What They Had
{{short description|2018 American drama film directed by Elizabeth Chomko}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| name = What They Had
| image = What They Had poster.jpeg
| alt =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Elizabeth Chomko
| producer = {{Plainlist|
- Albert Berger
- Ron Yerxa
- Andrew Duncan
- Tyler Jackson
- Bill Holderman
- Keith Kjarval
- Alex Saks
}}
| writer = Elizabeth Chomko
| starring = {{Plainlist|
}}
| music = Danny Mulhern
| cinematography = Roberto Schaefer
| editing = Tom McArdle
| studio = {{Plainlist|
- Unified Pictures
- Bona Fide Productions
- Look to the Sky Films
- June Pictures
}}
| distributor = Bleecker Street
| released = {{Film date|2018|01|21|Sundance|2018|10|19|United States}}
| runtime = 101 minutes{{cite web|url=https://www.sundance.org/projects/what-they-had|title=Premieres – What They Had|website=Sundance Film Festival. Sundance Institute|accessdate=December 13, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190212235438/https://www.sundance.org/projects/what-they-had |archive-date=2019-02-12}}
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross = $260,136{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=whattheyhad.htm|title=What They Had|website=Box Office Mojo|accessdate=November 29, 2018}}
}}
What They Had is a 2018 American drama film written and directed by Elizabeth Chomko in her feature directorial debut. Starring Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster, Blythe Danner, Taissa Farmiga, and Josh Lucas, the film follows two siblings in conflict with their father over whether or not to put their mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, in a nursing home.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2018, and was theatrically released in the United States on October 19, 2018, by Bleecker Street.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/bleecker-street-releases-for-colette-papillon-and-on-chesil-beach-1202702424/|title=Bleecker Street Announces Release Dates, Including 'Colette,' 'Papillon,' 'On Chesil Beach'|website=Variety|first=Kirsten|last=Chuba|date=February 16, 2018|accessdate=February 16, 2018}}
Plot
When Alzheimer's-stricken Ruth Everhardt wanders into the streets during a blizzard on Christmas Eve, her daughter, Bridget Ertz, travels back to her hometown to help her brother, Nicky, convince their father, Norbert, to put Ruth in a nursing home and face the end of their life together.
Ruth returns home with her family and discussions ensue about her future. Nicky has secured a spot for Ruth in one of the premiere assisted care facilities in Chicago, yet Norbert insists that he alone can provide the best care for her. Nicky looks to Bridget for help, but her time away from her parents makes this a challenge to address.
Bridget is dealing with her own immediate family issues as she's never connected with her husband, Eddie, while her daughter, Emma, suffers from anxiety and has stopped attending college. Nicky continues arguing with Norbert over Ruth's future and leaves afterwards. Bridget discusses her father's interference in her life just as they notice that Ruth has again disappeared. She is quickly found, but Norbert finally realizes that Ruth must leave for the assisted care facility.
Norbert reconciles with Nicky by visiting his tavern. Shortly thereafter, Norbert dies from a heart attack, leaving Nicky devastated. Bridget spends time with Ruth at the care facility and sees how well the staff are treating her. She leaves the facility with a restful smile on her face.
Cast
- Hilary Swank as Bridget "Bitty" Ertz
- Michael Shannon as Nicholas "Nicky" Everhardt
- Robert Forster as Norbert Everhardt
- Blythe Danner as Ruth Everhardt (née O'Shea)
- Taissa Farmiga as Emma Ertz
- Josh Lucas as Eddie Ertz
- Sarah Sutherland as Mary
- Aimee Garcia as Dr. Zoe
- Jay Montepare as David
- Jennifer Robideau as Rachel
Production
=Development=
In 2014, Elizabeth Chomko was selected for the Sundance Institute's Screenwriters Lab with a script for the drama film What They Had.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2014/12/sundance-institute-announces-2015-january-screenwriters-lab-participants-66905/|title=Sundance Institute Announces 2015 January Screenwriters Lab Participants|website=IndieWire|first=Shipra Harbola|last=Gupta|date=December 16, 2014|accessdate=March 21, 2017}} In September 2015, Chomko's script was announced as a winner for the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/09/winners-of-2015-nicholl-screenwriting-fellowship-announced-1201557985/|title=2015 Nicholl Fellowship Winning Screenwriters Selected|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Ross A.|last=Lincoln|date=September 29, 2015|accessdate=March 21, 2017}} In June 2016, Chomko revealed she would also direct the film from her screenplay. Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa were later reported to produce for Bona Fide Productions, along with Bill Holderman, and Andrew Duncan and Alex Saks producing for June Pictures, and Keith Kjarval producing for Unified Pictures.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/hilary-swank-michael-shannon-movie-what-we-had-1202010911/|title=Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon to Star as Siblings in Drama 'What They Had'|website=Variety|first=Justin|last=Kroll|date=December 17, 2017|accessdate=March 21, 2017}}
=Casting=
On March 17, 2017, it was reported that Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster, Blythe Danner, and Taissa Farmiga had been cast in the film.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hilary-swank-michael-shannon-star-drama-what-they-had-986989|title=Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon to Star in Drama 'What They Had' (Exclusive)|website=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Borys|last=Kit|date=March 17, 2017|accessdate=March 21, 2017}} Sarah Sutherland's casting was confirmed in August 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecut.com/2017/08/sarah-sutherland-is-veeps-secret-weapon.html|title=Veep's Secret Weapon Sarah Sutherland is the most serious actor in comedy|website=TheCut.com|first=Anna|last=Silman|date=August 29, 2017|accessdate=December 1, 2017}}
=Filming=
Principal photography began on March 22, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. On March 28, members of the Amboy American Legion performed a graveside service for a scene in the film on location in Westchester, Illinois.{{cite web|url=http://www.amboynews.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=5266&page=72|title=Amboy Legion members film scene for upcoming movie|website=The Amboy News|first=Tonja|last=Greenfield|date=April 4, 2017|accessdate=April 8, 2017}} Conboy Westchester Funeral Home also hosted the cast and crew for filming on March 28.{{cite web|url=http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2017/04/17/westchester-funeral-home-hosts-movie-crew/axoxalx/|title=Westchester funeral home hosts movie crew|website=My Suburban Life|first=Aimee|last=Barrows|date=April 26, 2017|accessdate=May 10, 2017}} Production was set up in Hyde Park, Chicago for more than two weeks, concluding on April 17.{{cite web|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170418/hyde-park/what-they-had-hilary-swank-movie-filming-hyde-park-michael-shannon-robert-forster-elizabeth-chomko|title=Hilary Swank Movie Wraps Shooting Today In Hyde Park|website=DNA|first=Sam|last=Cholke|date=April 17, 2017|accessdate=May 10, 2017}} Filming wrapped in Los Angeles on May 2, 2017.
Music
In December 2017, it was reported that Danny Mulhern would compose the film's score.{{cite web|url=http://filmmusicreporter.com/2017/12/15/danny-mulhern-scoring-what-they-had/|title=Danny Mulhern Scoring 'What They Had'|website=Film Music Reporter|date=December 15, 2017|accessdate=December 15, 2017}}
The end credit song "Are You There" is written by Aoife O'Donovan, the film's writer and director Elizabeth Chomko and her mother Kate Chomko.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/aoife-odonovan-are-you-there-from-the-film-what-they-had/vi-BBPgB5V/|title=Aoife O'Donovan - Are You There (from the film "What They Had")|website=msn entertainment|date=November 2, 2018|accessdate=May 18, 2020}}
Release
In May 2017, Bleecker Street acquired domestic distribution rights to the film.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/05/what-they-had-movie-hilary-swank-michael-shannon-release-date-bleecker-street-1202087720/|title=Bleecker Street Lands Alzheimer's Drama 'What They Had' Starring Hilary Swank & Michael Shannon|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Patrick|last=Hipes|date=May 9, 2017|accessdate=May 9, 2017}} It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/sundance-film-festival-2018-lineup-program-1202625522/|title=Sundance Film Festival Unveils Full 2018 Features Lineup|website=Variety|first=Peter|last=Debruge|date=November 29, 2017|accessdate=November 30, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sundance.org/pdf/film-guide/SFF18_PPG_Grid_v5.pdf|title=Sundance Program Schedule|website=Sundance Film Festival|accessdate=December 14, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171215053255/https://www.sundance.org/pdf/film-guide/SFF18_PPG_Grid_v5.pdf |archive-date=2017-12-15}} What They Had was initially scheduled for release on March 16, 2018,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/10/bleecker-street-release-date-what-they-had-disobedience-1202195694/|title=Bleecker Street Sets Release Dates For 'What They Had', 'Disobedience' & More|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Amanda|last=N'Duka|date=October 26, 2017|accessdate=October 26, 2017}} but was pushed back to October 19, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/what_they_had|title=Bleecker Street Dates Its Big Sundance Buy 'Colette', 'Papillon' & More|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Patrick|last=Hipes|date=February 16, 2018|accessdate=February 16, 2018}}
Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 87% based on 119 reviews, with an average of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critical consensus reads, "What They Had finds laughter and tears in its portrait of a family at a crossroads, with writer-director Elizabeth Chomko getting outstanding performances out of a talented cast."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/what_they_had|title=What They Had (2018)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date=May 22, 2025}} Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web|title=What They Had Reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/what-they-had|website=Metacritic|accessdate=August 26, 2020}}
Accolades
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://bleeckerstreetmedia.com/whattheyhad}}
- {{IMDb title|6662736}}
- {{Metacritic film}}
- {{Rotten Tomatoes|m/what_they_had}}
{{AARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Grownup Love Story}}
Category:Bleecker Street films
Category:2018 directorial debut films
Category:2018 independent films
Category:American films about Alzheimer's disease
Category:Films shot in Chicago
Category:Films shot in Los Angeles
Category:2010s English-language films