presents
In Select Theaters and On Demand Friday, March 18th
Clive Owen shines in this irresistible comedy as Walt, a down-on-his luck carpenter tasked with entertaining his eight-year-old son Anthony while Anthony’s mom (Maria Bello) and her new husband are away. But when Walt’s prized toolbox is stolen, a quiet father-and-son weekend turns into an adventure of a lifetime. Aided by an oddball drywall repairman (Patton Oswalt), Walt and Anthony go on a wildly funny search for the thieves—and find something they never imagined: a true family connection. Also featuring performances by Matthew Modine, Robert Forster, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Tim Blake Nelson.
On the heels of his beautiful script for Nebraska, writer/director Bob Nelson brings heart and levity to what might otherwise seem to be a mundane scenario. The estrangement of an alcoholic father and his young son is nothing new, but by adding a religious element to the mix, it makes for a funny and honest look into the innocence of a child’s mind. Clive Owen‘s portrayal of Walt is raw and real. You empathize with his struggle to do right by his son. Speaking of Anthony, St. Vincent prodigy Jaeden Lieberher is, once again, a star. His purity in presence and intention glow as a young boy thrust into religion by his Mother. Caught in between parents of opposite end spectrum, he is an old soul, yet is constantly discovering when it is okay to push social boundaries. Owen and Lieberher are a perfect pairing. Nelson’s script allows both actors to take the reins as the story progresses. Each character has the opportunity to emotionally care for the other in a truly lovely dynamic.
The subtlety of the film is what makes it so successful. In an era of overblown CGI fare, Bob Nelson gives us an honest to goodness family story. The Confirmation is a joy.
The Confirmation Trailer from Saban Films on Vimeo.
In Select Theaters and On Demand Friday, March 18th
ABOUT WRITER/DIRECTOR, BOB NELSON
BOB NELSON is a screenwriter, director, and producer, whose script “Nebraska” was produced in 2013 for Paramount Pictures and directed by Alexander Payne. The film starred Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, and Stacy Keach. It was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay, and received the Best First Screenplay award at the Independent Spirit Awards.
In 2016 Saban Films is releasing Nelson’s directorial debut from his original screenplay, “The Confirmation,” starring Clive Owen, Maria Bello, Patton Oswalt, Matthew Modine, Tim Blake Nelson, Robert Forster, and Stephen Tobolowsky.
The TV pilot he wrote and executed produced for Amazon, “Highston,” has been picked up for a full season and will premiere in 2017. It’s directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, and stars Lewis Pullman, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Chris Parnell, and Curtis Armstrong.
Before screenwriting, Nelson was a journalist, talk radio producer, and wrote for Comedy Central, Fox Television, VH-1, and Bill Nye the Science Guy. Nelson was a performer in the original Bill Nye PBS series, “Bill Nye the Science Guy” and a writer and performer for “Eyes of Nye.”
In the 1990s, Nelson was a cast member, writer, director, and segment producer for the iconic Seattle sketch show, “Almost Live!” on the NBC affiliate KING-TV. The program was named the best local program in the United States for several years and won over 100 Emmys. Nelson received five Emmys for writing and one for performing. Besides a two year run on Comedy Central, “Almost Live!” was twice syndicated nationally.
Nelson was born in Yankton, South Dakota and grew up in the Seattle, Washington area. He currently lives on Whidbey Island, north of Seattle, with his wife Valerie.
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