On Saturday, I attended a screening of happythankyoumoreplease which was not only the Centerpiece Film at the San Francisco International Film Festival, but was directed and written by Josh Radnor (a.k.a. the homeboy who plays Ted Mosby in How I Met Your Mother).
Kate Mara and Josh Radnor, star and director of the Centerpiece film ‘happythankyoumoreplease’ at the 53rd San Francisco International Film Festival
Radnor stars alongside Kate Mara (who might recognize as E’s assistant in Entourage) in the film that paints a “what the hell am I going to do with my life” tale of Manhattan late twenty-somethings. Radnor plays struggling writer Sam to Mara’s waitress/cabaret singer Mississippi (yes, that is really her name in the movie.) Joining them in this thoughtful comedy are Malin Åkerman, Pablo Schreiber, Zoe Kazan and a gush-worthy little boy by the name of Michael Algieri. In layered storytelling, the movie is ultimately about being grateful and relationships of every variety.
It’s hip. It’s generational. It’s indie. It’s set in Manhattan. It won an Audience Award at Sundance. All of this makes it cool.
Radnor and Mara were at the Sundance Kabuki for a Q&A after the movie. Radnor is very thoughtful when it comes to explaining his movie and Mara was there to balance things out with her wit, beauty and honesty (she openly admitted that her feet were hurting her and took off her sky-high heels while onstage).
From the Q&A we learned that Radnor has his sights set on writing for the big screen rather than TV and that Kate can actually sing — which is showcased in the movie.
Here’s proof that I was there:
Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have posted that video, Radnor possibly spoiled some parts of the movie for you. Before the clip got cut off and blocked by some dude with a 2×4 head, Radnor was talking about Algieri’s role in the movie as a lost foster kid that Sam takes in and Åkerman’s character of Annie; Sam’s BFF who has alopecia.
It makes more sense if you actually watch the movie. Believe me.
