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| Scene from Backstabbing for Beginners |
In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for years to come.
Released: April 27, 2018
Release Number: 64
Directed By: Per Fly
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Theo James, Jacqueline Bisset
Plot: A young program coordinator at the United Nations stumbles upon a conspiracy involving Iraq's oil reserves.
It has been a while since A24 has checked in with their DirecTV branch. While it remains a place for their subpar releases, there's still occasional hope that the next film will be a hit. In the case of director Per Fly's Backstabbing for Beginners, there was a reliance on recent history with the hopes of being a cutting edge drama about modern global politics. There's no denying that it looked attractive on paper, even pulling central figures in said controversies into the film. However, the film wasn't capable of making the mark that it likely could've earned and ended up being a bit of a dud critically and financially. It's a film that had its heart in the right place, but ended up feeling like a familiar tale of alarm that wants to be important, but isn't saying anything that's all that urgent.
The story begins with an employee for the Oil-for-Food program in Iraq. Michael Soussan was a central employee for the United Nations organization and witnessed the corruption firsthand. The memoir that he wrote in light of the events would become "Backstabbing for Beginners," which is the backbone for the film of the same name. Soussan considers himself one of the first whistleblowers on global political issues, even beating figures like Edward Snowden, and finds pride in his project. He has since gone on to share his political views wherever he goes, believing that it's important to inform the general public with hopes to stop the spread of future corruption. Ironically, the issues still exist, which only makes Soussan's quest feel all the more urgent.
It is likely why Soussan was eager to make his memoir into a film with Per Fly. The script was written by Fly and Daniel Pyne, though Soussan's involvement remains very vocal. He is central to interviews, where he not only shares his passion for the film but shares why the public should be cautious of bodies like the United Nations. Josh Hutcherson was originally cast in the lead role but backed out when he discovered that he had to work in the Middle East and feared for his safety. Theo James would take his place, finding interest in the political nature of the story. Jacqueline Bisset also found interest in the film because of how different the role was for her. She got to play a strong and tight-lipped woman. While there were things about the production that she found hard to deal with, such as the harsh lighting, she learned to work with the elements given to her.
In June 2017, the film was bought by A24 and DirecTV for release. The film was released in January of 2018 in Denmark (Fly's home country) theatrically. Copenhagen was also a place where filming took place. With an $8 million budget, the film didn't become a runaway success, leading to its minimal appearance stateside upon release. The film's critical score wasn't much better, managing to earn 39% on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. Chandler Levack of Globe and Mail lead the cries of disappointment when suggesting "Whatever potential was evident in Soussan's source material is wasted on empty clichés and spoiler-alert casting." Rex Reed of Observer shared the feeling of boredom when claiming "It involves so much internecine crime that it would be hard to understand under any circumstances, but this film is a drier head-scratcher than it needs to be." Liam Lacey of Original Cin was tepid on the film but reflected the defense of the film when noting "The best moments in director Fly's middling film are about character, not action. Yet it does go in its anticlimactic way to a place where thrillers rarely dare: the ethical grey zone."
While there was a lot of promise to come from Backstabbing for Beginners' premise and crew, it ended up being a bit of a tepid experience. There wasn't much to be taken away from the film, and it leads to some disappointing results. However, it's another example of why the DirecTV branch is so notorious, never quite managing to produce the highs of A24's theatrical releases. With that said, their next film was a rare anomaly for the class of 2018. In a moment where it looked like their Oscar glory was fading with bad luck, director Paul Schrader returned to make a film that was so conflicting and dark, asking hard questions about the modern era. It was one of the few films that managed to do more than leave a positive reputation with its audience. First Reformed created a sense of urgency for the studio that was largely missing, and that reminded audiences of the power that the studio could have over its audience.
It has been a while since A24 has checked in with their DirecTV branch. While it remains a place for their subpar releases, there's still occasional hope that the next film will be a hit. In the case of director Per Fly's Backstabbing for Beginners, there was a reliance on recent history with the hopes of being a cutting edge drama about modern global politics. There's no denying that it looked attractive on paper, even pulling central figures in said controversies into the film. However, the film wasn't capable of making the mark that it likely could've earned and ended up being a bit of a dud critically and financially. It's a film that had its heart in the right place, but ended up feeling like a familiar tale of alarm that wants to be important, but isn't saying anything that's all that urgent.
The story begins with an employee for the Oil-for-Food program in Iraq. Michael Soussan was a central employee for the United Nations organization and witnessed the corruption firsthand. The memoir that he wrote in light of the events would become "Backstabbing for Beginners," which is the backbone for the film of the same name. Soussan considers himself one of the first whistleblowers on global political issues, even beating figures like Edward Snowden, and finds pride in his project. He has since gone on to share his political views wherever he goes, believing that it's important to inform the general public with hopes to stop the spread of future corruption. Ironically, the issues still exist, which only makes Soussan's quest feel all the more urgent.
It is likely why Soussan was eager to make his memoir into a film with Per Fly. The script was written by Fly and Daniel Pyne, though Soussan's involvement remains very vocal. He is central to interviews, where he not only shares his passion for the film but shares why the public should be cautious of bodies like the United Nations. Josh Hutcherson was originally cast in the lead role but backed out when he discovered that he had to work in the Middle East and feared for his safety. Theo James would take his place, finding interest in the political nature of the story. Jacqueline Bisset also found interest in the film because of how different the role was for her. She got to play a strong and tight-lipped woman. While there were things about the production that she found hard to deal with, such as the harsh lighting, she learned to work with the elements given to her.
In June 2017, the film was bought by A24 and DirecTV for release. The film was released in January of 2018 in Denmark (Fly's home country) theatrically. Copenhagen was also a place where filming took place. With an $8 million budget, the film didn't become a runaway success, leading to its minimal appearance stateside upon release. The film's critical score wasn't much better, managing to earn 39% on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. Chandler Levack of Globe and Mail lead the cries of disappointment when suggesting "Whatever potential was evident in Soussan's source material is wasted on empty clichés and spoiler-alert casting." Rex Reed of Observer shared the feeling of boredom when claiming "It involves so much internecine crime that it would be hard to understand under any circumstances, but this film is a drier head-scratcher than it needs to be." Liam Lacey of Original Cin was tepid on the film but reflected the defense of the film when noting "The best moments in director Fly's middling film are about character, not action. Yet it does go in its anticlimactic way to a place where thrillers rarely dare: the ethical grey zone."
While there was a lot of promise to come from Backstabbing for Beginners' premise and crew, it ended up being a bit of a tepid experience. There wasn't much to be taken away from the film, and it leads to some disappointing results. However, it's another example of why the DirecTV branch is so notorious, never quite managing to produce the highs of A24's theatrical releases. With that said, their next film was a rare anomaly for the class of 2018. In a moment where it looked like their Oscar glory was fading with bad luck, director Paul Schrader returned to make a film that was so conflicting and dark, asking hard questions about the modern era. It was one of the few films that managed to do more than leave a positive reputation with its audience. First Reformed created a sense of urgency for the studio that was largely missing, and that reminded audiences of the power that the studio could have over its audience.
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