Richard LaGravenese’s feature film adaptation of the off-Broadway musical The Last 5 Years has been acquired by RADiUS at the Toronto International Film Festival where it will have its world premiere on September 7th. The film stars Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) and Jeremy Jordan (Smash) and was adapted for the screen from Tony Award winning composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown’s musical by LaGravenese. RADiUS is targeting a Valentine’s Day 2015 theatrical release.
“For the romantic of heart, The Last 5 Years is a love story that delivers across the board,” said RADiUS co-presidents Tom Quinn and Jason Janego, announcing the acquisition. “Richard has done an extraordinary job with Jason Robert Brown’s music and lyrics. Anna Kendrick continues to impress – what a voice! and, Jeremy Jordan is bound for stardom. Those familiar with the show will be thrilled with the faithful adaptation and audiences everywhere are in for a real treat.”
“The Last 5 Years has been one of the greatest creative experiences I’ve ever had. Working in the independent film world with such extraordinary talent gave me the freedom to make the movie I wanted. And now to have RADiUS as our distributor is really a lucky break. RADiUS is at the forefront of re-inventing film distribution for today’s audiences,” added writer/producer/director LaGravenese.
“What started as the tiniest spark of an idea fifteen years has now blossomed into this miracle of a movie that gets so deeply and honestly into the souls of the characters I created,” said Brown. “I couldn’t be happier with what Richard, Anna and Jeremy have brought to life, and I couldn’t be happier that it’s found a home at exactly the right company.”
The Plot:
The Last 5 Years is a musical chronicling a love affair and marriage taking place over a five year period. Jamie Wellerstein (Jordan) is a young, talented up and coming novelist who falls in love with Cathy Hiatt (Kendrick), a struggling actress. Their story is told almost entirely through song. All of Cathy’s songs begin at the end of their marriage and move backwards in time to the beginning of their love affair, while Jamie’s songs start at the beginning of their affair and move forward to the end of their marriage. They meet in the center when Jamie proposes.
-By Rebecca Murray
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