Actresses are often out of age for Hollywood gigs.
Anyone surprised Kelly McGillis, 64, not part of the upcoming “Top Gun: Maverick”, while 78-year-old Harrison Ford returns as Indiana Jones in 2023? Or that the female brides of the “Bill & Ted” franchise swap places for younger stars when “Bill & Ted Face the Music” drops in 2020?
Ageism is inextricably linked with the Hollywood experience, even if it doesn’t get as much attention as, for example, mingling racers.
Father Time clearly had an influence on Meg Ryan’s career. The Oscar-nominated candidate was active in the 80s and 90s, but many people know her for her rom-com wins like “When Harry Met Sally,” “You’ve Got Mail,” and “You’ve Got Mail.” ”, “Sleepless in Seattle” and “Joe vs. volcano.”
Now, Ryan is going back to her roots, but on her terms.
The actress will direct and star in “What Happens Later,” based on Steven Dietz’s play “Shooting Star.” She will be joined by David Duchovny’s “Communicate” and “X file” reputation. According to Bleecker Street, the film is “a bit of a nostalgic and evolving romantic comedy,” awaiting a release date.
Here is the official description:
What if, late on a snowy night, you came face-to-face with someone from your long ago? The one who once held your secret, because once, for so long, he held your heart.
Exs Willa (Ryan) and Bill (Duchovny) reunite for the first time since they broke up decades ago when they both found themselves in the snow while transiting at an overnight airport. Willa is still the same independent spirit and will as she used to be, without any strings attached. Bill, recently separated, is reevaluating his life and his relationships with his estranged wife and daughter. All they each want is to return home, but overnight they find themselves reluctantly drawn together at first but forced to revisit their past, along with what may have happened and what might be back. But when versions of their shared history don’t quite add up, where do they go from there?
Ryan is 60 years old. Duchovny is 61 years old, so the union between the two couples is close from that angle.
More importantly, the film showcases the Hollywood anomaly – middle-aged romances. Most modern romances feature much younger protagonists. Celebrities like Netflix offer youthful romantic comedies, while major studios lean a little older — think “Crazy Rich Asians.”
Middle-aged romances do exist, but you have to squint to see them. Think “Last Chance Harvey” (2008), “At Middleton” (2013) and “Enough Said” (2013).
That’s not the only factor to consider with “What happens next.”
Rom-com, once a reliable money maker for Hollywood, no longer dominates the box office. Looking back over the past three years, no rom-coms can be found in the top 10.
This year, “Lost City“It’s happening, but the summer movie season is likely to push it out of the Top 10.
“What happens next” probably won’t rank as a superhero movie or big-money sequel. However, the actress who dominates the genre can show today’s stars how it’s done.
