3.2 /10 1 Votes
20% Rotten Tomatoes Directed by Kevin Pollak Initial release 30 September 2016 Music director Walter Murphy | 5.2/10 IMDb 1/4 Roger Ebert Music by Walter Murphy Director Kevin Pollak | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Produced by Heidi Jo Markel
Raphael Kryszek
Jesse Israel Written by Gary Rosen
Joe Nussbaum
Paul A. Kaplan
Mark Torgove
Kyle Cooper
Austyn Jeffs Based on Man Made: A Memoir of My Body
by Ken Baker Starring Johnny Simmons
Maria Bello
Brittany Snow
Jane Lynch
J. K. Simmons
Kumail Nanjiani
Beck Bennett
Paul Wesley Screenplay Joe Nussbaum, Mark Torgove, Paul A. Kaplan, Kyle Cooper, Austyn Jeffs Producers Heidi Jo Markel, Raphael Kryszek, Jesse Israel Cast Brittany Snow, J K Simmons, Johnny Simmons, Paul Wesley, Maria Bello Similar At Last - at Last, The Graduate, My Blind Brother, The Edge of Seventeen, Late Bloomers Profiles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Late Bloomer is an American comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Pollak and written by Gary Rosen, Joe Nussbaum, Paul A. Kaplan & Mark Torgove, and Kyle Cooper & Austyn Jeffs. It is based on journalist Ken Baker's autobiographical Man Made: A Memoir of My Body. It stars Johnny Simmons, Maria Bello, Brittany Snow, Jane Lynch, J. K. Simmons, Kumail Nanjiani, Beck Bennett and Paul Wesley.
Contents
The film had its world premiere at the San Diego Film Festival on September 30, 2016. The film was scheduled to be released in a limited release and through video on demand on October 7, 2016, by Momentum Pictures.
The film was met with general dislike, the Hollywood Reporter saying that while Johnny Simmons fits his role perfectly, many secondary actors such as J.K. Simmons, Jane Lynch, Laraine Newman, Illeana Douglas, Maria Bello and Brian Doyle-Murray have fun in their stereotypical roles, but J.K. Simmons and Maria Bello, in particular, seem severely overqualified for their roles.
Plot
Dr. Peter Newmans (Johnny Simmons) is a 27 year old sex therapist who lives a quiet life alone, silently crushing on his pretty neighbour, Michelle (Brittany Snow). He is known for being a very non-sexual person, comically because he wrote a book about how sex is not a necessity. Michelle breaks up with her workaholic boyfriend, and Peter uses this time to comfort her. Michelle, feeling vulnerable, kisses Peter. He lies and says he has a headache, when really he is a virgin and feels uncomfortable in sexual situations. The next day, Peter's friends (Kumail Nanjiani and Beck Bennett) stop by his apartment and force him to go to their weekend basketball game. It is here that Peter gets hit in the groin and sent to the ER. During his checkup, doctors notice Peter's abnormally small genitalia. An MRI is ordered for Peter and it's revealed that he has a benign tumour inside his brain, causing his delay in puberty. Peter, overly happy about the news that he is not a "freak," insists that a procedure is done to take the tumour out immediately. Peter stays with his parents (J.K. Simmons and Maria Bello) during his recovery, who are quite eccentric. It his here that Peter gets his first erection, and his borderline sex addiction begins. While it is good for Peter that he can now have sex, he also experiences other symptoms of puberty, such as mood swings and bad acne. After finally getting a date with Michelle, he blows it by acting like a horrible person towards her. Peter becomes depressed and tries to receive oral sex from one of his patients, but is caught and subsequently fired by his boss (Jane Lynch). Peter is forced to come to terms with his realities, and has a heart to heart with his father over what it means to "be a man." Upon further reflection of his anti-sex book, Peter determines that you should have all the (consensual) sex possible, and society should cease to sex-shame individuals because "it's awesome." Eventually, Peter gets to apologize to Michelle, and they live happily ever after.
Production
Alcon Entertainment acquired the film rights to the journalist Ken Baker's autobiographical book Man Made: A Memoir of My Body in 2008 and a script by Gary Rosen. The Late Bloomer project was first announced in January 2010, when Alcon was developing the film based on the true story of Baker, who went through his puberty in three weeks at the age of 27. The delaying of his puberty and normal development was caused by a benign tumor in his brain. At that time Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson were attached as producers, and studio was re-imagining the film into the comedy by hiring Joe Nussbaum to write a new draft of the script.
In October 2012, it was announced that the film was to be directed by Randall Einhorn and would star Elijah Wood. The script had been written by Joe Nussbaum, and rewritten by Paul A. Kaplan & Mark Torgove. The film would be produced by Jesse Israel of Ineffable Pictures, and Brent Emery of Coup d'Etat Films, with financing by Dignity Film Finance.
In May 2015, it was announced that the film was now to be directed by Kevin Pollak, who would make his narrative debut. Raphael Kryszek and Israel would produce the film for Ineffable, along with Heidi Jo Markel for Eclectic. In August 2015, a new cast was announced, including Johnny Simmons in the lead role of sex therapist Dr. Peter Newmans, whose experiences would mirror those of Baker in real life. Jane Lynch would play Caroline, head of the office where he works, Maria Bello and J. K. Simmons his parents, Brittany Snow the girl he pursues, and Beck Bennett, Kumail Nanjiani, and Blake Cooper his friends. Other cast members would include Paul Wesley, Ken Marino, Illeana Douglas, Charlotte McKinney, Vanessa Ragland, and Lenora Crichlow. The latest draft of the film was revealed to have been written by Kyle Cooper and Austyn Jeffs, and Conor Charles was announced as co-producer.
Filming
Principal photography on the film began in late August 2015 in Los Angeles, and wrapped up in Bulgaria on September 5, 2015.
Release
In April 2016, Momentum Pictures acquired U.S distribution rights to the film. It had its world premiere at the San Diego Film Festival on September 30, 2016. It was scheduled to be released in a limited release and through video on demand on October 7, 2016.