The plot of the new Colleen Hoover the adaptation of Sorry About You is a little wild. There is romance, romance, unrequited love, death and even a child of questionable paternity.
Dave Francowhose character long pined after Allison Williams' character but ended up having a child with his sister, who is having an affair with his brother-in-law, said someone recently exclaimed to him, “Who was that Maury Povich?”
Whatever the tabloid talk shows, Hoover's novels struck a nerve with the public and Hollywood. “This will end with us” has earned more than $350 million worldwide on a $25 million budget, and “Regret About You,” which hits theaters Friday, is one of several film adaptations in development.
“I think Colleen Hoover is incredible when it comes to dealing with this complicated family situation in a way that makes sense to us,” Franco said. “I think everyone who watches this film will be able to become attached to at least one of the characters. It's rich, it's dramatic.”
Scott Eastwood plays Franco's best friend and Williams' husband (the one who is having an affair with his sister-in-law). Mason Thames plays a high school student who begins dating Eastwood and Williams' teenage daughter, played by McKenna Grace, after her father and aunt are killed in a car accident. Complex doesn't even scratch the surface.
The Associated Press brought together the drama's writers – Franco, Eastwood and Thames – for a casual chat about the film, romantic moments, shirtless scenes and Eastwood's films. Taylor Swift music video. Comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.
FRANCO: Scott, I don't know if you know this, did anyone tell you that we all watched the “Wildest Dreams” video on set?
Eastwood: No.
THAMES: I remember that! We've all done it.
FRANCO: McKenna didn't realize that you were the guy. It's like this video is dear to her heart and she put it together in that moment: Scott is the guy from the “Wildest Dreams” video. She immediately called her mother. She says, “Scott is the guy.” And we hear her mom say on the phone, “No!” Thanks to this video, you have earned a place in the hearts of many people.
Eastwood: I've never met Taylor Swift before. She called me out of the blue. She said, “Hi, this is Taylor.” I'm like Taylor, who?
THAMES: I said to Scott the first day I met him, and I thought even before I met him, years before, the most handsome man I've ever seen.
FRANCO: And what was Scott's reaction?
Eastwood: I'm sorry, this is your interview.
Eastwood: It's “The Notebook.”
THAMES: Spider-Man 2.
Eastwood: I didn't expect this to happen.
FRANCO: I'll choose “Stand By Me.” Classic, timeless, gives you a little bit of everything. You have drama, you have laughter, you have tears. What about “Jerry Maguire”?
Eastwood: It's a tear, not a scream.
FRANCO: I'm letting these tears fall, Scott. I think our director Josh Boone might have Cameron Crowe as his guiding light: Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, Say Anything. Those films that have a little bit of everything and seem timeless.
THAMES: The Notebook was mine. McKenna and I watched The Notebook, 10 Things I Hate About You, and The Fault in Our Stars.
FRANCO: In “Regretting You” you guys have a very strong passion for each other. It's almost Romeo and Juliet.
THAMES: That's what we wanted. That's what's special that we haven't seen in a movie like this for so long is a kind of magic and passion between the two love interests.
FRANCO: Scott, who were your reference characters?
Eastwood: Mostly all my romantic films.
FRANCO: Name them! Name them!
Eastwood: Guys, it's a long list.
FRANCO: I used Normal People just because these characters go through this journey over the years, they have their ups and downs, and there's a really strong story between them. Also, these actors are very subtle, very real and very vulnerable.
THAMES: At the end of the day, he's just a dude. I think this is the character I played that is most like me.
FRANCO: I'm going to compliment him. When you look back at James Dean and Montgomery Clift, they were actors who were obviously very strong and powerful and had a great presence, but they were very vulnerable and just weren't afraid to show that sensitive side. I think Mason has it in spades.
THAMES: I paid him a lot to say that.
FRANCO: Scott should start with this.
Eastwood: That's two. But the scale is one to three. So this is in the middle. I don't pay attention to these things. I just think we made a great movie. That's all we can really do. Try to do justice to the books.
FRANCO: In this movie, Scott is shirtless for a while.
Eastwood: That's a lie!
FRANCO: That's NOT a lie.
Eastwood: When am I shirtless in a movie?
FRANCO: On the beach!
Eastwood: Oh, that's true.
THAMES: That's why you should go see “Regret About You.” I'm shirtless too. He's also shirtless.
FRANCO: No, they cut out my shirtless scene.
