It's his bachelor bash, his one final night to be a wild single guy, but Paul (Jason Lee) isn't exactly the life of the party. Instead, he's determined not to do anything he can't live with later - or tell his fiancée, Karen (Selma Blair). That's why it comes as such a shock when the phone rings the next morning and he wakes up to discover a lovely stranger named Becky (Julia Stiles) in bed next to him with no clothes on.
Worse: His mother-in-law-to-be is the one who is calling.
Even worse: She tells him Karen is on her way over.
Paul zooms into frantic action, shooing Becky out the door and desperately trying to rid the apartment of any evidence of wrongdoing - even though he can't remember doing anything wrong. When Karen does arrive and asks him how the bachelor party went, Paul tells a teensy lie to cover up what may or may not be the truth. That teensy lie turns into a bigger one, and soon Paul's life is a series of comical misunderstandings. Paul gets trapped in an ever-escalating comedy of errors with no apparent way out - except up the aisle.
When a guy decides he's ready to make a commitment, how does he know he's making the right one? It's amazing how much can change because of one little thing - A Guy Thing.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures presents a David Ladd Films production of A Guy Thing, a comedy starring Jason Lee, Julia Stiles, Selma Blair, James Brolin, Shawn Hatosy, Lochlyn Munro, and Julie Hagerty. Directed by Chris Koch, the screenplay is by Greg Glienna & Pete Schwaba and Matt Tarses & Bill Wrubel, the story by Greg Glienna. A Guy Thing was produced by David Ladd and David Nicksay. The talented roster of filmmakers includes director of photography Robbie Greenberg, production designer Dan Davis, film editor David Moritz, costume designer Pamela Withers, music supervisor Maureen Crowe, and composer Mark Mothersbaugh.
A few years ago, producer David Ladd was looking for a smart, fun comedy he could develop and produce through his deal with MGM Pictures. He knew he'd found his next project when he received a script from writer Greg Glienna called A Guy Thing. Glienna had written the hit film Meet the Parents. Ladd says, "I felt very lucky to be able to get his next effort.
"I took it to MGM," he continues, "and the studio immediately responded with the same enthusiasm. "
Explaining his affinity for the material, Ladd says, "I really respond to character-driven pieces, whether it's comedy, drama, action or horror. In this story, Paul's character is put through the wringer, and his choices and misadventures drive the action. Becky and Karen's reactions then spin it in different directions. All three characters are very well defined, and that's what makes the comedy so strong. There's a broad feeling to the comedy in many places, but the cast's conviction and strength as actors keep it based in reality and make the comedy even funnier. The audience enjoys seeing what's happening to them, and can't wait to find what's going to happen next. "
Once MGM was on board, screenwriters Greg Glienna & Pete Schwaba and Matt Tarses & Bill Wrubel worked to sharpen the story and further define the characters. The writers' combined efforts helped to streamline the action and punch up the humor and wit. "We wrote and rewrote until we got to the point where everybody was happy with the script," says Ladd. "We wanted to make sure we were completely confident in the material before we shot one frame of film. "
In searching for a director, Ladd was happy to discover that Chris Koch, who previously directed the family comedy Snow Day, was interested in the project. "Chris is truly a funny man," says Ladd, "and we were thrilled to have him come aboard. He literally wakes up in the morning thinking comedy, and I've actually never known anyone like that. "
Upon reading A Guy Thing, Koch was immediately enthusiastic and interested in directing. "I first read the script almost a year ago on an airplane," says Koch. "I liked it so much I used my credit card to make one of those eight-dollar airplane phone calls to my agent to say, 'Get me on this movie. '
"The script really got me," he continues, "because the 'moment to moment' beats are so funny. I felt it was all relevant to real life, to the kinds of things people actually go through. It was also really poignant and seemed to nail a lot of the 'guy moments' I remember experiencing myself when I was getting married. "
"What we all decided," Ladd elaborates, "is that Jason Lee's character, Paul, is a guy who had gotten on the conveyor belt of life and is willing to just do the expected thing instead of taking chances and truly living his life. "
"Paul's a guy who's just going through the motions," continues Koch. "He's got the girl; he's got the job. Everything is according to plan. But he's also on autopilot, just watching his life unfold, and he's not quite comfortable with that. That's a theme the audience can identify with. When you get married or go through a big life change, you are theoretically seeing what the rest of your life may be. It can be scary. "
Producer David Nicksay was brought in to handle the day-to-day aspects of production. "Nicksay and I had been trying to work together for quite a while," says Ladd. "He brings a lot to the table, and our duties and responsibilities cross quite a bit. "
Explaining his attraction to the project, Nicksay says, "The script was so funny and such an accurate reflection of people in real-life, I embraced it immediately. Also, Chris Koch is one of the most talented comedy directors going. I instantly responded to his vision and point of view. "
In casting A Guy Thing, the filmmakers secured an exciting trio of young, talented performers as their leads: Jason Lee, Julia Stiles, and Selma Blair. For his part, Jason Lee jumped at the chance to play Paul. He says he was impressed with Koch's interpretation of the story because it seemed original and different. "I was really encouraged when I met Chris," Lee says. "He said, 'Believe me, this is going to be different. We're going to make it more realistic, add some sincerity to it, and make a fresh, atypical romantic comedy. '
"What I also liked," continues Lee, "was the idea of being able to concentrate on the reality of the situations and the subtle comedy within that. "
Stiles says she was drawn to the project on the strength of the writing as well as her desire to explore a new genre. "I really wanted to do a comedy," she says, "but most comedies aren't well-written. As I was reading this script, however, I couldn't put it down. I was laughing hysterically. Comedy is really different and difficult and it's something that I'm still trying to figure out, so I figured every day would be a great challenge. "
Stiles also felt she could relate to the story. "Everybody's had the experience of being caught in a lie," she says, "a lie they had to keep exaggerating and keep going. I thought that was a great premise for a movie. "
Selma Blair, who plays Karen in the film, was impressed with the chemistry that developed between the players at such an early stage of the production. "We had a few days of rehearsals," she says, "and by the second day we just were cracking up all the time. I knew it was going to be good…really good. I was so happy. "
And in filling out the ensemble cast, an impressive collection of supporting players was assembled, from David Koechner and Julie Hagerty to James Brolin, Diana Scarwid, Thomas Lennon, Shawn Hatosy and Jackie Burroughs. The filmmakers were thrilled with their luck in filling the roles. "If you cast well," says Ladd, "you tell a story that much better and have a better chance of making a successful film. We paid very meticulous attention to casting, and we're very proud of the end result. "
"If these parts come out of who these people are, if we allow them to play characters that come very naturally to them, then I have to do less directing," says Koch. "That's why we spent considerable time getting wonderful actors. We also wanted players who could improv well. When that works, it gives the comedy a great feeling of spontaneity. "
The Characters
Because the director was intent upon keeping A Guy Thing a character-driven story, the contribution of the actors to the development of their screen characters was of paramount importance. Chris Koch was very open to input from his cast, and the actors were encouraged to fine-tune their characters and get to know them inside and out. In the end, each character underwent a subtle metamorphosis, expanding upon what was written and giving them a realistic, dimensional quality.
In discussing his character, Jason Lee agrees with the filmmakers that Paul is a young man not living up to his own innermost expectations. "Paul is actually more of a creative person than he realizes," says Lee. "He has things he'd like to do that he won't even admit to himself, things that represent who he really is at heart. "
It's the same with his love life. Paul is getting married because it's the next logical step in his relationship with Karen - but is Karen really the one he should be with? "Karen is very much the epitome of the upper middle class," says Lee. "Everything has to be perfect. The wedding has to be perfect. So Karen must be perfect, right?" The movie has a lot of fun trying to answer that question.
This was Lee's first time as the lead in a major feature film, but everyone was impressed with how he handled the pressure. "Working with Jason just blew me away," says Koch. "He was so into the process. He was always there. Since he wants to direct one day, he's very fascinated with the whole filmmaking procedure. There was a real enthusiasm, which also came through in his performance.
"Everyone kept thinking of him as sort of a young Jimmy Stewart," Koch continues. "He's affable, he's likable, and he has great physical comedy ability and great facial expressions. Emotionally, he would nail every beat in a scene. It made my job very easy to work with someone like Jason. "
"Jason is in nearly every scene, and he really had quite a load to carry," says Nicksay. "He had to be somebody the audience could identify with, but he also had to be funny. As an actor, Jason is extremely accessible, but he's also slightly off center, so laugh at him and with him at the same time. Not many people have that quality. "
Selma Blair was pretty impressed with Lee's stamina. "He had to hang from a tree in the freezing weather in his socks," she says. "Then he had to wear a wire and explain to me why he couldn't sleep with me while I crawled all over him. He's been in almost every scene, but he always seems fresh. He's a complete trooper. "
Lee really enjoyed working with Blair, and really felt an easy sense of camaraderie with her. "Selma is not ultra-serious," says Lee, "and that's the best way to do it. In a comedy, once you get too serious, you just drag everything down. "
He had a great time acting opposite Julia Stiles as well. "She has a very natural, dry kind of wit," says Lee, "and I loved that. She takes the character in quite a different direction than what the script might lead you to expect. "
Julia Stiles plays Becky, Karen's cousin and the unexpected object of Paul's growing affection. In describing Stiles' character, producer Ladd says, "I love Becky. At first she comes across as this scattered, unfocused ditz, then you find out she's probably the most grounded and intuitive of the bunch. Becky is the catalyst for the awakening Paul goes through, and she helps him really look at his life for perhaps the first time. As an actress, Julia has a natural wisdom and groundedness that really helped bring all that to the surface. "
Stiles found her character really interesting. "Becky's good at judging other people," Stiles says, "but she's not really good at making decisions about her own life. Still, she keeps trying new things. That's one of the things I love most about Becky. She determined to live every day to the fullest. She tries different jobs, different things. She sees Jason's character getting worked up about everything, and she's like 'Relax! Life is good. ' As a result, Becky becomes the only one Paul can really relax around. "
"Becky is an amazing influence on Paul," agrees Lee. "She pushes him and says things to intentionally make him think about himself. "
And while Paul and Becky are busy trying to keep themselves out of trouble, Blair's Karen has only one thing on her mind: getting married. Blair had fun exploring her character and her pursuit of the perfect wedding day. Although it might appear that Karen is missing some rather obvious signs that something is up with Paul, Blair says Karen's oversight is due to her preoccupation with the impending nuptials. "I don't think Karen is dim," Blair says. "She's the kind of girl that always dreamed about her wedding. This is her fairy tale and she's making it happen. This is a lovely man she's about to marry, and she's just completely blinded by all the plans, making sure she has the right flowers on the table and everything. "
"Karen knows something's wrong," continues Koch. "She just doesn't know what. Paul walks around with bits of tree bark hanging off his sweater, has a cut over his eye, he misses the entire rehearsal dinner - she gets angry about these things but can't quite put it together until the end. Karen is definitely oblivious to a lot, but Selma portrayed that in a way that was really likable. She's an amazing comedienne. "
Blair had met Lee a few times before they even knew they'd be doing a film together, and she says she liked him the minute they were introduced. "We have the same sense of humor," she says, "joking around and doing impressions of people. As early as the camera test, we were hitting each other, doing pratfalls and all that goofy stuff. We had a lot of fun. "
Speaking of fun, over and over people involved with the film give credit to director Koch for building a very happy and creative atmosphere on set. Producer Ladd recalls how impressed he was with Koch during the filming process. "I was absolutely wowed by him," says Ladd. "He's one of the most prepared directors I've ever worked with. He knew exactly what he was going to do over the course of the day. But he also allowed his performers the freedom to create stuff on their own as well. It's a juggling act to make sure it doesn't get out of hand, but he did a great job. "
Julia Stiles gives Koch a great deal of credit for his innate comedic instincts. "Chris has a really great sense of comedy. If you come into work and you're tired, he's so funny that he gets the energy going. That's important when you're shooting for days on end. I had a lot of fun with him. "
Blair says, "Chris was such a blessing. He's the most encouraging director I've ever worked with. He never lost control, yet never seemed to lead us too strongly. He was so trusting of us, and we trusted him in return. "
In addition to the three leads, the ensemble cast was composed of some of the industry's leading comic and dramatic actors. In addition to David Koechner and Julie Hagerty as Paul's parents, James Brolin and Diana Scarwid play the harried father and mother of the bride, and Thomas Lennon plays Paul's brother Pete, none-too-secretly smitten with the bride himself. Shawn Hatosy plays Paul's amiable buddy Jim, while elderly Aunt Budge was played by veteran Canadian actress Jackie Burroughs.
Nicksay found the ensemble-at-large a crucial part of making the filming process so highly enjoyable. "It can be a lot of fun when great comedy minds get together and apply themselves to a project," says Nicksay. "There's a lot of chemistry that happens. It was absolutely a ball to be on the set. "
These combined talents are perhaps seen to their best advantage during the rehearsal dinner scene at Buck and Dorothy's condo where the diners succumb to a suspiciously potent gravy. Filming that scene brought to light some spectacular improvisational skills, and both the filmmakers and crew found it very difficult to keep from laughing out loud during the takes.
James Brolin's unexpected flair for wackiness proved a particular delight for both participants and observers. Throwing himself completely into the role of a reserved man suddenly becoming very uninhibited, he helped set the tone for the general gravy-inspired mayhem.
David Ladd recalls his reaction to Brolin's performance with considerable pleasure. "My God, was he funny!" he says. "It's not the James Brolin we're used to seeing. He's just a riot. "
Nicksay says, "I've admired Brolin's work for many years, but never imagined he could be as outrageously funny as he is in some of these scenes. "
Guy Things
As a result of the film's title, discussions of the quirks connected with male behavior patterns often occurred during filming. Asked to define what she might consider to be a "guy thing," Julia Stiles says it's all about food.
"There's something about men when they get hungry, " laughs Stiles. "They have this severe drop in blood sugar. My dad does it. My grandfather did it. Every boyfriend I've ever had does it. You can be talking and having a good time, and all of a sudden it's 'I'm hungry. I'm hungry. I need food. Make me a sandwich now. ' They get this tunnel vision thing where they must find food. "
Jason Lee, on the other hand, insists that he doesn't actually subscribe to any typical male behavior. "I lead a totally unorthodox lifestyle," says Lee. "I don't watch TV so I don't sit with the remote control and drink beer. I don't eat TV dinners. I don't watch sports, I don't leave the seat up, and I'm not afraid to ask for directions. "
Shawn Hatosy admits to having a few male foibles: "I play video games. I can debate with my girlfriend for hours about why it's okay for me to sit there and play a video game for six hours straight or watch football. These are the things I get accused of constantly. "
James Brolin admits to never asking for directions and to being an inveterate channel surfer. The former habit had potentially serious consequences at one point. "I actually found myself in a situation years ago when I was flying an airplane and wouldn't ask directions. You're flying and you know you're in a little bit of trouble, but you won't get on the radio and ask for help. "
The relevance of this film's theme couldn't be more timely, according to Chris Koch. "You hear a lot of guys lately talking about their genetic wiring," he says, "because we've discovered more about genes and genomes and how we're built. There have been a lot of documentaries on PBS and the Discovery Channel on this subject. You see, we're programmed to do some of these things. It's just the way men are. Guys watching with their girlfriends are saying 'This is it, this is what I'm supposed to do. I can't help it. '
"Of course, a lot of women respond by saying 'That's bullshit,'" he laughs.
