthy of being embraced by a generation of twenty somethings because it refuses to let its characters off the hook".[29] JoBlo.com's Chris Bumbray said that the film "feels like it could be the Toronto answer to the Sundance breakout hit 500 DAYS OF SUMMER. Like that movie, it takes a stale genre, and gives it a hip indie twist. It is director Michael Dowse's follow-up to GOON, and just like that film, its hilariously foul script disguises a surprisingly soft, big-hearted centre".[30] Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times thought it was "the best, and sweetest, of the filmmaker’s work yet".[31]

The Guardian scored the film two out of five stars, saying it was "really hard to finish" and "liable to leave you queasy".[32] Eric Kohn of IndieWire wrote, "The movie primarily frustrates by doing nothing fresh. Careening toward an overly neat and tender resolution, "The F Word" lacks the gall to let its uncoordinated characters wind up victims of their situation".[33]

The film has also been criticized for having an entirely caucasian cast,[34] despite being set in Toronto, with people of color making up nearly half of Toronto's population.[35] Alexandra Heeney of The Seventh Row writes "there’s something very wrong with the fact that the entire cast is white".[36]

Accolades

Year Award Recipient Result
2014 Canadian Screen Award for Best Picture The F Word[37] Nominated
Canadian Screen Award for Best Director Michael Dowse Nominated
Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Daniel Radcliffe Nominated
Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Mackenzie Davis Nominated
Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Elan Mastai Won

References

  1. ↑ Anderton, Ethan (13 May 2013). "First Look: Daniel Radcliffe Friendly with Zoe Kazan in 'The F Word'". firstshowing.net. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "WHAT IF (15)". Entertainment One. British Board of Film Classification. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  3. ↑ "What If (2014)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  4. ↑ McKay, Stephanie (2014-08-06). "Fringe veteran's baby all grown up". The StarPhoenix (Postmedia Network). Retrieved 2014-08-06.
  5. ↑ Warner, Kara (18 October 2012). "Daniel Radcliffe Teaches Us About 'The F Word'". mtv.com. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  6. ↑ Rosen, Christopher (17 July 2012). "Daniel Radcliffe & Zoe Kazan Up For 'The F Word'". huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  7. ↑ McNary, Dave (16 August 2012). "Spall, Park join ‘The F Word’". variety.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  8. ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (1 August 2012). "'Girls' Star Adam Driver Says 'The F Word' With Zoe Kazan & Daniel Radcliffe". indiewire.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  9. ↑ Trumbore, Dave (18 August 2012). "Heather Graham Boards Indie Comedy FEED THE DOG; Rafe Spall, Megan Park and Mackenzie Davis Join Daniel Radcliffe in THE F WORD". collider.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  10. ↑ Vlessin g, Etan (16 August 2012). "Rafe Spall and Megan Park Jump on Board 'The F Word'". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  11. ↑ Lyons, Margaret (17 July 2012). "Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan Join The F Word". vulture.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  12. ↑ Sciretta, Peter (10 December 2008). "The 2008 Black List – The Hottest Unproduced Screenplays of 2008". slashfilm.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  13. ↑ Twiss, Jordan (16 August 2012). "Production begins on The F Word". playbackonline.ca. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  14. ↑ Cummins, Steve (13 September 2012). "‘Harry Potter’ Star Daniel Radcliffe To Film ‘The F Word’ In Ireland". iftn.ie. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  15. ↑ Murphy, Claire (14 September 2012). "Harry Potter star on his way to film new Irish rom-com". herald.ie. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  16. ↑ Barnard, Linda (9 September 2013). "Daniel Radcliffe in The F Word, a very Toronto romance at TIFF 2013". thestar.com. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  17. ↑ Ahearn, Victoria (21 August 2014). "Daniel Radcliffe happy with new ending for 'The F Word'". princegeorgecitizen.com. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  18. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (18 September 2012). "Toronto 2012: Entertainment One Secures Foreign Sales for 'The F Word' and 'Song for Marion'". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  19. ↑ Sneider, Jeff (17 July 2012). "'Potter' star ramps up romantic comedy". variety.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  20. ↑ Fernandez, Jay A. (17 July 2012). "Here's the First Daniel Radcliffe Romantic Comedy: 'The F Word' Picked Up by eOne for the World". indiewire.com. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  21. ↑ Chitwood, Adam (11 September 2013). "TIFF 2013: THE F WORD Goes to CBS Films, Weinstein Acquires ELEANOR RIGBY and RAILWAY MAN, and Lionsgate Nabs LIFE OF CRIME". collider.com. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  22. ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (7 August 2013). "TIFF 2013 Adds 'Enemy' Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, 'The F Word' With Daniel Radcliffe, Xavier Dolan's Latest & More". indiewire.com. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Vlessing, Etan (14 March 2014). "'The F Word' Retains Original Title for Canadian Release". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  24. ↑ Cox, Rebecca (15 May 2014). "World Exclusive: See Daniel Radcliffe's new film poster". glamourmagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  25. ↑ "What If (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  26. ↑ "What If Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  27. ↑ DeFore, John (9 September 2013). "The F Word: Toronto Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  28. ↑ Chang, Justin (11 September 2013). "Toronto Film Review: ‘The F Word’". Variety. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
  29. ↑ Ehrlich, David (9 September 2013). "TIFF Review: ‘The F Word’". Film.com. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  30. ↑ Bumbray, Chris (11 September 2013). "Review: The F Word (TIFF 2013)". JoBlo.com. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  31. ↑ Sharkey, Betsy (10 September 2013). "TIFF 2013: Daniel Radcliffe and the quirk factor in 'The F Word'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  32. ↑ Barnes, Henry (10 September 2013). "The F Word: Toronto 2013 - first look review". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  33. ↑ Kohn, Eric (11 September 2013). "Toronto Review: Daniel Radcliffe And Zoe Kazan Share Fine Chemistry In 'The F Word,' But the Jokes Aren't So Lucky". IndieWire. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  34. ↑ Breslin, Mark (21 August 2014). "The F Word is a dose of realism with a pinch of sweetness". metronews.ca. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  35. ↑ A city of unmatched diversity, The Toronto Star, 5 December 2007
  36. ↑ Heeney, Alexandra (7 August 2014). "Review: Radcliffe and Kazan charm in "The F Word," or "What If" friends fall in love in Toronto". seventh-row.com. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  37. ↑ "2014 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS Full Winners List". academy.ca. Retrieved 13 March 2014.

External links