Fracture: The Junket Report

Just got back from the Fracture junket. There was no Anthony Hopkins as they warned me yesterday, but I did get this large red T-shirt. Any takers? Two people from New Line had called me yesterday to remind me to be at the junket early, but I still had about an hour wait before my time was up. During that hour I did a crossword, ate fruit, and watched the trailers for Martian Child, (it's about John Cusack taking care of a kid in a box), Hairspray, (John Travolta- in a dress!), and Fracture, (well, that's why I was there...), again and again and again.

Finally, right after Emily Frances, Neil Rosen, and this nice young guy I've never met before, it was my turn. I walked into the room, and Ryan Gosling stood up to greet me, (which is surprisingly rare- only Clooney, Bettany, and Brosnan have done that before). I introduced myself, and he actually remembered me from way back when I had interviewed him for a small indie film- The United States of Leland. So I already liked him. We chatted about the film, working with Anthony Hopkins, (he really called him Tony), and his next film, Lars and the Real Girl, in which his character in love with a blow-up doll. He's a big fan of 'Tony,' and went off on how multi-talented Sir Hopkins really is- he draws, writes, paints, composes, and does a darn good dog bark. Ryan was very nice and genuine, though it was clear he's been talking about this film a lot lately. And before I knew it, my four minutes were up, (yes, thats right- four minutes). Five minutes used to be the standard, and it wasn't unheard of to get six or seven occasionally. It's not easy to have a meaningful conversation in the same amount of time it takes me to brush and floss, (ok, fine- I don't really floss very often). Maybe eventually they'll have you submit your one question beforehand so they can ask it as you come in the room, saving valuable time.

Next up, the press day for Diggers with Ken Marino and Paul Rudd. Although I don't know how many more junkets I have left in me. Maybe I can ask Paul Rudd to hook me up with Judd Apatow and then the three of us can make a tv show together- a tragicomedy about press junkets...