The pulpy, gritty indie landed on DVD last week, but what MacDowell's been up to in the rest of 2010 -- remaking Footloose with director Craig Brewer, shooting unaired episodes of the doomed Lone Star for Fox, and apparently more than a few sleepless nights -- proved just as worthy of discussion with Movieline, which spoke to her earlier this week.
So I watched As Good as Dead, which is like this urban thriller meets Southern gothic meets Hitchcock meets... I could keep going. What was your take on the genre hybrids -- and where you fit in?
I have to tell you: For me, it was an opportunity to do something I had never done before, and to play a very unusual character. There are very few characters, too -- it was a very character-driven story, so that was a lot of fun. I'm not usually a big fan of something so dark, so it was an interesting experience for me.
You have to also play the role with burn make-up over half your face. Definitely not a way we've ever seen you? Were you apprehensive about your appearance?
No, I was actually looking forward to that. Every day, we had to put the scar on -- which was time-consuming, but it was fun to play a character who wasn't considered beautiful. For me, that was more interesting than playing someone where it was about their beauty. It was interesting to play an imperfect person.
Well, she's a beautiful woman who is scarred. How, if at all, did it impact your psychology -- seeing yourself in the mirror, knowing what's gone on in her life?
It just added to the darkness of the performance -- being able to have the opportunity to change like that. Walking with a limp was interesting; the conservative clothes, the limp, the scar and all of it were interesting pieces of her transformation.
There's something a little... off about the mother-son relationship in this film. Something unnatural.
Oh, that's true.
What kind of back story did you attribute to Helen and Jake?
You know, we came up with some concepts -- nothing concrete. I think they lived a highly dysfunctional life. I would say insanity -- that kind of group mentality that is insane and driven by fear and complete darkness and potentially some... disturbing relationship between them. It could be there. It could be there. But definitely family dysfunction.
Frank Whaley's character is so monstrous in this, yet he's also the source of some truly effective dark humor. Or am I just sick?
No, no, I think you're right.
How important is it to have a guy like that bringing that kind of levity to a shoot as grueling as this looked?
Frank's performance is what everybody was feeding off of. I know I was. I mean, not to take away from what Cary had to do; he was strung up the whole time, and miserable. That was a very difficult job. But I don't know. I think everyone was feeding off of Frank's leadership; the journey of the movie was there, I think. At least for me.
If I may change the subject, December marks the 20th anniversary of Green Card, which, along with another of your films, Four Weddings and a Funeral, was one of the last modern romantic comedies to receive serious awards-season consideration. What's happened to the genre's prestige since then, and what do you think might restore it?
That's an interesting question. First, I want you to tell me, because you're a movie critic, what you think, because I'm fascinated by the question. Can we have an open dialogue about this rather than just make me answer it?
Absolutely. I think there's a formula there--
Do you think they're not doing as well now? You know more about the business right now than I do.
Some are more underrated than others. I actually liked The Proposal.
So is it that they're not the big hits they used to be?
No, they're often huge hits. The Proposal made a fortune. I guess I'm wondering what happened to the acclaim they found among critics and awards voters.
So they lost their substance.
Yeah, maybe that's it.
I think a lot of times what happens in the business -- especially in scary times like this -- is that people worry too much about success. They have so much money tied to success, and a lot of times, creatively, we suffer. I think when the economy is in a safer place, maybe, people don't worry so much about making money, and they really take the time to tell good stories. I don't know if that has something to do with it.
And a lot of times it's the wrong formula. I learned that from [writer-director] Peter Weir more than anybody else, because I remember when he was making Green Card. He was very concerned about the testing. He didn't like that process at all. He was old school. He believed in writing a great script, directing a great movie, and making it yours and not listening to a formula. Right now they test everything, and they have formulas. And they can lose the craft of great writing and great directing that way. That's what I think. I think if you're constantly trying to please some sort of speculative audience, you lose creativity. That's what Peter Weir believed, and I think he's right.
Are there any contemporary romantic comedies that you think get it right?
Oh, my God, would you help me here? I don't go to enough movies. And I didn't sleep very well last night. I'm going through menopause, and it's been tough.
I'm sorry!
It's not something you're going to have to suffer with, but let me tell you, it's not a lot of fun.
I'll take your word for it.
Let's see, what are some good... My kids probably go to all the romantic comedies now.
There was (500) Days of Summer. Did you see that?
I didn't see it.
The Proposal was underrated, seriously.
Those are two I need to go see, I guess.
Indeed. Can I ask you about this remake of Footloose you're doing? Craig Brewer is directing. What can you tell me about your participation?
Well, I can tell you that I was there watching, and from what I saw, it's going to be a genius piece of work. Craig is a great director. He has an enormous amount of energy. I've worked with a lot of good directors, and he really knows... I mean, I just think it's the perfect genre for him. The kids are wonderful, enthusiastic, giving 200 percent. I loved watching them work. My daughter is a dancer, and she's taken lessons from Kenny [Wormald, the film's lead]. He's the nicest person you could possibly meet. And Julianne is gorgeous, and they're both just incredible. They're both great dancers; that's the fun part. These kids can really dance. I think it's going to be a wonderful updated version of a great movie.
Were you a fan of the original?
I loved the original film. And I watched it recently, and it's still beautiful. But there are some things in it that are very obviously not up to date. It's not present. And I think there's an opportunity here to make a fun, contemporary movie. It's a great genre -- the dance, the music, the kids. I know you'd stop and think, "Well, does this really work today? In our society?" And it does. It does work today in our society. There are a lot of people with a lot of fear out there, and [some people] can all of the sudden turn one little thing into something and use it to make people scared -- afraid of living. Anyway, I think it's going to be great. Really, it's great for the kids. They're having the time of their life.
It's funny, because Footloose is one of the first films I vividly remember seeing, and Vi Moore -- the Dianne Wiest character you play this time around -- always stuck with me. Everyone else was so keyed up, and then there's the patient preacher's wife who sees all.
It's a small character, but it's a great character. [Brewer] didn't want me to be quite as quiet, and you know... She had her hair pulled back super, super tight. I'm a little bit more believable in this modernized way. But there was also this strength to the character that I really loved, in that she is the one who really sees what's going on and believes in the kids. So that was great.
You also were said to be closing in on a role on Lone Star, weren't you?
I shot a few episodes; I'm not even sure how many I shot. But that was so sad! So sad. Not so much for me; I was just a co-star, and I was brought in later. I hadn't been in the pilot or anything. But the kids did such a good job. They worked so hard, and this was their Big Deal. It was slated to be such a big hit! Everybody was so excited about it -- and I think they were shocked when it fell apart so quickly like that. I was enjoying working with a great cast, and they were getting really great directors. But my heart goes out mostly to the crew, because there were a lot of people who were really depending on it. And that must have been devastating. They were so sure it was going to do well! Everybody had such high hopes. Everyone will go on and find more jobs, but that's a pretty hard hit for a lot of people's lives.
There were also a lot of fans -- obviously not enough, but still -- who wanted to see the series continue. From what you shot, can you tell them what they would have seen?
Well, I can tell you what I was getting to do that was so much fun: There were two different sides that you saw of me. You would see me with Jon Voight's character; I was an art dealer, very sweet, very kind and soft and female. Just the right person for him to fall in love with, because his wife is dead. Appropriate, and all those things. But then you would see another complete side of me with John -- the boy's father... who... [thinking] I'm telling you: I didn't sleep last night. What's the guy's name from Tennessee?
David Keith?
Oh, I'm so damn tired. Anyway, you would see this really dark person. You know, the con artist. The great thing was that I got to play sweet, kind, soft, and I got to play this completely hard, cold con artist -- in the same episode.
Where was the series headed? Was it going darker? More of a thriller?
All I know is from what little bit I did. I kept asking the writers, but I don't know. I don't know what their final intention was going to be. But one of the sons... I was staying at Jon Voight's house while he's out of town. I'm housesitting, and his son kind of hits on me. That was a beautiful scene. And the kid [Bryce Johnson] that did that scene was phenomenal. He was a little drunk, just really good. I'd have to look at all the names right now, though. I'm telling you: I woke up in the middle of the night and read.
[Top photo: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images]