For a Good Time, Call

Plot

After Lauren is dumped by her boyfriend, she is unable to afford a place of her own. Her old friend Jesse informs her of a beautiful apartment right by Gramercy Park, but does not include the fact that his other friend Katie lives there. During their freshman year of college, Lauren had to drive an inebriated Katie home from a frat party. She accidentally spilled her own urine onto Lauren from an empty slushie container, and was promptly thrown out of the car. Despite their clear disdain for each other, they reluctantly move in together for lack of better options.

One night, Lauren hears strange noises coming from Katie's room. Believing she is being attacked, she opens the door to see Katie is saying sexually explicit things on the phone. Katie explains that her career as a writer does not earn her enough money to live in New York, so she does some work as a phone sex operator. Lauren is disgusted by her roommate's profession, but makes some suggestions to how she could make more money. Several weeks go by, and Lauren loses her job at a publishing company when her boss decides to retire. She encourages Katie to obtain a land line, 1-900-mmmhmmm, and becomes her business manager, as they go into business for themselves, which is much more lucrative. In a few weeks they make $12,000, of which Lauren gets  ¹⁄₃, which increases when she becomes a phone operator herself. In the process of their venture, they become close friends.

Throughout the film, Katie has been speaking with a repeat customer named Sean and the calls become less about phone sex and more about getting to know one another. They agree to meet, but are accompanied by Lauren and Jesse who are concerned that he may be a rapist. However, after Katie and Sean meet they discover that they are very well suited to each other and begin to start a relationship which leaves Katie feeling distressed as it is revealed that she is a virgin and has been lying for many years to cover up her insecurities.

Lauren gets an interview at a prestigious publishing company who earlier rejected her, and Katie convinces her to do the interview so that she can blow them off. Yet once Lauren gets to the interview and admits that she has been running a phone sex line all summer, they offer her the job as they feel she has business savvy. Concerned about her long-term prospects, Lauren accepts the job which angers Katie to the point where she reveals their business to Lauren's conservative parents. Lauren moves out and the girls stop speaking to each other.

Lauren's ex-boyfriend Charlie returns from Italy and declares that he made a mistake in breaking up with her. He reveals that he had a passionate love affair with a fiery Italian woman, but if he is to succeed in his business he needs someone boring, predictable and simple - the same reasons he gave to Lauren for dumping her in the first place. Lauren stands up for herself and leaves Charlie for good. Meanwhile, Katie and Sean decide to have sex and in order to calm their nerves they talk on the phone while lying next to each other in bed. When they were finished Katie feels sad that she can't share this news with Lauren, whom she loves. Sean encourages her to call Lauren, and they declare that they 'think' they love each other.

Lauren and Katie both call each other at the same time, and they engage in a phone conversation full of unintentional innuendo before they meet each other on the street and hug.

Cast

Production

Lauren Miller and Katie Anne Naylon based the script on their real-life experiences as college roommates.

The role of Katie was written specifically for Ari Graynor. Lauren Miller used her performance in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist as the inspiration for writing the character, and wrote Graynor a letter asking her to be involved in the production. The letter made Graynor cry. "I got this letter where they talked about what fans they were of my work and how they felt like I was one of the only people out there who could be both sexy and vulnerable and funny all at the same time," she stated.

Filming took place over 16 days in Los Angeles and New York City with a budget of $1.3 million. Miller and Naylon secured financing for the film independently. Focus Features picked up the film at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival for $2 million. James Schamus, chief executive at Focus, cited the film's 'emotionally generous' appeal and word-of-mouth potential as primary reasons for the acquisition.

Reception

For a Good Time, Call... has received generally mixed reviews. It currently stands at a 55% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. "Brisk, funny, and sweetly raunchy, For a Good Time, Call... adds to the recent string of R-rated female comedies while serving as an overdue coming out party for the charming Ari Graynor," the consensus reads. Entertainment Weekly claimed, "It's Ari Graynor's movie—she's like Kate Hudson possessed by the spirit of Bette Midler. And all the better off for it."

Home media

For a Good Time, Call... was released on DVD and Blu-ray on February 19, 2013. The DVD features an audio commentary by director Jamie Travis, writer Katie Anne Naylon, and stars/producers Lauren Miller and Ari Graynor, five deleted scenes, and a "look inside" featurette.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for the film was released by Lakeshore Records on 28 August 2012.

1. "Back and Forth" – Operator Please
2. "I Promise" – Generationals
3. "Come Alive" – Hanni El Khatib
4. "Stick Together" – Mack Winston & The Reflections
5. "Side Saddle" – People Get Ready
6. "Black Water" – The Dig
7. "By Your Hand" – Los Campesinos!
8. "He Knew" – Chalk & Numbers
9. "Operator" – Mary Wells
10. "Flowers Bloom" – High Highs
11. "Come Come" – Hot as Sun
12. "Black Water" – Timber Timbre