The Playlist

Spencer Susser Thought Joseph Gordon-Levitt Was All Wrong For 'Hesher' & 10 More Revelations

By Leah Zak
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May 13, 2011 6:03 AM
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1 Comment

The Young Actor Had To Convince The Director He Could Play The Part“I had never read a script that had so much pain and heartbreak and tragedy in it and at the same time it had so much absurd humor,” said "Hesher" co-star Rainn Wilson, “It was so funny and sad and sick and dark, and you don't really know whether to laugh or cry at any given moment.” Written and directed by first time feature helmer, Spencer Susser, "Hesher" follows a family (Devin Brochu and Rainn Wilson) broken by the shock of a sudden death in the family, and the equally as sudden addition to their life of an anarchist metal head (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who moves into the garage, makes their lives a living hell, but in many ways, also helps them move on.

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt Says His 'Hesher' Character Was Loosely Modeled After Metallica's Cliff Burton

By Leah Zak
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May 12, 2011 9:50 AM
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1 Comment

Plus Director Spencer Susser & Star On Their Unique Central CharacterAs far as family dramas go, “Hesher” is somewhat of a different breed. The story of a father and young son suffering the recent loss of their wife and mother, things seem to take a turn for the worse, when TJ (the son) accidentally brings an anarchist metal head into his grandmother's home and his family's life. While we weren't taken by “Hesher” as a whole, this writer found the film’s namesake, and chaotic center, to be one of the more fascinating characters introduced on screen in a while – and certainly another card to add to the stack of notable performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt. We recently sat down with the actor, as well as "Hesher" writer/director Spencer Susser to hear more about the philosophy and creation of this unconventional addition to your typical family drama.

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Interview: Spencer Susser Talks The Birth of 'Hesher,' Accidentally Getting Into Sundance

By Drew Taylor
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May 11, 2011 5:23 AM
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Also Reveals 'Star Wars'-Assisted Birth Of Australia's Blue Tongue Films Collective While watching the bizarrely confrontational "Hesher," opening this Friday in limited release and starring an electric Joseph Gordon-Levitt (alongside Natalie Portman and Rainn Wilson), you might think to yourself -- who the hell made this thing?

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Review: Even Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Natalie Portman Can't Save The Oddly Off 'Hesher'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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May 10, 2011 10:54 AM
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2 Comments

The following is a reprint of our review that ran during the 2010 SXSW Film Festival.

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Watch: New 'Hesher' Trailer Powered By Metallica's 'Battery'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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April 7, 2011 1:56 AM
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3 Comments

While our man at SXSW didn't love "Hesher" through and through, for the rest of us, the prospect of watching Joseph Gordon-Levitt play a burnout is just too enticing to pass up, and with this latest trailer for the film baiting us with Metallica's classic "Battery" fueling the mayhem in the pic we just can't wait to check it out for ourselves.

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'Hesher' To Hit Theaters On May 13th; 'The People Vs. George Lucas' Picked Up By Wrekin Hill

By Kevin Jagernauth
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March 14, 2011 9:37 AM
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4 Comments

After first unspooling at the Sundance Film Festival way back in January 2010, Spencer Susser's "Hesher" is finally making its way to theaters. In press release announcing distributor Wrekin Hill's new partnership with the National Entertainment Collectibles Association came word of the release date for the film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman and Rainn Wilson.

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SXSW Review: Even Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Natalie Portman Can't Save The Oddly Off 'Hesher'

By Drew Taylor
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March 14, 2011 5:20 AM
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1 Comment

In the immortal words of C&C Music Factory, "Hesher," a dark comedy/drama concoction from co-writer/director Spencer Susser, is very much a thing that makes you go "hmmmm." This might not be a bad thing (to tell you the truth we're still parsing through our thoughts on the film), but it certainly exists – it's the kind of movie you're thinking about days after you've seen it, whether you want to or not.

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New Poster Arrives For 'Hesher' Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson & Natalie Portman

By Simon Dang
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March 13, 2011 1:39 AM
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With its screening at this year's SXSW just around the corner, a nifty new poster has been unveiled for Spencer Susser's twisted grief drama "Hesher" starring the exciting trio of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rainn Wilson and Natalie Portman.

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Watch: Trailer For 'Hesher' Starring Natalie Portman & Joseph Gordon-Levitt

By Oliver Lyttelton
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February 19, 2011 3:52 AM
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2 Comments

It's been a difficult road for Spencer Susser's "Hesher." The film, which stars Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rainn Wilson, seemed custom built to be an indie hit. It debuted at last year's Sundance Film Festival to mixed reviews, was bought up days later by Newmarket Films, and has languished for over a year without hitting theaters because of what appears to be internal politics. Newmarket chief Chris Ball left the company to form his own shingle, and there are now plans for the release to be a joint venture between Newmarket and Ball’s Wrekin Hill Entertainment. It should hit later this spring.

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Wrekin Hill Films Belatedly Acquires Sundance 2010 Drama 'Hesher' For An April Release

By Edward Davis
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January 24, 2011 3:44 AM
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A debut film, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival starring Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "The Office" comedian Rainn Wilson and John Carroll Lynch. If that's not the ideal foundations of an indie-hit in the making, we're not sure what is. Only it wasn't.

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