One of the most enjoyable perks in film journalism is getting to talk to creative individuals about their work. On this site we’ve been fortunate enough to meet with numerous storytellers; we love taking deep dives with the talent at hand to find what inspires them. Some of the best interviews are ones that yield behind-the-scenes stories, triumphs and lessons learned. All in all, the road to bring any production to the public is a long one – but it can certainly be fun. And that’s why people in film consider the work an all-or-nothing pursuit.
Last week, we had a kitchen sink discussion with Alden Ehrenreich. He’s been working for close to two decades, and in 2018 he made the jump to lightspeed playing a younger version of cinema’s beloved scruffy-looking nerf herder. Beyond a sly smile and blaster, he’s got plenty to offer the universe. The American actor is more than a rising star; he’s a triple threat who has added “writer” and “director” to his impressive list of credits.
Ehrenreich has learned a lot by working with some of cinema’s all-time greats. Discovered by Spielberg, a two-time Coppola veteran, he’s worked with the Coen Brothers, Ron Howard and Christopher Nolan. Now, just barely in his mid-30s, he’s shifting efforts to work behind the camera as well as in front of it and has hit the entertainment world hard writing, directing and starring in Shadow Brother Sunday. He also created the poster art for his new film…look out Eastwood, here comes Ehrenreich.
Shadow Brother Sunday is a stunning debut effort, and it allows Ehrenreich to hit two specific targets: tell something that is entirely about character – to get deep into their psyche – and be a work of his own creation. His short film is competent and composed, chaotic and claustrophobic. And that’s tough to do in 15 minutes. Moreover, each succeeding minute ramps up tension and stakes to a boiling point. And then? And then?? Well, it reminds me of the ending of William Friedkin’s Sorcerer. Or for those who haven’t seen that…it’s like being in quicksand while falling off a cliff. *Cue that meme of Jon Stewart eating popcorn.*
To help him get to the end of such an impacting and impressive road, Alden had the backing of Vanishing Angle, specifically eagle-eyed producer/director Natalie Metzger. As soon as she finished reading the script, she was hooked and knew their team needed to help make this.
As is the process in film production, what you see can, many times, be far from how it started. Ehrenreich had different ideas for how Shadow Brother Sunday would play out – what began as a 28-page script got fine-tuned and he offers a lot of praise to Metzger for being there through it all.
In part a Cain & Abel type story, Ehrenreich shares the screen with some top drawer talent all suited to their parts. Justified‘s Nick Searcy is the tough paternal figure who has had it with Cole’s unfailing “why not me?” demeanor and attitude. Cole’s life hasn’t turned out how he wanted which is likely his own doing. And instead of getting out of his own way and accepting responsibility, it’s implied, rather bluntly, that he wants the world to know how unfair life has been to him.
Their brief scene is juxtaposed perfectly against House M.D.‘s Lisa Edelstein as the coddling mother who clearly shows favoritism to young Jacob – this goes far beyond his recent rise to fame as an actor getting a big break in a huge movie.
And hat tip to Nick Robinson who deftly handles the stress of being at a breaking point in his career: gaining notoriety and clearly not used to nor capable of handling it. He yearns for the simpler time with his brother before any real world issues drove a wedge between them, and the family.
Additionally, the success of the film really goes out to all parties including the pair of expert editors, composer Brian McOmber, Alden’s acting coach, and others. He even credits his Mom…take note people, that’s class right there.
As Natalie puts it, “there is so much texture, nuance and humanity that we just had to help bring this story to life.“
While this is a short, it was no small task. Sure, you have all the same tradespeople doing what they would if this were a feature. But Alden went deep, and so much so that he held in-depth rehearsals to create authentic connections to the cast as if they were family living through these experiences, not just acting.
You only get a glimpse of these characters but in a millisecond know who they are, and understand where they are in life. Maybe this hits too close to home for some, but it’s a snapshot into a much larger slice of life. Shadow Brother Sunday is just the visible peak of the familial drama. It’s an iceberg for sure, which is cracking, and it’s poised to get worse than ever.
One bit of inside acting info is how Alden approached his character. A pivotal point in the film is early on where Cole asks Jacob for money. The former has fallen on continually hard times while the latter is navigating ascendancy to fame. There’s tangible tension which Alden nails with literal and palpable anxiety and difficulty.
Last time we caught up with Natalie, we were discussing the trio of shorts her production company had on the festival circuit (this included) as well as It Ain’t Over which is their celebrated Yogi Berra doc. Together, the two tag-teamed Shadow Brother Sunday and the results are, well, there’s a reason all the trades are buzzing about this.
Through it all, Alden has learned more about the process to find his groove. It’s not often that shorts wow audiences at this level, but this will stick with you. And on repeat viewings, you’ll find different ways to interpret each actor’s portrayal and their delivery.
As mentioned above, we truly enjoy chatting with people about their passions. Now that the SAG-AFTRA strike is over, Alden and Natalie were able to let their hair down. But make no mistake, they have their eyes focused on the horizon and we can’t wait to hear the stories they want to tell. This was real, it was fun, and it was real fun. Enjoy!!
An unlucky musician returns back home on the day of his younger brother’s movie premiere to steal and sell his computer to the paparazzi.
