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Alex Ross Perry

LISTEN UP PHILIP written and directed by Alex Ross Perry, with Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Krysten Ritter and Jonathan Pryce. A Tribeca Films release. 109 minutes. Opens Friday (October 24). For venues and times, see Movies. Rating: NNNNN


Alex Ross Perry would like you to know his new movie, Listen Up Philip, is not autobiographical. Unlike his eponymous protagonist, New York City author and generally horrible person Philip Lewis Friedman (Jason Schwartzman), he’s capable of treating others with decency and kindness.

“The fact that I can make movies with a crew of people who all have to listen to what I’m saying, and it’s up to me whether or not they have a good time or feel like they’ve done good work, shows that I’m not very close to the Philip side of that dichotomy,” Perry laughs. “I certainly know such people, but in the film world you can’t really be 100 per cent like that, because you have to rely on collaboration and the contributions of others.”

Philip, on the other hand? Kind of a monster.

“He’s entirely self-aware in everything he does, and perceives everyone else’s actions as invisible,” Perry explains. “As far as he’s concerned, every person he interacts with ceases to exist as soon as he walks out of the room. Which is an interesting idea to explore in a character: what kind of a guy, when he’s with his girlfriend or his hero, sees them only in relation to himself, as a functionary in his own life? He doesn’t think about what their lives are like when he goes back to wherever he goes.”

Listen Up Philip follows its anti-hero as he marches through life like a Terminator, turning up in social situations and inevitably making them worse. He won’t cooperate in a photo shoot, treats the aforementioned girlfriend (Elisabeth Moss) terribly and refuses to learn a key lesson from his idol (Jonathan Pryce), a legendary author – which is that if he doesn’t re-evaluate the way he deals with people, he will end up isolated and alone.

“In every situation and chance he gets, he does what could be considered the wrong thing,” Perry says. “If the right thing is to say nothing, he says something very insulting. If the right thing is to be polite, he walks away.”

Perry describes the direction he gave to Schwartzman: “‘Think of what the nicest, most polite person would do and just do exactly the opposite – but do it with a smirk on your face.’ He is the guy who’s being the biggest asshole…. He is entirely self-aware, and does not care. That was the balance for Jason to find, and I think he found it with ease.”

Interview Clips

Alex Ross Perry on the key question of Philip Lewis Friedman’s behaviour:

Download associated audio clip.

Perry on finding Philip’s ruthlessness within himself:

Download associated audio clip.

normw@nowtoronto.com | @normwilner

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