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Mass (2021 film)

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Mass
A poster containing four faces and the word "Mass".
Promotional release poster
Directed byFran Kranz
Written byFran Kranz
Produced by
  • Fran Kranz
  • Dylan Matlock
  • Casey Wilder Mott
  • J.P. Ouellette
Starring
CinematographyRyan Jackson-Healy
Edited byYang Hua Hu
Music byDarren Morze
Production
companies
  • 7 Eccles Street
  • Circa 1888
  • 5B Productions
Distributed byBleecker Street
Release dates
  • January 30, 2021 (2021-01-30) (Sundance)
  • October 8, 2021 (2021-10-08) (United States)
Running time
110 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget<$300,000[2]
Box office$250,513[3][4]

Mass is a 2021 American drama film written and directed by Fran Kranz in his directorial debut. It stars Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, and Martha Plimpton as grieving parents who meet to discuss a tragedy involving their sons. The film had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30, 2021, and was released on October 8, 2021, by Bleecker Street. At the BAFTA Awards, Dowd received a nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Plot

[edit]

Jay and Gail Perry are parents grieving the death of their son Evan, a victim of a high school shooting. Richard and Linda are the parents of the teenage perpetrator Hayden, who killed himself after his shootings. Six years after the tragedy, both couples agree to meet and talk in a private room at an Episcopal Church. The couples had met previously, in which Jay and Gail made hurtful comments toward Richard and Linda when they were all going through the public legal procedures that resulted from the incident. Jay had since publicly advocated for gun control and against gun ownership, causing a brief debate between him and Richard.

After talking about their sons when they were innocent children, the two couples partake in various lengthy discussions over how the tragedy had come to be and how the tragedy impacted their lives. Jay and Gail ask for information from Richard and Linda about Hayden's upbringing that they do not already know from public information about the incident. Richard and Linda tell that they knew that he became more depressed due to their family moving houses, lack of friends, and bullying at school. The couples briefly debate whether video games had influenced Hayden's violent thoughts. While acknowledging that Hayden's schools and therapists did not respond appropriately to their findings, Richard and Linda express their guilt and regret over how their failure to see and react to any signs that their son could have become violent. Jay and Gail admit that they wanted to see Richard and Linda in as much pain as they and the other victims' parents were. Richard and Linda admit that being the parents of a murderer meant that they did not know how to navigate being public figures, since they also could not speculate about why Hayden did what he did. Richard and Linda reveal that Hayden had made friends in high school, who were also victims of bullying, and that one of his friends had access to guns. Jay and Linda become furious, causing Richard to warn against jumping to conclusions about Hayden, only for Jay to speculate that Hayden was a psychopath who was incapable of being dealt with.

Jay eventually has a short angry outburst, leading to him breaking down as he describes how Evan was killed by Hayden. Both couples reflect on the other victims and their families, and when they visited the crime scene in the aftermath. Linda reveals that she found a notebook in her son's room after learning of the shooting, detailing his plans for the shooting and his suicide in the school library. She and Richard explain that while they understood that the grieving parents would not mourn the loss of Hayden, they still wanted and held a funeral to memorialize and mourn their once-innocent son whom they loved before his horrible actions. Linda expresses that she wants to remember the good memories about Hayden before his actions, rather than ignoring and condemning Hayden completely. When Linda asks Gail to tell a story about Evan, Gail recounts a positive memory of Evan when he was 12 and expresses how much she and Jay miss him. Having come to an understanding of all the pain they felt, Gail forgives Richard, Linda, and Hayden, wanting to move on from all the deep pain and grief.

The couples hold hands in silence to end their meeting, all having reached a state of empathy for each other. Richard leaves first for a business meeting. Linda follows, only to come back to speak to Gail and Jay once more. Linda recounts the moment she and Richard were the most terrified of Hayden when he angrily threatened to beat her up. She confesses that she wishes she was beaten up by him so she could truly see what he became, leading Gail to comfort her before they finally part ways. Jay becomes emotional when he overhears a choir practice in another room of the church. Gail comforts him before they finally depart.

Cast

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Production

[edit]

In November 2019, it was announced that Fran Kranz would write and direct Mass in his feature directorial debut, with Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, and Martha Plimpton attached to star.[5] Breeda Wool joined the cast in December 2019.[6] The film was shot over a roughly two week period in late 2019 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Hailey, Idaho.[7][8]

Release

[edit]

Mass had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 30, 2021 in the Premieres section.[9] In May 2021, Bleecker Street acquired distribution rights to the film.[10] By the end of its run, the film will have screened at film festivals in Busan,[11] Charlottesville,[12] London,[13] San Sebastian,[14] Sudbury,[15] Woodstock[16] and Zurich.[17] It is scheduled to be released on October 8, 2021.[18] In September 2021, Sky Cinema acquired the UK and Ireland distribution rights.[19] In the United States, the film was screened in four theaters; two in New York and two in Los Angeles.[20]

Reception

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Box office

[edit]

In its opening weekend, Mass earned $13,485 from four theaters.[21]

Critical response

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 193 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.30/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Mass requires a lot of its audience, but rewards that emotional labor with a raw look at grief that establishes writer-director Fran Kranz as a filmmaker of tremendous promise."[22] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 81 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[23]

Kranz's direction and storytelling techniques received praise. The Chicago Reader compared the film to the works of playwright Tennessee Williams, calling it "riveting and unforgettable."[24] Richard Whittaker from The Austin Chronicle had a similar response and said in his review that the story was "perfectly told."[25] Writing for Little White Lies, Hannah Strong summarized the film as a "study of human pain and anger in painstaking detail, supported by a script which is hauntingly realistic without dipping into mawkish or exploitative territory."[26] Owen Gleiberman, from Variety, said the film "announces Fran Kranz as a bold new filmmaker who has earned the right to excavate a subject as sensitive as this one."[27]

The performances in the film also received praise. While Entertainment Weekly said it was "an exceptional opportunity to watch four great character actors,"[28] Salon.com said the film "gives each member of the ensemble cast a big speech to emote and express what their characters are feeling. The conversation is certainly compelling as it builds."[29] In his review for The Hollywood Reporter, David Rooney said the film was "a harrowing watch, but a cathartic one, with each of the four superb principal actors delivering scenes of wrenching release."[30] Furthermore, Vox journalist Alissa Wilkinson said Mass "leaves plenty of breathing room for characters to have authentic moments of emotion and puts a gentle, grace-filled frame around an almost unspeakable tragedy. It's a showcase for its performers, but it's also a valuable experience for its audience."[31]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
San Sebastián Film Festival September 28, 2021 Youth Jury Award Fran Kranz Won [32]
New Directors Award Nominated
Gotham Independent Film Awards November 29, 2021 Outstanding Supporting Performance Reed Birney Nominated [33]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards December 6, 2021 Best Supporting Actress Ann Dowd Nominated [34]
Best Original Screenplay Fran Kranz Nominated
Best Ensemble Mass Won
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards December 19, 2021 Best Supporting Actress Ann Dowd Won [35]
Best Original Screenplay Fran Kranz Won
Best Ensemble Mass Won
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards December 22, 2021 Best Picture Nominated [36]
Best Original Screenplay Fran Kranz Nominated
Best Ensemble Mass Won
Best First Film Runner-up
San Diego Film Critics Society January 10, 2021 Best Picture Mass Nominated [37]
Best Supporting Actor Jason Isaacs Won
Best Supporting Actress Ann Dowd Nominated
Martha Plimpton Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Fran Kranz Won
Best Breakthrough Artist Nominated
Best Ensemble Mass Nominated
Austin Film Critics Association January 11, 2022 Best Supporting Actress Ann Dowd Nominated [38]
Best Original Screenplay Fran Kranz Nominated
Best First Film Nominated
Best Ensemble Mass Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society January 17, 2022 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Ann Dowd Nominated [39]
Best Ensemble Cast Mass Won
Best Screenplay Fran Kranz Nominated
Houston Film Critics Society Awards January 19, 2022 Best Supporting Actress Ann Dowd Won [40]
Best Ensemble Mass Won
Online Film Critics Society Awards January 24, 2022 Best Supporting Actress Ann Dowd Nominated [41]
Best Original Screenplay Fran Kranz Nominated
Best Debut Feature Nominated
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards January 25, 2022 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Ann Dowd Nominated [42][43]
Best Screenplay, Original Fran Kranz Nominated
Hollywood Critics Association February 28, 2022 Best Supporting Actor Jason Isaacs Nominated [44]
Best Original Screenplay Fran Kranz Won
Best First Feature Nominated
Best Indie Film Mass Nominated
Independent Spirit Awards March 6, 2022 Best First Screenplay Fran Kranz Nominated [45]
Robert Altman Award Fran Kranz, Henry Russell Bergstein, Allison Estrin, Kagen Albright, Reed Birney, Michelle N. Carter, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, Breeda Wool Won
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards March 7, 2022 Best Supporting Actress Ann Dowd Won [46]
British Academy Film Awards March 13, 2022 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Ann Dowd Nominated [47]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards March 13, 2022 Best Supporting Actress Ann Dowd Nominated [48]
Dorian Awards March 17, 2022 Best Unsung Film Mass Nominated [49]
Best Supporting Film Performance Ann Dowd Nominated
Martha Plimpton Nominated
Saturn Awards October 25, 2022 Best Independent Film Mass Nominated [50]

References

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  1. ^ "Sundance - FPG". Sundance. Archived from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  2. ^ "Fran Kranz And The $30,000 White Lie That Got Acclaimed Drama 'Mass' Made". Forbes. October 9, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  3. ^ "Mass (2021)". The Numbers. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  4. ^ "Mass (2021)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  5. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (November 21, 2019). "Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney, Ann Dowd Topline 'Mass' Drama From Fran Kranz". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  6. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (December 20, 2019). "Breeda Wool Cast In 'Mass'; Anjali Bhimani Joins 'All My Life'; Kali 'K.O.' Reis To Star In 'Catch the Fair One'; More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  7. ^ Feinberg, Scott (February 1, 2022). "Oscars: Six Contenders on the Challenges and Rewards of Making 2021 Indies". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  8. ^ Thyne, Joey (December 10, 2021). "'Mass' filmmaker Fran Kranz was looking for 'anywhere in America.' He found it in Hailey". Idaho Mountain Express. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
  9. ^ Hammond, Pete (January 30, 2020). "Sundance Review: Fran Kranz's 'Mass'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  10. ^ D’Alessandro, Anthony (May 7, 2021). "Bleecker Street Picks Up Sundance Film Festival Jason Isaacs Feature 'Mass'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  11. ^ "Mass". Busan International Film Festival. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  12. ^ "Virginia Film Festival". Virginia Film Festival. September 17, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  13. ^ "Mass". BFI London Film Festival 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.[dead link]
  14. ^ "Mass | San Sebastian Film Festival". sansebastianfestival. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  15. ^ "Cinéfest Sudbury unveils its 2021 program; will follow a hybrid format". thesudburystar. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  16. ^ "'Mass,' 'Storm Lake' win top honors at Woodstock Film Festival awards ceremony". Daily Freeman. October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  17. ^ Mass - Zurich Film Festival (in German), retrieved October 8, 2021
  18. ^ Davis, Clayton (July 12, 2021). "Sundance Favorite 'Mass' Sets Fall Release, Ensemble Cast Goes Supporting for Oscars (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  19. ^ Kasule, Melissa (September 2, 2021). "Fran Kranz's Sundance hit 'Mass' to debut on Sky in the UK and Ireland". Screen International. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  20. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (October 8, 2021). "'The Rescue' Tests Murky Arthouse Waters: 'We Need To See Multiple Films Performing Well' – Specialty Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  21. ^ "Domestic 2021 Weekend 41". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  22. ^ "Mass". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  23. ^ "Mass". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
  24. ^ Flanders, Josh; Flanders, Sheri (February 19, 2021). "What we loved at Sundance 2021... from our couch". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  25. ^ Whittaker, Richard (February 1, 2021). "Sundance Review: Mass". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  26. ^ Strong, Hannah (February 1, 2021). "Mass – first-look review". Little White Lies. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  27. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (January 30, 2021). "'Mass' Review: A Charged Meditation on the Aftermath of a School Shooting". Variety. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  28. ^ Greenblatt, Leah (January 31, 2021). "Chamber-piece drama Mass bracingly showcases a remarkable cast: Sundance review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 30, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  29. ^ Kramer, Gary M. (January 31, 2021). "The heartrending 'Mass' is a somber and intimate look at the survivors of a horrific crime". Salon.com. Archived from the original on August 10, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  30. ^ Rooney, David (January 30, 2021). "'Mass': Film Review | Sundance 2021". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  31. ^ Wilkinson, Alissa (February 9, 2021). "12 movies that everyone will be talking about this year". Vox. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  32. ^ Edirisinghe, Amber (September 28, 2021). "SAN SEBASTIAN FILM FESTIVAL: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WINNERS, FILMS AND FASHION DURING 69TH EDITION". The Olive Press. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  33. ^ Sharf, Zack (October 21, 2021). "Gotham Awards 2021 Nominations: 'Pig,' 'Green Knight,' 'Passing' Compete for Best Feature". IndieWire. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  34. ^ Eric, Anderson (December 4, 2021). "Washington DC Critics: 'Belfast,' 'The Power of the Dog' lead nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  35. ^ Neglia, Matt. "The 2021 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". NextBestPicture. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  36. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 15, 2021). "The 2021 Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC) Nominations". NextBigPicture. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  37. ^ Murray, Rebecca. "San Diego Film Critics Society 2021 Nominees: Belfast Tops the List with 12 Nominations". ShowbizJunkies. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  38. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 4, 2022). "The 2021 Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) Nominations". Next Big Picture. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  39. ^ ""The Power of the Dog" Leads the 2021 Seattle Film Critics Society Nominations". Seattle Film Critics. January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  40. ^ Darling, Cary (January 3, 2022). "'The Power of the Dog' takes a bite out of Houston Film Critics Society's nominations". Preview. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  41. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 18, 2022). "The 2021 Online Film Critics Society (OFCS) Nominations". Next Big Picture. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  42. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (December 10, 2021). "The Power of the Dog, Passing Lead Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award Nominations (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  43. ^ Urban, Sasha (January 25, 2022). "The Power of the Dog Sweeps Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards". Variety. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  44. ^ "DUNE, CODA, AND BELFAST LEAD THE 5TH ANNUAL HCA FILM AWARDS NOMINATIONS". December 2, 2021. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  45. ^ Long, Brent; Tangcay, Jazz (December 14, 2021). "Indie Spirit Awards 2022: Full List of Nominations". Variety. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  46. ^ Vlessing, Etan (February 20, 2022). "Vancouver Film Critics Circle: The Power of the Dog Leads With Five Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  47. ^ Ritman, Alex (February 3, 2022). "BAFTA Awards Nominations: Dune Leads Pack in Diverse List Full of Surprises". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  48. ^ Hammond, Pete (December 13, 2021). "Critics Choice Awards Film Nominations Led By 'Belfast' And 'West Side Story'". Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  49. ^ Complex, Valerie (February 22, 2022). "Power of the Dog, Flee Lead GALECA LGBTQ Critics' Dorian Award Film Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  50. ^ Tinoco, Armando (August 12, 2022). "Saturn Awards Nominations: 'The Batman', 'Nightmare Alley', 'Spider-Man', 'Better Call Saul' Top List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
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