What Do The Critics Say?

"Serves up a respectable drama aimed at women "of a certain age" which in Hollywood terms means anyone over 35. The banter between the leads feels natural, even if the trio laugh longer than they should at the film's modest stabs at humor. Bates grabs the lion's share of the best lines, and has her way with every last one of them." Christian Toto WASHINGTON TIMES "The actresses make certain you understand their motivations and quirks. It helps Bonneville step away from Lifetime Television treacle into something palatable. Perhaps even charming. "“Bonneville" is a very easy sit." Brian Orndorf eFILMCRITIC "A heartfelt drama about a grieving woman who embarks with her two best friends on a pilgrimage across the West seeking meaning and closure." Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat SPIRITUALITY AND PRACTICE "It's the three leads who really make this material work. Lange is very sympathetic and relatable as Arvilla, while Bates injects some needed humor. And Allen is pitch-perfect as usual, as the film's moral center of sorts." Jeff Vice DESERET NEWS "The main attraction in "Bonneville" is a comfortable trio of veteran actresses: Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Joan Allen, who do their best to pull this comedy out from the shadow of "Thelma & Louise." The characters, situations and resolutions all are predictable and fit like a warm, stretched-out sweater with holes in the elbows." Michele Kenner MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL "When you've got three of the nation's best actresses in leading roles, it doesn't matter if your script is only adequate and the audience really has to squint here and there to believe what's happening on the screen. The script may have holes here and there, but it succeeds because of an inherent authenticity of characterization and, of course, three astounding women." David Wiegand SAN FRANSCICO CHRONICLE

"While the premise of this roadtrip come buddy movie may be based on loss, the journey we take is a vibrant one, filled with an infectious zest for living. Anchored by appealing performances from its three thespian stars, we are given a taste for life at the crossroads when the road is long and there are many turns from which to choose. This is the same road Thelma and Louise travelled, and although the story is completely different, there are some resonances." Louise Keller URBANCINEFILE "Although Bonneville is not as sturdy a vehicle for its stars – Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Joan Allen – as the 1966 red convertible that gives this gentle but slight film its title, it is nevertheless strong enough to allow these splendid actresses to provide a pleasant ride for viewers, mature audiences especially. Bonneville is scarcely original and in no way earthshaking, but its notable cast is a pleasure to behold." Kevin Thomas LOS ANGELES TIMES "At the very least, Bonneville deserves to be seen as a challenge and a rebuke to our supposedly youth-obsessed age." Andrew Sarris NEW YORK OBSERVER "The sheer pleasure of Bonneville is simply watching these three gifted actresses work their magic on the movie." Prairie Miller NEWSBLAZE "Thank heavens for the practical presence and humour of Bates, and the quiet conservatism of Allen's performance as a pious woman scared of too much freedom." Paul Byrnes SYDNEY MORNING HERALD "The movie wears a kind of ever-present grin, even if it never breaks a sweat. Lange narrates, intermittently. And three actors who know how to play funny and sweet and sad banter away in that absurdly over-sized tribute to 1960s auto excess. Well cast, with a couple of Oscar winners and a sometime Oscar contender at its core, it's a "Thelma & Louise" and "Carol Makes Three" journey of self-discovery that takes place in a 1966 Pontiac Bonneville convertible." Roger Moore ORLANDO SENTINEL

The Inside Story Set in some of the most stunning landscapes in the West, "Bonneville" stars Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates and Joan Allen as three best friends on the road trip of a lifetime. Co-starring Tom Skerritt and Christine Baranski, the film is directed by first time feature director Christopher N Rowley, from a screenplay by fellow newcomer Daniel D Davis. While Rowley and Davis are both relatively new to the world of film, both have extensive experience in other arenas. Rowley applied to USC's School of Cinema-Television after working for many years in architecture. And Davis grew up near Pocatello, Idaho, where the film begins, before earning degrees at Harvard and Georgetown, practicing law, and ultimately moving to California to pursue his writing. Davis explains that the story of "Bonneville" is actually intensely personal: "The inspiration for the principal characters came from my own life: my grandmother, Arvilla, my Aunt Carol and Margene Criddle, a close family friend. My grandmother was quite a few years younger than my grandfather. When he died, she seemed to lose her sense of purpose and interest in life, fell ill and died in her seventies. "Bonneville" came from my desire for a happier ending, one where grief gives way to the realization that another life full of adventure and discovery lies ahead." In 2003, Rowley and Kilker saw Thomas McCarthy's 2003 film "The Station Agent", produced by SenArt Films's Robert May. "Based on the sensibility of "The Station Agent", John thought we might be interested in "Bonneville", so he sent us one of the first drafts and we really responded to the core of the idea, which is this road trip with these three women," May ("The War Tapes") explained. "It was about a year and a half before production and we started working on it together, just getting it as close to this beautiful story we're telling today as possible." When the time came to cast, the filmmakers were determined to seek out some of the most legendary film actresses of our time. "When we started going out to the actresses, I believed in the script. I knew that Robert, and John and Dan believed in the script. To see Jessica Lange, Joan Allen and Kathy Bates respond to the script was a huge benchmark in the process of making the film," Rowley explained. About her character Arvilla Holden, two-time Academy Award winner Jessica Lange ("Tootsie" & "Blue Sky") who has dazzled the screen with over thirty credits to her name notes, "She was lucky at a point in her life to meet a man who gave her this gift of a very exciting life and opened up worlds to her. I imagine them to be one of those great couples that are absolutely inseparable and have a certain kind of symbiosis, where they become each other in a way. So the movie begins when she loses him and has to come back and start this process of grieving, and what interested me in the script was how do you take the character through this in a symbolic, kind of metaphoric period of time. You know, to see the evolution of a person that is going through the grieving process. It really becomes a journey of self-discovery." With Lange signed on to play Arvilla, the filmmakers next went to 1991 Academy Award winner Kathy Bates ("Misery") with the role of Margene Cunningham. "To be honest, the first time I read the script, I loved the story," Memphis born Bates ("Fried Green Tomatoes", "Titanic", "About Schmidt" & "P.S. I Love You") admitted. Unexpectedly, there was however, a 'but'! She felt the character was a little 'one note'. "I thought about it a lot and gave notes back and then a few months went by, and they were getting ready to make the movie, and they sent me a new script, and I really liked the differences and the complexities in Margene. It was important to me that Margene be a whole, real person, not just somebody who's given one liners all the time," says Bates. 1996, 1999 and 2001 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award winner Joan Allen ("The Crucible", "Pleasantville " & "The Contender") was cast as the final women in the travelling trio, Carol Brimm. The Alan J Pakula Award winner based her decision to join the production on an appreciation that "there were three women characters that you don't often find in scripts, with a real journey to go on. And I loved the idea of working with Jessica and Kathy, neither of whom I'd ever worked with. I talked to Jessica before I had decided completely that I would do the film, and she talked about how much she was interested in the genre of doing a road film, because she had never done one before. And when she brought that up, it really sort of started my mind thinking: it had a sense of freedom, of riding around in this car and getting to go." When it came to character preparation, each actress took her own tack. Lange, who played Mary MacGregor alongside Liam Neeson's Robert Roy MacGregor in 1995's "Rob Roy", opted for a simplistic approach: "Sometimes when you're working on a character, you have an accent, a look, you have something that you bring externally to it and with this character I wanted to keep it absolutely as simple and natural as possible, because of what she is going through. I wanted her to have a certain kind of transparency and nakedness so that the vulnerability of a woman at this moment in her life would become very palatable to the audience." Allen immersed herself in Mormon culture, explaining that "since my character was so deeply attached to that religion, I came a week early and spent my time with people from the church. They brought me into their homes, took me to their church, helped me immensely understand the religion in a way that you can't always get when you're reading a book." Director Christopher N Rowley also made sure he was prepared, after all, he was working with three high profile actresses. "Having worked on the script as long as we did, that was deep inside my soul. And my director's work, I started six months in advance, digging into these characters and preparing for these actresses." 1997, '99 & 2000 American Comedy Award winner Bates ("The Late Shift", "Primary Colors" & "Annie") revealed: "When we were starting to work on the screenplay, we were really hard on Dan and Chris about what we felt was right for the characters and what we felt they would really say to each other. And Chris has met us every step of the way with his insights in terms of the script and the characters. He knows these characters really well, he's great with emotional depth, he's got insight about human beings that comes from a very wise soul. I think he's going to make a really good film director. He seems to be doing exactly what he should be doing. And that's directing movies." "First time directors, it's twofold," Lange says. "They know what they want. What they have to learn is how to translate that to actors. There's a very specific way that an actor needs to be addressed and I think it was a discovery process as we went along." and, for all intent and purpose, Rowley rose to the challenge. With the three women in place, the filmmakers began searching for the right supporting cast. The role of the friendly truck driver who becomes an unlikely suitor was filled by 1999 Western Heritage Bronze Wrangle Award winner Tom Skerritt ("Two for Texas") while 1984 and 1989 Tony Award and, 1996 American Comedy Award winner Christine Baranski signed on as Arvilla's stepdaughter, Francine. Screenwriter Davis raved about the two cast members. "Christine embodies the complexity of Francine's emotions towards Arvilla, so that we understand that her actions come from her pain, and not plain meanness. And Tom's Emmett is both gentle and a man, and Tom spent time with me to create a back-story that provided the foundation for his relationship with the women. A writer is lucky to collaborate with individuals who have a compatible vision, and blessed to collaborate with artists whose work create a result that surpasses his own vision. The cast did exactly that with Bonneville." The final casting challenge was the part of Bo Douglas, a young hitchhiker the women meet along the way. Rowley explained: "How would we find an eighteen to twenty something who had an innocence and a magic and this sweet soul?" When Victor Rasuk ("Lords of Dogtown" and the recent "Stop-loss"), who had received much praise and critical attention for the indie "Raising Victor Vargas", was brought to the filmmakers' attention, they knew they'd found Bo. "Victor's wonderful, kind, and amazingly soulful for someone who's 21 years old. He has a tremendous future," Rowley notes. With the cast in place, the producers began planning the final details of the shoot. Based out of Salt Lake City, production on "Bonneville" took place over six weeks in the autumn of 2005. The shoot took the cast and crew to Bryce Canyon, Las Vegas and California as well. Bates describes the journey: "We've been in the desert, we've been in the Salt Flats, we've been in water, we've been all these different places and one would think that can be difficult for the actors, but in reality, the actors are really protected all the time by the crew. It's the crew that ends up having to stand out in all the elements, in the rain, in the snow, and the cold. This was a particularly difficult shoot, I imagine, for them, because I enjoyed every minute of it." everyone was impressed by the camaraderie that grew, between both cast and crew. "We assembled an amazing crew. Everyone has a chemistry, not just the cast, which has really been amazing, it's amazing on screen, and it's amazing in the friendship that they developed on set, but also the chemistry among the crew and the belief in the story, it's been remarkable," says producer Robert May. "We had so much fun and so many laughs. It was fun to do the scene in the casino in Las Vegas," Allen says. "I loved being on Lake Powell and working on the houseboat. I mean, the bonus in doing the work is getting to go to these incredibly beautiful places that I had never been to." An undeniable chemistry grew between the three actresses. Lange describes her experience with Bates and Allen: "There was something perfect in the balance, in the dynamics of the three of us and what we brought to the characters, and how the relationship kind of grew. It's one of those rare cases where you can't explain it, but it has a certain kind of grace and a certain dynamic that has worked very well for the characters and also to tell the story." Bates agrees, adding: Everyone gets to be themselves and be appreciated for who they are, and that's been what my experience has been working on this particular film, I feel that I've gotten to be me, and be loved for that, and what more wonderful thing in the world is that?" Synopsis

When Arvilla Holden promises her husband that she'll cremate him and scatter his ashes, she doesn't expect her promise to be called so soon, or to lead to a high-stakes fight with her stepdaughter Francine, a Santa Barbara socialite determined to give him a proper burial. Arvilla's problem is that her husband, despite his promise, failed to re-write his will when they were married twenty years ago. Convinced that she has no choice but to surrender the ashes to Francine, Arvilla sets off on a journey from Pocatello, Idaho to Santa Barbara. Her friends, life of the party Margene and goody two shoes Carol, volunteer to go with her for moral support. Expecting to fly, they're surprised when Arvilla picks them up in her 66 Pontiac Bonneville convertible, and shocked when she cruises serenely past the airport and hijacks them on a reluctant road trip that becomes the ride of the women's lives.

The Verdict "Let's get one thing out of the way immediately, this isn't a "Thelma & Louise" re-make. It hasn't been promoted as being in that ilk, nor does it ever pretend to be. So, what is "Bonneville", you ask? It's a genteel film about three vibrant, older women on a road trip that would make one of the best travel promotions you could hope for. It's about overcoming, love, bereavement and true friends. "Bonneville" also provides a chance to see these well established, and credentialed actresses: Lange (59), Bates (60) and Allen (52), behaving as though they really are on a road-trip, enjoying the freedom and friendship that such a journey would offer. The 1966 Pontiac Bonneville they travel in is a wonderful example of an era when the word 'gas-guzler' hadn't been uttered. It's not hard to imagine yourself in their situation. The joy of travelling with the hood down, the wind in your face, the glorious textured scenery slipping by, exciting new places never visited before and all in the company of true friends. One standout is beautiful Lake Powell (see link in review). If that doesn't inspire you, nothing will. While the main focuss is on the three women and one jar containing the of ashes of Arvilla's dearly departed husband of twenty years, there are other players in the film. Tom Skerritt ("Picket Fences") plays Emmett L Johnson, a trucker who puts a real spark back in the life of one of the women. Christine Baranski plays Francine Holden Packard, Arvilla's step-daughter and a woman used to getting her own way. Victor Rasuk plays Bo, a young man who not only comes to the womens rescue, but also gets their hearts pounding. "Bonneville" isn't a big film, but it is enjoyable. It's definately a chick flick for the older set. Recommended for a change of pace. 3 STARS." Crew Bytes "BONNEVILLE" was .......
directed by Christopher N Rowley ["The Remembering Movies"]; screenplay by Daniel D Davis ["Bonneville"]; set decoration by Les Boothe ["Friendships Field", "The Way Of The Gun" and "Into the Blue"]; costume design by Sue Gandy ["Bridge to Nowhere", "The Shrimp on the Barbie" and "Deception"]; production design by Christopher R DeMuri ["Slo-Mo", "Unearthed" and "American Pastime"]; cinematography by Jeffrey L Kimball ["Mission: Impossible II", "Windtalkers", "Hostage" and "Be Cool"]; original music by Jeff Cardoni ["Going Down", "April's Shower" and "The Body"]. Who's Who

Jessica Lange Kathy Bates Joan Allen Tom Skerritt Christine Baranski Victor Rasuk Tom Amandes Tom Wopat Robert Conder Jayson Creek Arabella Field Kari Hawker Kristen Marie Hullinger Ivey Lloyd Mitchell Bruce Newbold Steve O'Neill Laura Park Jodi Russell

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Arvilla Margene Carol Emmett Francine Bo Bill Arlo Taxi Driver Maitre d' Motorcycle Cop Newlywed Student Evelyn Bishop Paul Evans Doctor Riva Fox Alison

Run Time 99 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2008 - Icon Film Distribution - All Rights Reserved Enduring © All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian, International, Copyright & Trademark Laws.