John Cusack finds 'Grace' - Film concerns widower of woman killed in Iraq

[Kadie]

John Cusack finds 'Grace'
POSTED: 3:03 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

Story Highlights
• John Cusack stars in Sundance film "Grace Is Gone"
• Film concerns widower of woman killed in Iraq
• "Grace" has been picked up by Weinstein Co.
• Cusack: "I don't want to be too inside the system"


PARK CITY, Utah (AP) -- Last year's big road-trip tale at the Sundance Film Festival was greeted with guffaws. This year's has met with sobs.

Both "Little Miss Sunshine" from last year and the current Sundance entry "Grace Is Gone" are highway heartbreakers, "Sunshine" showing a family that comes together through hilarious adversity, "Grace" depicting a family shattered by the cruelest of tragedies.

Starring John Cusack, "Grace" tells the story of a stern, loving but emotionally distant father who learns his wife, an Army sergeant, has been killed in Iraq. Unable to tell his two young daughters, he takes them on a trip to an amusement park, buying a few days before he has to break the news.

First-time director James C. Strouse's script came Cusack's way at just the right moment. Angry that the Bush administration had banned media footage of coffins coming home bearing soldiers killed in Iraq, Cusack had been looking to tell the story behind one of those coffins.

"I thought it was the most brazen, cowardly, egregious political act I'd seen in my lifetime," Cusack said in an interview. "Do you think that's going to stop anything? Do you think if you don't show the coffins we won't find out?"

more...
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/25/film.sundance.grace.ap/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[madame defarge]

1. Very cool.

He and his family are peace activists/supporters in the Chicago area. Great people. Great family.

[aquart]

11. When he was a mere teenager, he said "Bush should be hanged."

Of course that was 41. But I've championed his career ever since. Such a sensible boy.

[Mandate My Ass]

2. "Do you think if you don't show the coffins we won't find out?"

My sentiments exactly. They treat our fallen soldiers like dirty laundry because it might cost them politically. :puke:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. the most powerful kind of anti-war movie

according to the article, there's no preaching involved, just a story about how one family deals with the loss of a family member in Iraq. About time America sat up and saw the coffins and the grief associated with them.

[speedoo]

4. Yeah.... say it, John.

The crescendo is building......

[AndyA]

5. Cusack is a great actor. So is his sister, although I've just seen her in

cell phone commercials lately. She was hilarious in In and Out.

John is an excellent actor, probably one of the best we have today. His performance in The Grifters was memorable.

[Mandate My Ass]

8. I was just describing her role in that movie to a friend recently

Pure comic gold. :D

[Babel_17]

18. See them together

in Grosse Pointe Blank. Truly one of my favorite films, it has a great soundtrack and has a wicked humor to it.

Two other Cusacks have small parts in it.

You also get to see Jenna Elfman, in a scene, channeling her future personality from the Dharma and Greg TV show.

Cusack also demonstrates his prowess with the physical demands of his role.

I don't want to post a spoiler, I'll just say the pen is mightier than the sword. :eek!:

I have a lot of respect for Cusack.

[peekaloo]

22. Another sister, Ann, appeared on 'Boston Legal' recently.

She played the New Orleans doctor on trial for murder.

[porphyrian]

6. He's come a ways since Better Off Dead. - n/t

[ms liberty]

7. John Cusak is one of my favorite actors...

I have a lot of admiration for his career choices - different, quirky, and original movies - and have enjoyed most of them ('Max' was a real downer - great movie, really interesting, but really depressing too). His political views and activism are the added bonus that puts him on my top ten list.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

9. Kudos to Cusack and to the Weinsteins! The Weinsteing brothers, formerly Miramax

made their stand when they stood up against Disney to release Fahrenheit 9/11. Through the years they have brought to the screen some of the most remarkable films.
On a personal note, I graduated school with Harvey Weinstein and I don't remember him. Still quite proud that he went to my school.

[Cha]

10. I happen to love

John Cusack..thank you for making this film.

[peacetalksforall]

12. He's been in my top three favorites of male actors. nt

[jus_the_facts]

13. Good lookin' AND intelligent....mmmMMMmmm....

...always loved me some John Cusack!!! :9 :loveya:

[roamer65]

14. Cusack is a great actor.

My favorite movie of his is still "Grosse Pointe Blank", where he plays a ex-CIA, now for hire killer.

[Pacifist Patriot]

15. I have been in love with him since I was a teenager.

Nice to know my taste was even good back then. I can't wait to see the movie. I saw a write up of it last week and its been on my must-see list ever since.

[pitohui]

16. can't wait to see this film!

john cusack when younger was the world's most physically beautiful male, it's cool to see that he's just as beautiful on the inside

[dogday]

17. Great Actor

Like just about everything this guy does.... He will do a great job with this story...

[Hell Hath No Fury]

19. Damn I adore that man!

Yeah, he's a total hottie and a great actor, but it's political talk like his that turns me on somethin' fierce these days! :D

I cannot wait to see this film - thank you, John Cusack, for caring enough to make it. :loveya:

[progressoid]

20. Dang, yet another movie I need to see.

[Kadie]

21. .

weekend :kick: