Bringing Up Bobby (2011 film)

Bringing Up Bobby is a 2011 comedy-drama film written, directed and produced by Famke Janssen (marking her directorial debut). Milla Jovovich stars as a European ex-con artist and single mother in the United States. The film had its world premiere at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival on May 12 and received a limited release in the United States on September 28, 2012.

Bringing Up Bobby
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Famke Janssen
Written by	Famke Janssen
Story by	Cole Frates Famke Janssen
Produced by	Sofia Sondervan Famke Janssen
Starring	Milla Jovovich Spencer List Rory Cochrane Marcia Cross Bill Pullman
Cinematography	Guido van Gennep
Edited by	Job ter Burg
Music by	Tom Holkenborg
Production companies	Dutch Tilt Film Eris Productions Head Gear Films Metrol Technology Fu Works Rinkel Film
Distributed by	Monterey Media (United States) Benelux Film Distributors (Netherlands)
Release dates	May 12, 2011 (2011-05-12) (Cannes) September 28, 2012 (2012-09-28) (United States)
Running time	93 minutes
Countries	United States[1] Netherlands[1]
Language	English
Box office	$4,975[2]

Synopsis

Ukrainian con artist Olive and her 10-year-old son Bobby arrive in Oklahoma to begin a new life and enjoy a series of adventures. However, when Olive's criminal past catches up to her, she faces putting her son's happiness before her own. Mary deals with the death of her own son by becoming an adoptive mother to Bobby, providing him a home with her husband Kent.^[3]

Cast

• Milla Jovovich as Olive
• Bill Pullman as Kent
• Rory Cochrane as Walt
• Marcia Cross as Mary
• Spencer List as Bobby
• Ray Prewitt as Chuck Lee Buck
• Justin Hall as Jamie

Production

In the summer of 2010, the film was shot over 20 days in Oklahoma. The film was inspired by Janssen's own perception as a European who came to live in the United States.^[4]

Soundtrack

The original film score was composed by Junkie XL (as Tom Holkenborg).^[5] In addition, the soundtrack includes a cover version of "Proud Mary", sung by lead actress Milla Jovovich in Ukrainian.^[6] The song plays in the background at the beginning of the film. The recording, which is credited to Milla Jovovich with The Modern Mothers,^[5] is based on Ike & Tina Turner's popular version of the song. After the recording session, Jovovich's voice was hoarse for a few days.^[7]

The American alternative rock band The Flaming Lips recorded a version of "Amazing Grace", also in Ukrainian. The recording plays during the end credits. Lead singer Wayne Coyne does not speak the language but sang the lyrics phonetically.^[6] The soundtrack also contains various country, folk and jazz songs by artists such as Johnny Paycheck, Count Basie, Jack Teagarden, Cat Stevens, Jorma Kaukonen, Ray Hatcher, Roy Lanham & The Whippoorwills, and Joe Mahan.^[5] A soundtrack album was not released.

Release

Video Film Express holds all media rights for the Netherlands, while Monterey Media holds all rights for the United States and Canada.^[8]

Festivals

Bringing Up Bobby was selected to screen at the following film festivals:

• 2012 Newport Beach Film Festival^[9]
• 2012 Dallas International Film Festival^[10]
• 2012 Santa Cruz Film Festival^[11]
• 2012 Nashville Film Festival^[12]
• 2012 White Sands International Film Festival^[13]
• 2012 Omaha Film Festival^[14]
• 2010 Deauville American Film Festival^[15]
• 2011 Savannah Film Festival^[16]

Reception

The film has received mainly negative reviews, with a 'rotten' 17% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes^[17] and a 4.9 rating on the Internet Movie Database.^[18]