| In Dubious Battle | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical film poster | |
| Directed by | James Franco |
| Screenplay by | Matt Rager |
| Based on | In Dubious Battle byJohn Steinbeck |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Bruce Thierry Cheung |
| Edited by | |
| Music by | Volker Bertelmann |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Momentum Pictures[1] |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 114 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $213,982[2] |
In Dubious Battle is a 2016drama film directed and produced byJames Franco, loosely based onJohn Steinbeck's 1936novel of the same name, with a screenplay by Matt Rager. The film features an ensemble cast, consisting of Franco,Nat Wolff,Josh Hutcherson,Vincent D'Onofrio,Robert Duvall,Selena Gomez,Keegan Allen andEd Harris. The film had its world premiere at theVenice Film Festival on September 3, 2016.[3]
In Dubious Battle is the story of theworking class during theGreat Depression, striking against an increasingly cruel establishment in ways that would lead to the formation of workers' rights, including aminimum wage. Two men form aunion of workers after their wages are cut from $3 a day to $1 a day."[4]
On January 30, 2015, it was announced thatJames Franco would not only direct the film but star in it too. Also cast wereVincent D'Onofrio,Robert Duvall,Ed Harris,Bryan Cranston,Selena Gomez, andDanny McBride has joined the production.[5]
On March 16, 2015,Nat Wolff was cast in the lead role of Jim Nolan, the organizer of the strike by apple pickers in California.[6] In the next two days,Josh Hutcherson,Zach Braff,Analeigh Tipton,John Savage,Ashley Greene, andAhna O'Reilly would join the currently film production.[7][8] Several days later on March 24, 2015, it was announced thatScott Haze has been cast as Frank.[9]
Principal photography began on March 19, 2015 inAtlanta including Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia, filming also took place inBostwick, Georgia, andCowiche, Washington.[10][8] Production on the film ended in September 2015.[11]
The concluding credits are accompanied by a78 rpm recording ofPete Seeger's classicunion song, "Which Side Are You On?.
In Dubious Battle had its world premiere at theVenice Film Festival on September 3, 2016.[3] The film was released in theaters in the United States on February 17, 2017.[12]
A full trailer was released on January 28, 2017.[13]
Review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes gives the film a 30% approval rating, based on reviews from 23 critics, with an average score of 5.1/10.[14]Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 43 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[15]
The film gained mixed reviews at its world premiere, with Owen Gleiberman ofVariety noting that Franco "has acquired skills that are beginning to fuse with the best of his instincts."[16] Gleiberman also says that "In Dubious Battle isn't a totally clear-cut good movie, but it's a scrupulous and watchable one. And it makes me think, for the first time, that James Franco has a good movie in him."[17]
Boyd van Hoeij ofThe Hollywood Reporter simply called the film and Franco as "uneven" but also states that "ifIn Dubious Battle remains watchable, it's because Wolff really sells his character's doubts, growth and sobering reality checks".[18]