Pun Salad

Why yes, we did watch two screwball comedies in a row. Good catch. This one's from 2014, and it languished in my Netflix queue for a few years due to Netflix's algorithm's prediction that I might not like it much. But I have a little script that tells me, in essence, among other things: "Either bump this movie to the top of the queue, or delete it." And I did the former.

Anyway: it was directed and co-written by Peter Bogdonovich, who made some great films in the 70s.

Director Arnold Albertson (Owen Wilson) checks into a fancy hotel under a fake name, and immediately makes arrangements for an "escort", Isabella Patterson (Imogen Poots), who turns out to be a hooker with a heart of gold, and acting aspirations as well.

Without going into detail (because the details are ludicrous), the plot quickly involves more and more goofy characters: an actor in Albertson's play (Rhys Ifans); Albertson's wife (Kathryn Hahn); Isabella's totally unqualified shrink (Jennifer Aniston); an Isabella-infatuated judge (Austin Pendleton); the playwright (Will Forte). Unexpected and surprising relationships between characters are revealed as the movie progresses. There are a lot of slamming hotel room doors and suspicious looks.

I had a good time watching. One neat bit for me: a lot of actors from Bogdonovich's old movies have roles here: Austin Pendleton, Tatum O'Neal, Colleen Camp, Cybill Shepherd, Joanna Lumley, and maybe others I've missed. Bogdonovich must be a good guy to work with.