cURL Error #:HTTP/2 stream 1 was not closed cleanly: PROTOCOL_ERROR (err 1){"id":24884,"date":"2022-10-08T12:11:40","date_gmt":"2022-10-08T12:11:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.longisland-ny.com\/2022\/10\/08\/seeking-redemption-in-to-leslie\/"},"modified":"2022-10-08T12:11:44","modified_gmt":"2022-10-08T12:11:44","slug":"seeking-redemption-in-to-leslie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.longisland-ny.com\/2022\/10\/08\/seeking-redemption-in-to-leslie\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeking Redemption In To Leslie"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Tale of alcoholic lottery winner going bust drives this indie film<\/span><\/h3>\n

If the idea that money and success only amplify who you already are, then the profligate and addictive main character who wins a $190,000 lottery prize in the new film To Leslie<\/em> is destined to hit rock bottom rather quickly. Based on a true story drawn from screenwriter Ryan Binaco\u2019s own life, this drama stars Andrea Riseborough (Black Mirror\/Stalin Must Die<\/em>) as the film\u2019s namesake\u2014a working class single mom from Texas with a 14-year-old son who wins this monetary bounty, only to burn through it six years later. A raging alcoholic, she is estranged from her family, has wound up homeless after getting bounced from the run-down motel she was staying in and is trying to desperately reconcile with her now 20-year-old son, James.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Andrea Riseborough plays the namesake of the 2022 film To Leslie
(Image courtesy of Monument Pictures)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Riseborough\u2019s stark and raw performance as someone who can\u2019t get out of her own way is buttressed by a number of other notable cast members\u2019 solid turns including Allison Janney (Mom, Bad Education<\/em>) and Stephen Root (Barry, News Radio<\/em>) as biker couple Nancy and Dutch, who take in James and Lesley at different times. Comedian Marc Maron, who plays Sweeney, also shines as the main character\u2019s future employer and love interest. In a world of working class bikers, construction workers and cowboys deep in the heart of the Lone Star State, Riseborough\u2019s reckless barfly has torched numerous personal bridges and made her a hometown laughingstock, still trying to right her personal ship despite putting on an air of false bravado and indifference. It anchors the filmmaking debut of director Michael Morris, who previously helmed episodes of Billions<\/em> and Better Call Saul<\/em> and drives this script that roped Root and Maron into becoming involved.<\/p>\n

\"\"
From left: Allison Janney (Nancy) and Stephen Root (Dutch) reunite for the first time since working together in The West Wing
(Image courtesy of Monument Pictures)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhat always draws me to a project is the script and this one is great, not good,\u201d Root said. \u201cSecondarily, the people you get to work with. I always wanted to work with Allison Janney since we walked by each other in West Wing<\/em>. [Director] Michael [Morris] is someone I knew socially with his wife Mary [McCormack], I was happy that he was able to see through the nerd comic book boy [that I am] into me being a biker because it was really fun to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Marc Maron\u2019s Sweeney is the employer\/
love interest of Andrea Riseborough\u2019s Leslie
(Image courtesy of Monument Pictures)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maron took a little bit more convincing between his own self-doubt as an actor and the lingering pandemic hangover that found him asking out loud if anyone was going to even care about this domestic drama.
\u201cMichael really was persistent and I really was resistant,\u201d the Jersey City native admitted. \u201cThen I read the script and it definitely was a guy and it wasn\u2019t me. Then I was like, \u2018Why does he want me? There are a million guys who can do this.\u2019 Then he actually enlisted Chelsea Handler, who he knows somehow, to pester me. She\u2019s a lot to be reckoned with. You can\u2019t really say no to Chelsea Handler. Michael convinced me that he appreciated certain qualities I could bring to this [role] from watching my show Maron<\/em>. Also, I knew if I wanted to do acting and not get typecast, I\u2019d have to take chances. I then said, \u2018Okay man. I believe that you believe, so I\u2019ll go along with it.\u2019 It worked out. It was a great experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 19 days it took to film didn\u2019t give either Root or Maron much time to prepare to play their respective characters. For the former, it was more about cultivating Dutch\u2019s appearance.
\u201cI had a very specific look for this character\u2014something I don\u2019t usually do,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was kind of nice to be able to come from the outside and feel the guy out with the clothes, hair, beard and the whole nine yards. Given the length of the shoot, I didn\u2019t have a whole hell of a lot of time to overthink it, which I think is a good thing. If you\u2019re very happy with who you\u2019ve chosen to work with, be it the director or actor, and all of these actors are fantastic, then you can relax and do the job quickly. And that\u2019s what we did, even during COVID-19.\u201d
Maron went a little deeper, going so far as to really work on his character\u2019s accent despite the fact that Morris was more than happy with what the 59-year-old comedian was bringing to the project.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n<\/span>