Jerry & Marge Go Large is a 2022 American comedy-drama film directed by David Frankel and written by Brad Copeland. Based on Jason Fagone's 2018 HuffPost article of the same name,[2] the film, which is based on a true story,[3] stars Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening.
| Jerry & Marge Go Large | |
|---|---|
 Official release poster | |
| Directed by | David Frankel |
| Screenplay by | Brad Copeland |
| Based on | "Jerry and Marge Go Large" by Jason Fagone |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Maryse Alberti |
| Edited by | Andrew Marcus |
| Music by | Jake Monaco |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Paramount+ |
Release dates |
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Running time | 96 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 15, 2022, and was released on Paramount+ on June 17, 2022.
Plot
editJerry and Marge Selbee, a retired couple from the small town of Evart, Michigan, discover a statistical loophole in the WinFall lottery that allows them to almost guarantee a win during rolldown weeks (when there was no grand prize winner for long enough that, instead of the jackpot growing further, it was distributed to the next tier of winners).
They start small but quickly go all-in, emptying their savings to invest in the lottery, which pays off handsomely. Excited by their success, the Selbees share their secret with friends and neighbors, creating GS Investment Strategies. This reinvigorates the town, as old businesses reopen and the local Jazz Fest venue is restored using the lottery winnings.
Their success attracts the attention of a group of Harvard students who also discover the loophole. The students, led by Tyler, confront the Selbees, arrogantly suggesting they combine forces, but the Selbees refuse, standing firm in their methods and morals.
Tensions rise, and Tyler threatens Jerry, demanding he stop playing WinFall. Jerry almost gives in, but the support of his son and the community strengthens his resolve.
In a final confrontation, Jerry exposes Tyler's selfish tactics. Ultimately, the Massachusetts Lottery, pressured by growing media attention, shuts down WinFall, ending the Selbees' lottery journey. Despite this, Jerry and Marge return to Evart as heroes, as their adventure not only brings wealth but also revives the spirit of their small town.
Cast
edit- Bryan Cranston as Jerry Selbee
- Annette Bening as Marge Selbee
- Rainn Wilson as Bill
- Larry Wilmore as Steve
- Michael McKean as Howard
- Ann Harada as Shirley
- Jake McDorman as Doug Selbee
- Anna Camp as Dawn Selbee
- Devyn McDowell as Liz
- Uly Schlesinger as Tyler Langford
- Cheech Manohar as Eric
- Tracie Thoms as Maya
- Lindsay Rootare as Mindy
- Tori Kelly as herself
Production
editIn April 2018, it was reported that Levantine Films and Netter Films would produce a film adaptation of Jason Fagone's HuffPost article "Jerry and Marge Go Large", with Brad Copeland writing the screenplay.[4] In June 2021, it was announced that Paramount+ had greenlit the film, set to be directed by David Frankel and star Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening.[5]
Filming began in July 2021 in Georgia, with Rainn Wilson, Larry Wilmore and Jake McDorman joining the cast.[6][7] In August 2021, Uly Schlesinger, Michael McKean, Anna Camp, Ann Harada, and Devyn McDowell joined the cast.[8]
Release
editThe film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 15, 2022.[1][9] It was released on Paramount+ on June 17, 2022.[10]
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 68% of 56 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.1/10. The website's consensus reads: "Instead of investing in its tremendously talented stars and outlandish fact-based story, Jerry & Marge Go Large gambles on a pile of clichés."[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 52 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b "Jerry & Marge Go Large". Tribeca Film Festival. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- ^ Fagone, Jason (April 18, 2018). "Jerry And Marge Go Large". Huffington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ "'Jerry and Marge Go Large': How retirees gamed the lottery". June 16, 2022.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 18, 2018). "Levantine Films, Netter Films Option HuffPo Feature 'Jerry And Marge Go Large'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (June 21, 2021). "Bryan Cranston And Annette Bening To Star in New Paramount+ Movie 'Jerry And Marge Go Large'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (July 22, 2021). "Larry Wilmore, Rainn Wilson Join Annette Bening and Bryan Cranston in 'Jerry and Marge Go Large' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (July 30, 2021). "Jake McDorman Joins Bryan Cranston & Annette Bening In Paramount+ Pic 'Jerry And Marge Go Large'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (August 12, 2021). "Uly Schlesinger, Michael McKean, Anna Camp & More Board Paramount+ Pic 'Jerry And Marge Go Large'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (April 19, 2022). "Tribeca Festival Adds Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening's Jerry and Marge Go Large, Films From Lena Waithe, Ray Romano to 2022 Lineup". Variety. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (April 26, 2022). "'Jerry And Marge Go Large' Premiere Date, First-Look Photos: Bryan Cranston & Annette Bening Lead Paramount+ Comedy". Deadline. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
- ^ "Jerry & Marge Go Large". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- ^ "Jerry & Marge Go Large". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
External links
edit- Jerry & Marge Go Large at IMDb
- "Jerry and Marge Go Large" by Jason Fagone