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For a Good Time, Call...

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For a Good Time, Call...
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJamie Travis
Written byLauren Miller
Katie Anne Naylon
Produced byJosh Kesselman
Lauren Miller
Jennifer Weinbaum
StarringAri Graynor
Lauren Miller Rogen
Justin Long
Sugar Lyn Beard
Mimi Rogers
Nia Vardalos
Mark Webber
James Wolk
CinematographyJames Laxton
Edited byEvan Henke
Music byJohn Swihart
Production
company
AdScott Pictures
Distributed byFocus Features
Release dates
  • January 26, 2012 (2012-01-26) (Sundance)
  • August 31, 2012 (2012-08-31) (United States)
Running time
85 minutes[1]
87 minutes (Unrated cut)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.3 million[2]
Box office$1,251,749[3]

For a Good Time, Call... is a 2012 American comedy film directed by Jamie Travis. It stars Ari Graynor, Lauren Miller Rogen, Justin Long, Sugar Lyn Beard, Mimi Rogers, Nia Vardalos, Mark Webber, and James Wolk.[4] The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, 2012 where it secured a worldwide distribution deal with Focus Features.[5] It was released theatrically in the United States on August 31, 2012.[6]

Plot

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After Lauren is dumped by her boyfriend Charlie, she is unable to afford a place of her own. Her friend Jesse tells her of a beautiful apartment overlooking Gramercy Park, not mentioning his other friend Katie lives there. During their freshman year of college 10 years earlier, while Lauren was reluctantly driving an inebriated Katie home from a frat party, Katie accidentally spilled her own urine onto Lauren from an empty cup, prompting Lauren to throw Katie out of the car. Despite their clear disdain for each other, they move in together for lack of better options.

One night, Lauren hears strange noises from Katie's room. Believing she is being attacked, she opens the door to find Katie having a sexually explicit conversation on the phone. Katie explains she works as a phone sex operator, as her writing does not earn her enough money to live in New York City. Lauren is disgusted, but makes some suggestions how to make more money.

Some time later, Lauren loses her publishing job when her boss retires. Encouraging Katie to obtain a landline, 1-900-MMM-HMMM, Lauren becomes her business manager as they go into business for themselves, which proves much more lucrative. In a few weeks, they make $12,000, of which Lauren gets a third, which increases when she becomes a phone operator herself. In the process, they become close friends.

Katie has a regular customer named Sean and their calls become less about phone sex and more about becoming acquainted with one another. They agree to meet, but accompanied by Lauren and Jesse, who are concerned he might be a rapist. However, they discover they are very well-suited to each other and begin a relationship. This leaves Katie feeling distressed as she confesses to Lauren that she is a virgin and has been lying for years to cover up her insecurities.

Lauren lands an interview at a prestigious publishing company that previously rejected her, and Katie convinces her to attend the interview to blow them off. She tells them she has been running a phone sex line all summer, and she is offered the job as they feel she has business savvy. Concerned about long-term prospects, Lauren accepts, which angers Katie to the point where she reveals their business to Lauren's conservative parents. Lauren moves out and they stop speaking.

Lauren meets with Charlie, who has returned from a business trip to Italy and declares that he made a mistake in breaking up with her. He reveals that he had a passionate love affair with a fiery Italian woman, but he eventually realized he needs someone boring, predictable, and simple—the same reasons he dumped her. She stands up for herself and leaves Charlie for good.

Meanwhile, Katie and Sean decide to have sex, and in order to calm their nerves, they talk on the phone while lying next to each other in bed. When they are finished, Katie feels sad that she cannot share this news with Lauren, whom she loves. Sean encourages her to call her, and they declare that they "think" they love each other.

Lauren and Katie call each other at the same time, engaging in a phone conversation full of unintentional innuendo before they meet each other on the street and hug. Lauren moves back in with Katie, who joyfully reveals that she has just lost her virginity.

Cast

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Production

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Lauren Miller Rogen and Katie Anne Naylon based the script on their real-life experiences as college roommates.

The role of Katie was written specifically for Ari Graynor. Miller used her performance in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist as the inspiration for writing the character, and wrote Graynor a letter asking her to be involved in the production.[7] The letter made Graynor cry. "I got this letter where they talked about what fans they were of my work and how they felt like I was one of the only people out there who could be both sexy and vulnerable and funny all at the same time," she stated.[8]

Filming took place over 16 days in Los Angeles and New York City with a budget of $1.3 million. Miller and Naylon secured financing for the film independently. Focus Features picked up the film at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for $2 million.[9] James Schamus, chief executive at Focus, cited the film's 'emotionally generous' appeal and word-of-mouth potential as primary reasons for the acquisition.

Reception

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For a Good Time, Call... has received generally mixed reviews. It currently stands at a 55% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. "Brisk, funny, and sweetly raunchy, For a Good Time, Call... adds to the recent string of R-rated female comedies while serving as an overdue coming out party for the charming Ari Graynor," the consensus reads.[10] Entertainment Weekly claimed, "It's Ari Graynor's movie—she's like Kate Hudson possessed by the spirit of Bette Midler. And all the better off for it."[11]

Home media

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For a Good Time, Call... was released on DVD and Blu-ray on January 22, 2013. The DVD features an audio commentary by director Jamie Travis, writer Katie Anne Naylon, and stars/producers Miller and Graynor, five deleted scenes, and a "look inside" featurette.

Soundtrack

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The soundtrack for the film was released by Lakeshore Records on 28 August 2012.[12]

  1. "Back and Forth" – Operator Please
  2. "I Promise" – Generationals
  3. "Come Alive" – Hanni El Khatib
  4. "Stick Together" – Mack Winston & The Reflections
  5. "Side Saddle" – People Get Ready
  6. "Black Water" – The Dig
  7. "By Your Hand" – Los Campesinos!
  8. "He Knew" – Chalk & Numbers
  9. "Operator" – Mary Wells
  10. "Flowers Bloom" – High Highs
  11. "Come Come" – Hot as Sun
  12. "Black Water" – Timber Timbre

References

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  1. ^ "FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL... (18)". British Board of Film Classification. 2012-08-30. Archived from the original on 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  2. ^ Ryzik, Melena (29 August 2012). "These Women Don't Blush While Earning Their Rent". New York Times.
  3. ^ "For a Good Time, Call... (2012)". Box Office Mojo. 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
  4. ^ Pehanick, Maggie. "For a Good Time Call Movie Trailer". Popsugar.com.au. Archived from the original on 2012-06-16. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
  5. ^ "Sundance 2012: Focus Features Buys 'For a Good Time, Call ...'". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  6. ^ "'For a Good Time, Call': Flatmates set up hotline in red band trailer". Digital Spy. June 14, 2012. Archived from the original on June 23, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  7. ^ Yuan, Jada (29 July 2012). "Ari Graynor on Her Phone-Sex Movie and Moving Beyond Best-Friend Roles". Vulture.
  8. ^ DeSalvo, Robert (29 August 2012). "Q&A: 'For a Good Time, Call...' Ari Graynor". Next Movie. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012.
  9. ^ Ryzik, Melena (August 29, 2012). "These Women Don't Blush While Earning Their Rent". The New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  10. ^ "For a Good Time, Call..." Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
  11. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (October 5, 2012). "For a Good Time, Call... Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 16, 2013. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
  12. ^ "Soundtrack for 'For A Good Time Call' Features Los Campesinos!, Operator Please, Timber Timbre, More". Indie Wire. 3 August 2012. Archived from the original on 7 August 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
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