132 – Promised Land

What this episode covers

Most remembered as “that movie about fracking”, this week we are talking about 2012′s Promised Land. Originally developed and written by John Krasinski and Dave Eggers, the film began as a potential directing vehicle for Matt Damon before the star brought on his Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant to take the reins. Damon stars as a representative of a fracking company attempting to lease land in a small town, but this reunion was released too late in the season to register as more than an afterthought. This episode, we get into the film’s mild and confusing approach to being an issue movie and Damon’s history as one of THOB’s most discussed performers. We also talk about the film’s rushed turnaround, its minor precursor mentions with both AARP’s Movies for Grownups and the National Board of Review, and the Oscar season that saw Hunting pal Ben Affleck miss out on a Best Director nomination for the Best Picture frontrunner. Topics also include the Oscar nominated fracking documentary Gasland, unrewarded older male performances opposite nominated actresses, and “Dick Poop”. Follow Us on Twitter! @Had_Oscar_Buzz Joe: @joereid Chris: @chrisvfeil

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