Natalie Krinsky, writer and director of “The Broken Hearts Gallery,” drew inspiration from her own breakups for the romantic comedy starring Geraldine Viswanathan and Dacre Montgomery.
The film, which opens in theaters on Friday, follows Lucy (Viswanathan) who curates a gallery of memorabilia from past relationships and heart breaks, after her breakup with much older Max (Utkarsh Ambudkar) and encourages others who are getting over a breakup to donate to the gallery. Selena Gomez serves an executive producer on the film.
“I wrote the first draft of the movie over 10 years ago — it’s the longest relationship I’ve ever had!” Krinsky told TheWrap on the phone from Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, just one day after giving birth. “Before I met my husband and starting making my human beings, I was at a crossroads. I was 25 years old, I had broken up with my boyfriend in a spectacularly heartbreaking way, I had been moving apartments, I had been fired from my job, I was a struggling writer and trying to figure how to be a success in this business.”
While sifting “through the detritus of this past relationship” during her apartment move, she recalled thinking, “I do not know what to do with this stuff — should I keep it? I was in this time loop, thinking, ‘What am I gonna do with his old sweatpants?’ That’s where this movie blossomed from and over the years, it molded and changed.”
“The Broken Hearts Gallery” is Krinsky’s directorial debut. Previously, she had written for shows like “Gossip Girl,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “90210,” and she produced one episode of the TV series “Red Band Society.” “Ironically, the script for ‘Broken Hearts Gallery’ got me my job on ‘Gossip Girl,'” she said. “It was the sample I used to get the job. Those shows… not only are they run by women like Stephanie Savage and Shonda Rhimes, but I got to sit at the feet of two female creators who I really admire and I learned incredible lessons from them.”
Below Krinski discusses shooting in New York City, the appeal of washer/dryers and working with Selena Gomez.
Do you imagine your characters when you write? Did you always envision Geraldine Viswanathan in the main role? Geraldine was probably 12 years old when I first wrote this, but I don’t imagine a physical type or an actor as much as I imagine a hero voice. Geraldine, I could do this whole interview just talking about her. She balances this comedic timing which is so stunning and funny and warm and she’s still able to hold this emotional center of the character. When I met her it really clicked, and I knew, “This is the person.” We haven’t seen her lead a romantic comedy before so she felt new and fresh for me, she reminded me of people I grew up with, like Renée Zellweger in “Bridget Jones,” Meg Ryan in “When Harry Met Sally…” — those women are really funny and irreverent and snappy and Geraldine also had that.
What was your favorite scene to shoot? That final party scene. It was so much fun and in COVID-19, you have this renewed appreciation for 150 actors being in a room with cranes and neon signs. In a tribute to “When Harry Met Sally…” we shot the classic New York walk-and-talk and the long-lens shot of Dacre and Geraldine walking down the street talking about their opposing life philosophies. My favorite scene to write was the three girls together because their dialogue is so snappy. It was about getting to re-explore that time in your 20s with your girlfriends when you know time flows through your fingers — I got to relive those moments.
The conversations between the three girlfriends about how mature Lucy’s older boyfriend is because he lives in the West Village and owns a fridge, where did you draw inspiration for that dialogue? I have had many of those conversations with my friends. I remember I was 25 and the idea of having a washer/dryer and someone having coffee-table books… that someone who is maybe 10 years older than you, you see them as these like very evolved, mature human beings and these trappings of grown-up life seems so impressive. And that’s the allure of Max for Lucy — he seems like he has it all together, and that’s impressive to her in her 20s. Until that point, you are kind of dating within your high school. Then the world opens up to you.
How did Selena Gomez become involved in the project? Selena has been building a million businesses — we should all just take a nap and let her lead us into 2021. She had already produced “13 Reasons Why” and was building that arm of her business, and before we were setting up to do the movie, she had gotten the script — we’re repped at the same place — and she sparks to it. She’s been through some break-ups and she identified with the concept and she and I had this meeting and I got to share my look book and we started bonding about the artifacts we both held on to. That was the beginning of the conversations — she helped shape the scenes with the girlfriends. It was a great collaboration and she saw and understood what I wanted to do and supported me completely.
10 Movies With Social Distancing to Watch While You're in Isolation, From 'Home Alone' to 'The Martian' (Photos)
Welcome to self isolation. As a lot of Americans find themselves stuck inside (for who knows how many days) attempting to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, you might find yourself going a little stir crazy. Running out of things to stream on Netflix? Trying to avoid eating all the quarantine snacks? Here's a list of 10 movies to keep you busy while tapping into that feeling of isolation.
20th Century Fox
"Home Alone" (1990) This John Hughes classic follows 8-year-old Kevin McCallister abandoned at home as his family forgets him on their way to a Christmas vacation. Macaulay Culkin broke into stardom as Kevin, warding off home invaders. "Home Alone" was nominated for two Oscars and grossed $477.1 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
20th Century Fox
"Cast Away" (2000) Tom Hanks plays a FedEx executive stranded on an island in the Pacific after a violent storm crashes his plane. He spends four years alone on an island with only a volleyball named Wilson as company. "Cast Away" garnered two Oscar nominations and grossed $429.6 million worldwide at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
"I Am Legend" (2007) This Will Smith thriller based on the 1954 Richard Matheson novel of the same name is set years after a virus kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters. Robert Neville (Smith), apparently the sole survivor in New York City, valiantly searches for a cure. "I Am Legend" grossed $585.4 million at the box office worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
"Into the Wild" (2007) Written and directed by Sean Penn, this film follows recent college graduate Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) as he gives up his possessions life savings to hitchhike and live in the Alaska wilderness. "Into the Wild" was based on Jon Krakauer's 1996 non-fiction book by the same name, which was an expansion of a 9,000-word article by Krakauer on McCandless titled "Death of an Innocent." The film was nominated for two Academy Awards and grossed $56.7 million at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Paramount Vantage
"Disturbia" (2007) This modern take on Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" follows high school student Kale Brecht, placed under house arrest for the summer. He keeps tabs on his neighbors to avoid getting bored, falls in love and suspects one of them to be a serial killer. "Disturbia" grossed $118.1 million worldwide at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Paramount Pictures
"Moon" (2009) If you're starting to talk to yourself, check out Sam Rockwell in "Moon," one of many films about an astronaut alone in space on this list. The film offers a nice wrinkle as it follows a man who experiences a personal crisis as he nears the end of a three-year solitary stint mining helium-3 on the far side of the Moon. "Moon" grossed $9.8 million at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Sony Pictures Classics
"127 Hours" (2010) James Franco stars in another film based on a true story. The film follows a mountain climber who finds himself trapped under a boulder for... 127 hours. He ultimately has to resort to desperate measures in order to survive. "127 Hours" was nominated for six Oscars, including best picture, and grossed $60.7 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Fox Searchlight
"Gravity" (2013) This Alfonso Cuarón-directed space disaster film puts Sandra Bullock through the ringer as an astronaut struggling to get back to earth after space debris leaves her and her partner, played by George Clooney, stranded in space. "Gravity" won seven Oscars, including best director, and grossed $723.2 million at the global box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
"Wild" (2014) Based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail," the film stars Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl, determined to complete the one thousand one hundred mile solo hike as a way to recover from a personal tragedy. "Wild" was nominated for two Oscars, including best actress, and grossed $52.5 million at the box office.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
Photo by Anne Marie Fox Searchlight
"The Martian" (2015) After being stranded on Mars, with the rest of his crew assuming him dead, astronaut Mark Watney is forced to use his wits and knowledge as a botanist to survive alone on the planet for a year. "The Martian" was nominated for seven Oscars, including best picture, and grossed $630.2 million worldwide.
Watch the trailer here. Check here for streaming options.
20th Century Fox
1 of 11
Confinement loves company
Welcome to self isolation. As a lot of Americans find themselves stuck inside (for who knows how many days) attempting to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, you might find yourself going a little stir crazy. Running out of things to stream on Netflix? Trying to avoid eating all the quarantine snacks? Here's a list of 10 movies to keep you busy while tapping into that feeling of isolation.