Bad Habits

Authors: Josh P.
Location: Chicago, IL

"Bad Habits”

Directed by Bill Condon
Screenplay by Bill Condon
Produced by Michael London
Music by Danny Elfman

Principal Cast:

Jim Carrey (Phil Howard)
Kate Winslet (Margaret Domer)
Kathy Bates (Aunt Josephine)
Blythe Danner (Aunt Daphne)
Brad Garrett (James Howard)
Paul Giamatti (Dr. Newton)
Gregory Itzin (George “Richard Nixon” Howard)
Stephen Rea (Officer Jim O’ Kelly)
Nathan Lane (Reverend Henry Jimson)
Kiefer Sutherland (Detective Williams)
Alan Alda (Captain O’ Henry)
Robin Williams (Dr. Arnold Watson)

Tagline: "What can two old ladies with a bottle of wine do for charity?"

Synopsis: A re-working of the play Arsenic and Old Lace, as well as the Frank Capra film, focuses on the character Phil (Carrey), a notorious bachelor who has preached so much about staying one that he keeps it a secret he’s about to wed his sweetheart (Winslet). Before he goes off to Paris for his honeymoon, he visits his two, sweet aunts in the countryside of Springfield, Illinois (Bates, Danner). However, he finds an unexpected surprise: there’s a dead body in the window seat, and his aunts killed him with poisoned wine out of charity. To try and save his aunts from conviction, he tries to pin it on his mentally ill cousin (Itzin), who can’t stop believing he’s Richard Nixon. However, there’s more trouble coming. His estranged brother (Garrett), who bears an uneasy resemblance to Fred Gwyne’s Herman Munster, has returned to the childhood home with a plastic surgeon (Giamatti), both on the run as fugitives and with a dead body of their own. It’s a comedic mess in epic proportions.

What the press would say:

An extraordinary and clever re-working of one of the great classic comedies is brought up before the screen. Writer/Director Bill Condon provides a tight and witty script as well as a marvelous sense of comic direction. The ensemble is full of energy: Jim Carrey is hilarious and provides a nice balance of wit and slapstick, Brad Garrett is ultimately uproarious as
he can now move on from “Everybody Loves Raymond” and the pairing of great comedic talents such as Kathy Bates and Blythe Danner is sublime. The rest of the supporting cast is marvelous as well. The campaign consideration:

Best Picture
Best Director: Bill Condon
Best Actor: Jim Carrey
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Garrett
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates
Best Supporting Actress: Blythe Danner
Best Adapted Screenplay: Bill Condon
Best Art Direction
Best Original Score