What's Next For 'What Goes Up' Stars?

While the producers of 'What Goes Up' are still exploring options, the movie has been keeping pace as the DVD release continues to earn new reviews. The most recent review by Kelsey Zukowski at The Celebrity Cafe, which followed Britt Hayes' review at the Examiner, that says director Jonathan Glatzer could "easily have a career among other indie darlings."

As Glatzer is already working on another project with writer Robert Lawson, we thought it might be a good idea to catch up with some of the stars from What Goes Up.

Steve Coogan has been cast in three films, including Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief; Eddie the Eagle; and Murder in Samarkand. However, the film that his fans are talking about is Alan Partridge: The Movie since Coogan mentioned it last May.

Hilary Duff has several movies in the making, but the role that seems to be capturing some attention is a multi-episode role on Gossip Girl as Olivia Burke, a movie star who is attending NYU to attempt to get a typical college experience. The first episode featuring Duff is scheduled for Oct. 5, according to the Examiner.

Josh Peck has been cast in a remake of the 1984 movie Red Dawn. He will reportedly play the role of younger brother Matt Eckert, which was originally played by Charlie Sheen. The film is slated to start shooting in September.

Olivia Thirlby will appear in the recently completed films New York, I Love You; and Margaret. She is also slated for The Manners of Madness and Parts Per Billion, both in development. In the interim, Thirlby has taken to the stage with Chris Pine and Chris North in Beau Willimon's "Farragut North." It runs through July 26.

Molly Shannon is still making headlines with Kath & Kim, which is the U.S. version of the hit Australian comedy about a dysfunctional mother and daughter relationship. While NBC announced there will not be a second season in May, Season 1 seems to be finding a new fan base since it became available on DVD this week.

First Look: With Director Jonathan Glatzer

Last night, Jonathan Glatzer, director, and Robert Lawson, co-writer, enjoyed a tremendously successful VIP Premiere at the Pacific Design Center with several hundred people in attendance, including Aubrey Mozino (Blythe), Max Hoffman (Fenster), and other cast members.

There, and at the after party that immediately followed, scores of fans and filmmaker guests greeted their first glimpse of the film with an extended applause. This initial success proved especially worthwhile as the film opened today with 16 screens across the nation, including Buffalo; Chicago; Las Vegas; New York City; and Moorpark, California. (You can also find listing by visiting the Facebook Group page, which includes event listings and links for each city.)

In the clip below, complete with never before interview with Molly Shannon, Glatzer provides his personal insights into the film as well as the cast and crew who made it possible. This First Look is longer than any other, with a run time of more than seven minutes. Enjoy!

First Look: Director Jonathan Glatzer with What Goes Up

"The VIP Premiere provided us a high note that we don't intend to let go of. We are already looking to add two more cities in addition to the one night showing for our Hometown Hoopla contest winner so that more people can see the film as intended — on the big screen," said James Hoke, executive producer. "While the reviews have been mixed, we have been met with nothing but great feedback from fans, indie film lovers, and people who are looking for something different than the most typical movie formulas."

In truth, the reviews have not been all critical as mistakenly reported by some. And, even among the harshest critics, several reviewers have given the movie high marks for select performers and memorable moments throughout the film.

What Goes Up Reviews That Deserve More Attention
"It’s wonderful because it’s so true to life because most funerals are (or should be) filled with equal parts tears and laughter. It’s exactly what WHAT GOES UP strives to be — a funny movie about death, a sad movie about life. Most of the time, it works." — Kate Erbland, GordonandtheWhale.com

"Yet despite the contrivances and frustrations (and there are more than a few), there's also something endearing -- and, occasionally, achingly poignant -- about "What Goes Up" and its gallery of valiant misfits." — Carol Cling, Las Vegas Review-Journal

"There's some nice filmmaking tucked inside "What Goes Up," a muddle of moods and intentions." — Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

"I'm happy to say that despite faux-dark comedies like Juno, the rumors of the "quirky" movie's demise have been greatly exaggerated. What Goes Up starring Steve Coogan and Hillary Duff, brings back the uncomfortably dark comedy with a vengeance." — Alex Dorn, UGO.com

"I think you’ll enjoy the movie - Hilary Duff has shown a whole new side to us in this film, which is always her goal as an actress. I hope you get a chance to see it in the theater - but if not, I’ll let you know when it officially comes out on DVD!" — Arieanna Schweber, HilaryNews.com

Behind The Film 'What Goes Up'

For Jonathan Glatzer, winning the best film award for 'Prix Fixe,' a 28-minute short released in 1997, must seem a lifetime ago on the day before his full length feature film What Goes Up is shown at the Pacific Design Center before opening in six major cities.

Back then, he had directed Oscar nominee Douglas McGrath and Tim Blake Nelson. This time around, he directed a cast of brilliant performers including: Steve Coogan, Hilary Duff, Olivia Thirlby, Josh Peck, Molly Shannon, and a dozen other young and talented actors.

"Being around this young cast, I felt younger and much older at the same time," recalls Glatzer. "Younger because they brought an energy and commitment that has not been dampened by cynicism; older because sometimes I had to act like the mature one on the set. But only when I absolutely had to."

According to Glatzer, the script, which he originally worked on with Robert Lawson as a stage play, had a long history of what some might call moments of maturity. While it attracted champions, the number of characters and locations called for a bigger budget than many producers and studios would have considered from a first-time director.

And then, even after the financing was locked, it became even more challenging than Glatzer expected. The result, two weeks before principal photography, was a tight budget and fewer shooting days. It took some additional tenancy for the first-time executive producers at Three Kings Productions. And, of course, the cast.

"It all came down to having a truly great cast, talented and deeply cool, to make it possible for us to accomplish this film," says Glatzer. "When your budget has you by the edge of a knife, your cast makes the difference. Their performances were all wonderful."

The cast originally came together in a few short months, with Coogan being among the first to meet with Glatzer after reading the script. Duff, who was recommended by John Cusack, came on after noting a personal connection between herself and Lucy. And Shannon joined after hearing how she had enamored Glatzer during a screening of Mike White’s “Year of the Dog.” He still insists she should have been nominated for an Oscar.

"When I saw Olivia Thirlby’s audition tape, I was completely blown away; I still am," he said. "And Josh Peck, who was originally cast as the character Fenster, is one of the best, if not the best, actors of his generation."

Nearly everyone agrees. Many reviewers, even those who have been hard on the film, have given props to the performers. Even more so than reviewers, the film's first outing at the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival won the "Audience Award."

"I think they walked away with what I wanted them to ... love for the characters, but the kind of love you might give begrudgingly because they are not without flaws," he said. "Just like this film, there is no ‘wrapped with a ribbon’ resolution or perfect plans or moments of unadulterated triumph."

Glatzer says that if there is any message, then it must be exactly that. There is pain, he says, not only in loss, but in every interaction between us all. He believes that is one of the reasons we look for heroes; each of us is trying to find ideas that are larger than ourselves, even if that sometimes means disposing of inconvenient truths.

It happens in everyday life, he says, and on the grand scale. It happens with groups of young people, in their teens, just like those brought to life in the film. Sometimes, kids have one adult in their lives who shines. But if they die, it leaves a crater in their lives that needs to be filled with whatever seems within easy reach and most convenient.

Glatzer began his career in theater as a director, staging productions at such venues as the Oxford Playhouse in England, Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C., and The Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York. He then moved on to work as a writer for Touchstone Television, Fox Television, Warner Brothers, Good Machine, and Industry Entertainment.

In addition to film, there is another interesting footnote on Glatzer's resume. He was an alternate for the U.S. men's fencing team for the 2000 Summer Olympics that was held in Sydney, Australia.

Glatzer will also be featured this Friday in an extended First Look video.

First Look: Steve Coogan in What Goes Up

When most people think of Steve Coogan, they think of one of the best known characters in the United Kingdom, Alan Partridge. However, Coogan is surprisingly diverse, recently playing Damien Cockburn in Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder and Octavius in the upcoming Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, which opens the week before What Goes Up.

In What Goes Up, Coogan takes the lead as Campbell Babbitt, the morally challenged New York reporter who learns life lessons from a group of dysfunctional students (Hilary Duff, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby) after being sent to cover the story about a local hometown hero.

In this clip, complete with one scene with Molly Shannon and another with Thirlby, Coogan talks about what attracted him to the film, the depth of the characters, and how it relates to people searching for meaning in their lives. (Content warning: adult language).

First Look: Steve Coogan in What Goes Up.



Coogan, one of nine children, was born and raised in Middleton, Greater Manchester. He has won numerous awards for his work in television, including several British Comedy Awards, BAFTAs, and The South Bank Show award for comedy. In 2003, he was listed in The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy. He is also an accomplished writer, producer, director composer, and co-owner of Baby Cow Productions with Henry Normal.

Since March 2008, Coogan has been on tour doing stand-up comedy. He has also been cast in movies that include Eddie the Eagle (2009) and Murder in Samarkand (2011), both of which are currently in pre-production.