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All Good Things (film)

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All Good Things
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAndrew Jarecki
Written byMarcus Hinchey
Marc Smerling
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMichael Seresin
Edited byDavid Rosenbloom
Shelby Siegel
Music byRob Simonsen
Distributed byMagnolia Pictures (United States)
The Weinstein Company (International)[1]
Release date
  • December 3, 2010 (2010-12-03)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$60 million
Box office$1.8 million[2]

All Good Things is a 2010 American mystery/crime romantic drama film directed by Andrew Jarecki and written by Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling. Inspired by the life of Robert Durst, it stars Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, and Frank Langella. Gosling portrays the wealthy son of a New York real estate tycoon (Langella) who develops a disturbing relationship with his wife (Dunst) and becomes suspected of a series of murders, as well as his wife's unsolved disappearance.

All Good Things was filmed between April and July 2008 in Connecticut and New York. Originally scheduled for a July 24, 2009 release, the film ultimately received a limited release on December 3, 2010.[3][4]

Durst professed admiration for the film, and after previously not cooperating with journalists, offered to be interviewed by Jarecki. Durst would ultimately sit with Jarecki for more than 20 hours over a multi-year period, which led to the true crime documentary series The Jinx in 2015.

Plot

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In 1970s New York City, David Marks, the son of a powerful real estate tycoon Sanford Marks, marries Katie McCarthy, a working-class student. Together they try to establish a new life in Vermont, setting up a health food store called All Good Things. However, Sanford manipulates David into returning to the city, telling him that Katie deserves more than he's currently giving her. Upon their return, Katie brings up the idea of having children. David says it will never ever happen, which leads Katie to assume something is wrong with his fertility. After buying a lake house, Katie confesses to their pregnant neighbor that she is expecting as well. David responds angrily upon finding out and forces Katie to make an appointment for an abortion. He misses the appointment when he is called away to do work for his father.

Katie enters medical school while her relationship with David continues to deteriorate. She makes inquiries about a separation, but her funds, which she needs in order to pay for school, are cut off when she attempts to leave. Having been advised that she will need leverage to compel the family to give her a settlement, Katie attempts to find incriminating documents of their financial activities. She then disappears without a trace in 1982, despite a $15,000 reward offered for any information on her whereabouts.

Eighteen years later, the case is reopened by the district attorney after reading an unpublished novel written by David's best friend, Deborah Lehrman, which contains a murder almost identical to the Marks case. Soon after this is announced, Lehrman is shot and killed in her home, and David is under suspicion again while standing trial for the murder of his neighbor Malvern Bump in Texas. David is acquitted of the murder of Bump; the film states that nobody has ever been tried for Lehrman's murder and that Katie remains a missing person to this day. A flash-back implies that David left his wife's remains in the trunk of her car, which the father finds. The film ends with David visiting his dying father and whispering to him, "I miss her so much." It's left to the viewer to decide whether he is talking about Katie or his mother.

Cast

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Production

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The screenplay for All Good Things was written by Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling as a narrative loosely based on the events in the life of Robert Durst, a New York City real estate heir whose first wife, Kathleen McCormack, disappeared in 1982.[11][12] The film's title refers to a health food store of the same name which Durst and McCormack had established in the 1970s.[11]

After the script was completed and Andrew Jarecki had agreed to direct, Ryan Gosling was attached to star and Kirsten Dunst was in negotiations by late January 2008.[13] By early April, Frank Langella was in final negotiations with the film's producers to join. Soon after, The Weinstein Company closed a deal to distribute All Good Things, and the film's budget was set at $20,000,000.[14]

Filming began in April in New York City and various locations in Connecticut,[7] which were chosen for "the tax incentive, scenic and period locations" provided by the state.[15] Shooting on Lillinonah Drive at a lakefront house in Brookfield, Connecticut began in early May.[16] Five locations at the Fairfield University campus were used for several scenes over a week of filming.[17] The set moved to Carl Schurz Park, New York City, briefly before switching back to Connecticut.[18] Three scenes were shot at Canal Street, Shelton, Connecticut, on May 30–31. Much of the Canal Street filming focused on the "heavy, industrial features" of the area, although the crew made some edits, such as graffito removal.[19]

A single minute-long scene was shot on a bridge over the Housatonic River.[15] Scenes were shot on Route 7 in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, on June 3, where a shop opposite the local fire department was used as a health food store.[20] The following day, filming moved to Waterbury, Connecticut.[21] The Hospital of Saint Raphael was used as a filming location on June 6. The film set at the hospital was built on a vacant floor scheduled to be renovated, and took a week for set designers to prepare.[22] Filming later returned to Brookfield, Connecticut.[16] The crew also shot for two days at the Ridgefield Community Center—standing in for New York's Gracie Mansion—in Ridgefield, Connecticut.[23] Manhattan's West 38th Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues, was used for the old 42nd Street for shooting on June 25–26; shops were converted into 1970s Times Square sex shops and strip shows.[24][25]

Jarecki, who previously produced and directed the 2003 documentary Capturing the Friedmans, said that making All Good Things "was less about wanting to do a narrative feature vs. a documentary and more about the merits of this particular project".[26] He shot "hundreds of hours of footage" of people associated with the true story of Robert Durst, saying that "It was part of the process. Maybe it will end up on the DVD some day."[26]

He eventually used some of that footage in the HBO documentary miniseries The Jinx (2015). This included the result of approximately twenty hours of discussion with Durst himself.[27]

Release

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The film was originally set for release on July 24, 2009.[28] In spring 2009, the film was delayed. An insider from The Weinstein Company stated that "the movie is really strong. We just needed more time to complete it."[29] Soon after, the film was set to release on December 11, 2009, only to be delayed again.[30] The Weinstein Company released their upcoming film slate, with All Good Things listed for a March 2010 release. This never materialized.[31]

In March 2010, director Andrew Jarecki bought back the U.S. distribution rights and was searching for a new distributor for the film. On August 24, 2010, Magnolia Pictures acquired the American rights and gave the film a theatrical release on December 3, 2010.[3][4] The Weinstein Company still holds the international rights, as well as basic cable television rights.[1]

All Good Things was released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 29, 2011,[32] with commentary by Jarecki and Robert Durst.[33]

Critical reception

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As of June 2020, the film holds a 35% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 98 reviews with an average rating of 5.51 out of 10. The consensus was: "It's well-acted, and the true story that inspired it offers plenty of drama—which is why it's so frustrating that All Good Things is so clichéd and frustratingly ambiguous."[34] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[35]

Both Kirsten Dunst and Ryan Gosling were praised for their performances. Roger Ebert awarded the film three and a half out of four stars, applauded Dunst's performance, but added, "I don't understand David Marks after seeing this film, and I don't know if Andrew Jarecki does."[36]

Box office

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All Good Things earned $582,024 at the US box office and another $1,172,365 at the foreign box office for a worldwide total of $1,754,389.[37]

The Jinx

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Robert Durst professed admiration for All Good Things and telephoned Jarecki after its release, offering to be interviewed, although he had not previously cooperated with journalists. Durst and Jarecki spent more than 20 hours together over several years. In 2015, director Jarecki's documentary series, The Jinx, was shown on HBO. Durst was arrested in New Orleans, Louisiana, on first degree murder charges the day before the final episode aired on March 15, in which he appeared unintentionally to confess to three murders.[38] A second season, titled The Jinx: Part Two aired in 2024 and it covers the events that occurred between the previous season and today.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b Flint, Joe (March 4, 2010). "'All Good Things' director gets U.S. rights back from Weinstein Co". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
  2. ^ "All Good Things". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Horn, John (August 24, 2010). "All Good Things release and distributor". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 29, 2010. Retrieved August 24, 2010.
  4. ^ a b "All Good Things release". Ioncinema. October 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  5. ^ Bagli, Charles V.; Flynn, Kevin (November 24, 2010). "That's Me on Screen, but I Still Didn't Do It". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 9, 2012. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "Dunst, Gosling Set for 'Good Things'". Entertainment Weekly. January 22, 2008. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  7. ^ a b Miller, Winter (April 3, 2008). "'Good Things' in store for Langella". Variety. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  8. ^ Mori Fradkin (January 22, 2009). "The American Plan's Lily Rabe on Working With Mercedes Ruehl, and Her Next Role As a 'Mafia Princess'". New York Magazine. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
  9. ^ Annie Alleman (March 29, 2009). "Hoosier boss? Former Minooka resident lands a role in NBC sitcom". The Herald News. Archived from the original on March 30, 2009. Retrieved March 30, 2009.
  10. ^ Melena Ryzik (December 31, 2008). "She's Really Shy, but That's a Secret". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved July 20, 2009.
  11. ^ a b Rubinstein, Dana (August 8, 2008). "Ryan Gosling Is Robert Durst". The New York Observer. Archived from the original on August 14, 2008. Retrieved August 15, 2008.
  12. ^ Jones, Leigh (August 22, 2008). "Movie based on Durst's wife's disappearance". The Galveston County Daily News. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Retrieved August 25, 2008.
  13. ^ Tatiana Siegel (January 21, 2008). "Gosling, Dunst line up 'Good Things'". Variety. Archived from the original on March 30, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  14. ^ Miller, Winter (April 9, 2008). "Weinsteins welcome 'Good Things'". Variety. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  15. ^ a b Benton, Elizabeth (May 31, 2008). "Shelton bridge becomes movie set". New Haven Register. Archived from the original on July 15, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  16. ^ a b Benjamin, Scott (May 2, 2008). "Hollywood—in Brookfield". The Brookfield Journal. Archived from the original on May 3, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  17. ^ "Movie to be filmed at Fairfield next week". Fairfield Mirror. May 1, 2008. Archived from the original on June 1, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  18. ^ Bartyzel, Monika (May 27, 2008). "Dunst and Gosling Take a Walk in the Park for 'All Good Things'". Cinematical. Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  19. ^ Doob, Gabriella (May 30, 2008). "Movie scenes to be shot on Canal St". Shelton Weekly. Archived from the original on August 3, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  20. ^ Hutson, Nanci G. (June 4, 2008). "Hollywood filmmakers treated to a touch of country in Gaylordsville". The News-Times. Archived from the original on June 8, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  21. ^ "Kirsten Dunst smoking in the Brass City". Republican-American. June 4, 2008. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  22. ^ Scavetta, Rick (June 7, 2008). "Movie Wraps Daylong Filming at Hospital Of Saint Raphael". Hospital of Saint Raphael. Retrieved June 13, 2008.
  23. ^ Cox, Jenny (June 13, 2008). "Lights, camera, action! Movie shoot on Main". The Ridgefield Press. Archived from the original on August 4, 2008. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  24. ^ Lee, Jennifer 8. (June 26, 2008). "Times Square's Seedier Side Returns (Have a Peep)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 3, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
  25. ^ "Kirsten Dunst & Ryan Gosling Close Down Go Go Curry & Ying Du". Midtown Lunch. June 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 7, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2008.
  26. ^ a b Siegel, Tatiana (January 30, 2009). "Documentary directors change gears". Variety. Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. Retrieved January 31, 2009.
  27. ^ Mike Hale (February 6, 2015). "'The Jinx,' 6-Part HBO Documentary on Robert Durst". The New York Times. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  28. ^ "Original Release Date". Film-Releases.com. 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  29. ^ "Release Delay". Deadline Hollywood. June 8, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  30. ^ "Fall Release All Good Things". ThePlaylist. July 20, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  31. ^ "Weinstein Film Slate". Deadline Hollywood. August 8, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  32. ^ "2010 film “All Good Things” on Blu-ray in March 2011" Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine, December 24, 2010
  33. ^ Palmer, Alex (April 1, 2015). "The Creepiest Things Robert Durst Says in His All Good Things DVD Commentary". Vulture.com. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  34. ^ "All Good Things (2010)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  35. ^ "All Good Things Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  36. ^ Ebert, Roger (December 22, 2010). "All Good Things". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  37. ^ "All Good Things". Box office Mojo. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  38. ^ Bankoff, Caroline (March 15, 2015). "Robert Durst Arrested for Murder". New York. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
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