It is. Despite many critics and moviegoers who scoff at the concept, though, there’s no shame in admitting it and there can be great virtue in exploiting it. He added: “People are unsure about their lives. They go to the cinema to have important questions answered. I’m giving them some answers with this film.”
Choosing between a relationship that’s romantically fated and one that’s necessarily stable is often one of life’s loftier decisions. Though it’s unclear whether she regrets the choice she made, Koltai wants you to question your own life and the choices you’ve made.
Based on the novel by Susan Minot and adapted for the screen by Minot and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham, its timing the third time around finally fit. Cunningham said in the film’s production notes: “It came along at a time when my own mother was very, very ill, which made it feel like providence.”
Koltai says he only shot what was needed. While many first film cuts range between three and four hours, Koltai says his first version came in at two hours and 19 minutes.
Utilizing very little CGI and original structures that weren’t built for filming, it was edited to one hour and 52 minutes. A devout art history buff, Koltai says he typically dreams up his movies before seeking real-life images. He describes the house used in the film, for example, as nearly identical to what he imagined.
As the story centers around a mother and her daughters, it was important for Koltai to cast two pairs of mothers along with their real-life daughters. The film, which was shot as an independent with a $14 million budget, surprisingly featured a star-studded cast.
He says the film came in under budget. While Koltai isn’t against the film making money for the benefit of the studios, he says cash wasn’t his first priority. He wants to give people answers.
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