'God Bless America' Movie Set for World Release
The Toronto International Film Festival hit “God Bless America” has been sold to Magnolia Pictures’ label Magnet, and will hit select U.S. theaters next year.
The Bobcat Goldthwait-directed “God Bless America” premiered Friday at the film festival during the Midnight Madness program, and has been compared to the film “Natural Born Killers,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The dark comedy, starring Joel Murray and Tara Lynn Barr, follows a desperate man who partners with a 16-year-old boy to embark on a killing spree of those he regards as “useless” and “stupid” members of society.
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Marl Olsen of the L.A. Times said that “God Bless America” is an “oddball road-trip comedy crossed with a furious social critique.”
“God Bless America” was both written and directed by Goldthwait, who also helmed films “Sleeping Dogs Lie” and “Shake The Clown.”
The film is a Darko Entertainment production, and is the second collaboration between Goldthwait, Darko, and Magnolia/Magnet, who also released 2009’s “World’s Greatest Dad” starring Robin Williams.
“I’m a big fan of all of Bobcat’s films, and very excited to be collaborating with him again,” said Magnolia/Magnet President Eamonn Bowles in a statement. “’God Bless America’ is the revenge fantasy to end all revenge fantasies. It’s a brilliant skewering of all that’s despicable in American pop culture and it’s his funniest film to date.”
Also in a statement, Goldthwait said that he shares the production company’s enthusiasm about the film collaboration.
The director said, “I’m very excited to be working with Eamonn again, we share the same vision especially when it comes to who should be getting shot in the face hypothetically.”
“God Bless America” will be released in 2012 through Magnolia’s Ultra VOD program, and will be in a limited number of theaters in North America.
Magnet’s acquisitions at the Toronto International Film Festical also included the rights to “Goon,” starring Seann William Scott and Jay Baruchel, to be released next year.
