Netflix is continuing to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to creating and backing quality content, as the streaming platform commits to financing and distributing the latest film project from writer-director Nicole Holofcener, titled The Land Of Steady Habits. In addition to giving space to the award-winning filmmaker, the project will bring Emmy Award winner, and Bloodline star, Ben Mendelsohn back into the Netflix fold.
The Land Of Steady Habits is based upon the debut novel of the same name by Ted Thompson, and focuses on what is essentially one man’s midlife crisis. Its central character is Anders Hill, who is newly retired and living very comfortably in the suburbs of Connecticut. With the weight of decades of financial responsibility finally lifting, Anders finds himself wishing to be free of this ‘land of steady habits.’
He consequently leaves his wife, buys himself a new condo, and waits with great anticipation for this new life chapter to begin in earnest. What he actually experiences is something quite different, however. Mendelsohn will play the deeply conflicted Anders Hill, while Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) will play his wife. They’re joined in the cast by Thomas Mann (Me And Earl And The Dying Girl). The real excitement here, however, comes from this specific combination of filmmaker, cast and Netflix.
Nicole Holofcener is a writer-director whose feature-length projects – such as Enough Said, Please Give, and Friends With Money – deftly bring to light the most subtle, nuanced aspects of human behaviour and relationships, while Ben Mendelsohn and Edie Falco are two of the most highly skilled performers working today. Putting these artists together with Netflix – the open-minded, ‘hands-off’ approach of which has led to some of the most impressive examples of film and television in recent years – means that The Land Of Steady Habits is a definitely a project to watch for, and seize upon when it finally arrives.
Published: Jan 20, 2017 09:32 am