The Tender Bar is the newest film in Amazon Studios‘ ever-growing library of original films. It is a tender and warm coming-of-age tale, based on the acclaimed autobiographical book by J.R. Moehringer. The Illuminerdi had the opportunity to be a part of The Tender Bar’s Virtual press conference, in which Tyler Sheridan and Daniel Ranieri discuss what it was like playing the same character at different ages.
***The Tender Bar Spoiler Alert***
The scene [where young J.R (Ranieri) and young adult J.R. (Sheridan) have a confronting conversation] wasn’t in the original screenplay. It was an idea that George Clooney had been playing around with for The Tender Bar film. He came to Sheridan 3 to 4 weeks into production with the scene.
Here is what Daniel Ranieri and Tyler Sheridan had to say about their approach to portraying the same character at a different age:
We didn’t really get to work too closely together, there was a lot of overlaps, where we were shooting on the same day. We often had lunch together, so we got to know each other a little bit off-camera.”
Tyler Sheridan
“The same thing, me and you had like lunch together in your trailer sometimes off-set and it was just great. Me and Tye actually have a relationship in real life now and I love him so much, he is like a big brother. The scene that we got together was just great, the way George made it up was just impeccable.
Daniel Ranieri
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Here is what screenwriter William Monahan had to say about the difficulties of adapting the book for the screen:
“Well here is the thing, you are looking at a 400 pages long book and you’ve got to bring it in on around 115 or 120 pages. If you would have done a staright adaptation of the book you would have the kid, the teenager and the young adult and so, one of those had to go. It had to be the teenager I guess, by trying to make the young boy work with the college kid was the way to go.
The book itself is just a mind of riches and I grew up the same time, I think J.R. is three or 4 years younger than me, so we did the same think: we were both journalist in New York at the same time. I came from the same sort of background with the same type of tough irish uncles. It suited me to the ground, but it was a great challenge, because a lot of people love the book and you don’t want to screw up.”
Here is what Lily Rabe had to say about the inspiration for her character:
“Obviously the script. The memoir, like [William Monahan] said it was sort of a mind of richness. It’s dedicated to his mother and there were so many beautiful things that i sort of could fill my suitcase with, before showing up to shooting. I had a very wonderful mother, she is very different form Dorothy, but she was so brilliant to sort of point me in the direction and show me there is so much life to be had, there is so much oppurtunity of joy. [..} That was such a remarkable quality of my mother, that I hope I could bring to the character.”
Here is what Christopher Lloyd is looking for when it comes to accepting projects:
“I read the script for the first time and try to see if I find something to connect with, that other people can also connect with, if I do it right. Otherwise what is the point?”.
About The Tender Bar
The Tender Bar tells the story of J.R. (Tye Sheridan), a fatherless boy growing up in the glow of a bar where the bartender, his Uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck), is the sharpest and most colorful of an assortment of quirky and demonstrative father figures. As the boy’s determined mother (Lily Rabe) struggles to provide her son with opportunities denied to her — and leave the dilapidated home of her outrageous if begrudgingly supportive father (Christopher Lloyd) — J.R. begins to gamely, if not always gracefully, pursue his romantic and professional dreams — with one foot persistently placed in Uncle Charlie’s bar. The Tender Bar is based on the best-selling memoir of the same name by J.R. Moehringer. [Amazon Prime Video]
Amazon has released the George Clooney directed and produced film in select theatres already and will begin streaming on Prime Video on January 7, 2022.
The Tender Bar is written by William Monahan and directed by George Clooney. It stars Tyler Sheridan, Lily Rabe, Ben Affleck, Briana Middleton, Christopher Lloyd, Max Martini and introducing Daniel Ranieri.
What do you guys think? Are you interested in the film? Have you seen it already? If so how did you like it? Let’s discuss everything in the comments down below and on our Social Media.
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