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Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly and Ron Howard Discuss 'The Dilemma'

Piet Levy — 2010-11-26T14:00:00+00:00

Vince Vaughn, Kevin James and director Ron Howard generate big laughs in 'The Dilemma,' Howard's first adult comedy since 'EDtv,' in which Vaughn plays a businessman who discovers that his best friend's (James) wife, Geneva (Winona Ryder), is having an affair with another man (Channing Tatum).

"The concept of the movie isn't do you tell or don't you tell," Vaughn told reporters on the set of the movie in August. "The concept of the movie is, how do you navigate it and maintain the friendship? And that really becomes the journey the characters go on."

We already revealed a few fun facts about the filming of 'The Dilemma' in our initial report set report, but read on for our interview with the comedy's stars and director.

So after years of helming dramas, what made Ron Howard want to get back into comedies? Howard said he got the idea following a college campus tour of his 2008 drama, 'Frost/Nixon.' "The first hour of it has a lot of laughs," he said. "I remember how exciting it was to sit in the audience and to sort of know there's a funny moment coming ... and you're sort of waiting, waiting, waiting. For me, that was a throwback. It just reminded me that [comedy is] rewarding."

Howard's longtime producing partner, Brian Grazer, had already pitched the concept for 'The Dilemma' to Vaughn, who eventually signed on to star and co-produce. Howard decided to direct it after reading Allan Loeb's screenplay. "It's always hard to find stories that I felt were in and of themselves fresh enough and intriguing enough," Howard said. "The characters are great, the scenes are funny, but the situations ring true, and they lend themselves to a kind of cinematic urgency and visual approach that is a little bit different than what you would do in a straight ahead character comedy."

James saw 'The Dilemma' as an opportunity to do a different kind of comedy from 'Paul Blart: Mall Cop' and 'Grown Ups.' "Immediately when I read it, it felt a little bit classier than the stuff I've been doing," he said with a chuckle. "It felt this one ... [had] more of a serious tone and [a] more serious subject, which I loved. And that could be a movie where you lose the laughs ... and it's not that. It [has] huge laughs. And I love it because they're earned, and they're characters you're really invested in."

For co-star Jennifer Connelly, who plays Vaughn's girlfriend, Beth, 'The Dilemma' marks a rare performance in a straight comedy. "I liked the idea of playing someone who is just normal, who's just nice," she said. And with Howard at the helm -- the same director who guided her to an Oscar in 'A Beautiful Mind' -- the experience wasn't too foreign for her. "It's really different subject matter ... [but] it was a really similar process [to 'A Beautiful Mind.']," she said. "[Howard] likes to have a good amount of time for prep. ... He likes to talk through the script and work through all that stuff before we start. ... It was a nice reunion."

Vaughn was also on familiar territory while filming 'The Dilemma,' as it was the fifth Chicago-based movie in which he has starred and produced. "For me, this is home," said the Lake Forest, Ill., native. "To come here and get a chance to film here means a lot to me. And I feel like I'm shaped a lot from coming from this part of the country."

Howard credits Vaughn for setting scenes at local spots like a Chicago Blackhawks hockey game and The Wieners Circle, a famous hot dog stand. "[Chicago] has given it a little different cadence, a little different vibe, and I'm happy about that," Howard said. "If this story had played out in New York or L.A., it might have a little more familiar sort of sound or rhythm."

Vaughn also heavily improvised his way through the shoot, an approach he's traditionally taken to his roles, which Howard nurtured and the cast embraced. "It was kind of like Double Dutch for me to jump in with him. But it was seamless, it honestly was," James said of improvising with Vaughn. "This man is a savant at making the script better."

"Sometimes you do a free one because it kind of makes it fresh," Vaughn said. "If something strikes you in the moment, if you know your character, but most importantly you know where your scene is supposed to go, it's no different than method acting. It's just listening, so you can respond appropriately if something happens that you don't expect."

Even with bankable stars like Vaughn and James, convincing audiences to see an escapist comedy whose central conceit is tied to adultery may be very problematic. Despite the heavy subject matter, Howard says there's fun to be had. "We don't shy away from the pain that this circumstance generates. We just also never ignore the irony of it and the potential for comedy," he said. "I think that the pressure that it throws on the characters to question sort of everything they all understand or trust about one another goes even beyond the cheating aspect of the story, and it really gives us great stuff to work with."

'The Dilemma' opens in theaters on Jan. 14.

5 Things We Enjoyed Seeing on the Set of 'The Dilemma'

Piet Levy — 2010-11-22T20:00:00+00:00

When I was invited this past August to visit the set of 'The Dilemma' -- the upcoming Ron Howard comedy starring Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly and Winona Ryder -- it was shockingly easy to say yes. And not only because I live mere minutes from the Chicago set.

Still, while I've been a big fan of Vince Vaughn's for years (my first date with my wife was to see 'Wedding Crashers,' and I even saw his little-seen documentary about his traveling comedy tour), I haven't been digging what he's has been doing lately. 'Fred Claus' and 'Four Christmases' were such cynical, joyless flicks that they nearly ruined my holiday spirit. When I read the awful reviews for "Couples Retreat," I didn't even bother Netflixing it.

But 'The Dilemma,' about a man (Vaughn) who discovers that the wife of his best friend and business partner (James) is cheating on him, struck me as being different somehow.

That's mainly due to the involvement of Howard, who is not only known for dramas such as 'A Beautiful Mind' and 'Apollo 13' but for his stint as the producer and narrator of the brilliant sitcom 'Arrested Development.' Perhaps Vaughn, in the hands of an Oscar- and Emmy-winning director, could make the critics -- and yours truly -- forgive and forget his recent string of bad movies?

So off to the set I went on behalf of Moviefone to see what was up with 'The Dilemma,' which arrives in theaters on January 14. After the jump -- and after the movie's trailer -- I reveal five highlights from the set visit.

Highlight #1: Vince Vaughn Acting Goofy
At least on the day I was there, Vaughn wasn't acting as if he's much of a morning person -- but even a tense request to keep doing takes without pause was done with a "please." By afternoon, however, a day's work nearly done, Vaughn was his hyperactive goofball self again: playing ping pong with Kevin James between takes, directing a production assistant to bribe reporters with free brownies and loudly singing "Who let the scene out?" to the tune of "Who Let The Dogs Out?"

Highlight #2: Vaughn and James Improvising
The Vaughn and James scene I saw filmed involved their characters, Ronny and Nick (respectively), sitting on a couch in the offices of their firm, B&V Engine Design. At this point in the film, Ronny knows Nick's wife, Geneva (played by Winona Ryder), is having an affair, and he's conflicted about telling him. What I discovered is that when Vaughn and James act alone together, no take is ever the same twice. Beyond switching up intonation and expression, they changed entire lines.

In one of the first takes, Vaughn played against his typical exasperated, motor-mouth delivery by just sitting there silently for an exceptionally long time. The concept was cute but fell flat and didn't survive to the next take. Later, Vaughn reverted to old tricks, animatedly describing some hives he had contracted on his face, puffing out his cheeks and rapidly spouting "Boom boom boom boom boom!" James busted out laughing, but Vaughn quickly picked up the pieces and used the line for each subsequent take. Vaughn tossed in other humorous descriptions about his character's ailment (e.g., "It's my version of the ulcer ... " "When I piss it burns ... " and "Internally I'm burning up -- it's a burning hive thing") and then James added some funny lines of his own to encourage Ronny to talk to him (such as "Jump in the pool ... ").

Highlight #3: Ron Howard Directing
Howard was hands-off on set, letting Vaughn and James improvise with little direction. One of the only times he directed an actor was to physically guide Ryder through a scene and help her with a line she had been flubbing. Even then, Howard was calm and cool about it, and throughout the day encouraging. That encouragement may have helped James, who seemed dejected for accidentally laughing during some takes.

In the afternoon, Howard found time to tell reporters about the time George Lucas seemingly fell asleep during a late-night take on 'American Graffiti' after several days of around-the-clock production. Frankly, Howard seemed so on the ball, he probably could have directed the day's scenes in his sleep.

Highlight #4: Winona Ryder Getting Some Action
'Beetlejuice' and 'Heathers' were my favorite movies in grade school and high school, respectively, so I was really stoked to see Winona Ryder in person -- and in a big role, at that. Shoplifting scandal be damned, she's an appealing actress deserving of a comeback. To be honest, 'The Dilemma' might not be the right vehicle, as her dialogue in the scene I witnessed was pretty stilted and her chemistry with James a bit flat. But I'm willing to grant a day pass to the actress who recently played Spock's mother.

Highlight #5: Jennifer Connelly Attempting Comedy
Vaughn and James may get top billing, but let's be honest -- the Oscar-winning Connelly is the most celebrated performer attached to this film. So her casting in 'The Dilemma' is entirely intriguing, given that she has never appeared in an out-and-out comedy. Based on the scene I saw filmed in person and on the trailer, she leans toward playing her character, Beth (Ronny's girlfriend) straight, but Connelly still brought warmth and personality to her takes and made the lines sound natural. She didn't win an Oscar for nothing.

Michael Phillips and A.O. Scott on the End of 'At the Movies'

Piet Levy — 2010-08-10T17:30:00+00:00

This week marks the final reel of 'At the Movies,' a syndicated movie reviews show that launched in 1975 and made Chicago film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert household names. Over the years, Siskel and Ebert famously fought over everything from Stanley Kubrick's 'Full Metal Jacket' to the all-but-forgotten Burt Reynolds family vehicle 'Cop and a Half,' which Ebert recommended and Siskel would never forgive him for.

With the power of their "thumbs up," "thumbs down" review system, Siskel and Ebert influenced pop culture, helped a number of small films reach a wider audience and became the most famous film critics in the country.

Siskel died in 1999, and was replaced by Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper in 2000. In 2006, Ebert was sidelined due to ongoing health issues. Roeper kept the show going with a variety of guests until he and Ebert officially left the show in 2008, following a fallout with the show's distribution company, Disney-ABC Domestic Television.

That same year, Disney tried to revamp the show by hiring Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz and E! News correspondent Ben Lyons. The result was a disaster. Lyons received a slew of bad reviews from moviegoers, fans of the show -- even Roger Ebert himself. Due to poor ratings, the Bens were canned in 2009, and were subsequently replaced by esteemed film critics Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune, where Siskel once worked), and A.O. Scott of the NY Times. The move was seen as an attempt to bring 'At the Movies' back to its roots.

Under their care, 'At The Movies' received good press for its reviews and discussions, which covered everything from great working character actors to overrated and underrated horror movies; and thanks to Web-exclusive commentaries, the show's online traffic has practically doubled, according to Phillips.

Still, it wasn't enough to keep Disney from announcing the show's cancellation in March.

Before the credits roll on the final episode this weekend (check local listings), Phillips and Scott met Moviefone near the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago to talk about the show's final days and why film criticism still matters.

You received a lot of good reviews for your work on 'At the Movies.' Web traffic is up ...

Scott: So why did they cancel us?

Phillips: There's no debate about our highly variable time slots. In the larger markets where we were doing well -- New York, L.A., Boston, Chicago, San Francisco -- the ratings were very encouraging. Why? Because the time slots were good. So why weren't the time slots so good in Albuquerque or Birmingham, Alabama? [EDITOR'S NOTE: The show airs Saturdays at 3:35AM in Birmingham, and 6:30PM in Albuquerque]. Well, there's a correlation, you know?

Scott: Also, when Roger and Gene went into syndication, there was no cable; there was no Internet. Syndication was this huge gold mine. That was the way you could make a lot of money, and get into a lot of markets and a lot of time slots. Now, you look at our show -- a half-hour in any market, in any time slot -- and you look at [Disney-ABC Domestic Television], and there's a difference of scale there that's in a way insurmountable. Even if our show got up around a 1.5 [rating] or even above a 2.0, it's still only half an hour to sell ads against and you still have to split that revenue with local stations. So it never lost any money; it made a little bit of money for Disney, even if the ratings were down. But it was never going to make a lot, or enough to be meaningful.

There had been talk about canceling the show before you were hired. From a business perspective, why do you think they gave you a shot? Did anyone expect the ratings to dramatically improve?

Phillips: Honestly, there were no false expectations and no promises made. Our contracts actually read 13 weeks at a time, I think.

So you guys went in thinking ...

Phillips: Let's do what we can in the time we have to do it.

Scott: I think after the first 13 weeks, we figured we had the year ... Disney was fairly straightforward ... They were not going to spend a lot of money publicizing it. So we did what we could ... It was one of those things where you understand it perfectly as a business decision ... But you also feel on the merits of what you've been doing, that's hard.

The news must have been very frustrating, even if you did see the writing on the wall.

Phillips: The peculiarity, I guess, is they gave the advance notice to let the stations make their adjustments for the fall. March was when we heard about it. In one way, it's excellent to get to know you have [six] more months and you make the best of them. In another sense, there were some people who assumed the show was off the air immediately. Not true. That was mixed in with a group of people who never realized the show was on the air to begin with still. So in a way it sort of muddied the perception even further.

Scott: It was also painful, because it happened at a time when our momentum we felt like was really strong. We had a big and satisfying media blitz before the Oscars where we did this contest. We had gotten ourselves on Charlie [Rose's] show, on 'The View,' on 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?', on CBS' ['Early Show'], did 'Sound Opinions.' So we felt like we were really breaking through, and we had done some really tremendous shows. We had done one show where the only new movies we reviewed were 'The Ghost Writer' and 'Shutter Island,' and we opened that up to talk about [Roman] Polanski and [Martin] Scorsese ... People really appreciated it. ... So things were beginning to break in our favor. And then to have sort of the ax fall at that point, again, it wasn't a surprise.

Phillips: We had temporarily forgotten about the likelihood ... Now if we're lucky enough to find another purse somewhere, there are frustrations that we will be eager to address, just in terms of loosening up the show, visually, giving it more the look and the vibe we would like to see in a movie show. That would be a real treat if we get a shot at that.

When you heard the news, was there any part of you that thought, "If only we had done this or done that?" Do you take responsibility for its cancellation?

Phillips: I don't know. We tweaked the format as much as we could and still put out the show and not drive people crazy.

Scott: Also, we had to be true to our opinions and our personalities and our ethics ... It was never a possibility of amplifying the argument for the sake of argument, or manufacturing disagreement or point-counterpoint, or in any way falsifying what we thought ...It was very clear right from the start [that] we were not going to duplicate Roger and Gene. It's a different time. We have different temperaments. Criticism is different. Television is different. But I think we both got comfortable with it pretty quickly.

Phillips: Every time we messed around with the format, it seemed to help us become more of the guys we are ... And we didn't hear a single complaint about any change we've made.

Scott: I think both of us, where we agree most, is our basic idea of what the point of criticism is and what good it is to people who like movies ... It's to stimulate people's own thoughts, to get them thinking or talking. What we've always tried to do -- and I think a lot of times succeeded in doing -- is getting a couple ideas out there ... We're not going to give the full account, pro or con, about a movie as complicated as 'Shutter Island,' or even a movie as simple as 'Twilight' ... What we wanted to do from the beginning, and continued to learn how to do more and more of, is to get enough of our complimentary and contradictory ideas in that minute and a half so that people will feel like they got a lot more than we actually said.

How do you feel about being the final hosts of a show that has been on for so many years?

Scott: If you had told me when I was growing up, "Someday, you'll be the co-host of this show," it would be beyond absurd. So it's a little bit like ...

Phillips: It's not even happening now.

Scott: But I think it's been a great show through its history. It changed a lot about how movie criticism was done. When you think about, the image in the popular mind of the film critic is ...

Phillips: Two, pasty, middle-aged white guys.

Scott: So to have upheld that tradition, and maybe also to have probably buried it, may be our great accomplishment. [Laughs]

Phillips: It's been a real pleasure and a great professional challenge to try this. It's more than I ever could have hoped. I grew up watching [Siskel and Ebert], and a lot of people I knew, at the factories I [once] worked at as a janitor, I remember hearing conversations with these guys who worked at the factory. "I went and saw my first movie with subtitles." "Why?" "Because Roger and Gene recommended this film."

Scott: I mourn the end of this show. I would as a viewer, and as somebody who cares about movies and cares about film criticism independent of my own involvement. But I refuse to believe in the death of the enterprise that it represents.

Phillips: The formats are changing faster than you can keep track of, but the interest in what we see on those screens is not abating.

Scott: And the interest in discussing it, arguing about it, making some sense of it, is not going away either.