Left to right: John Krasinski as John Hollar and Margo Martindale as Sally Hollar.  Courtesy of Sony Classics

Article by Marcus Siu

Back in 2000, a very young wannabe actor from Brown University named John Krasinski had his first commercial acting gig working on a “Marshalls” department store TV spot, along with veteran stage and television actress, Margo Martindale.

“He was still in school and he was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen”, Martindale lovingly reflected back, as she was sitting next to Krasinski at a Q&A session along with the emoting San Francisco crowd who had just seen her outstanding performance in a special advanced screening of the comedy-drama, “The Hollars”, directed by Krasinski.

It was as though she was reminiscing as a real maternal mother could be about her son.

Sixteen years later after the commercial, Martindale would continue her acting career and become one of the most respected actresses in the business, as well as winning two Emmy Awards for her dramatic television work on “The Americans” and “Justified”, as well as a Tony Award nomination on Broadway for her performance on “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”. Krasinski would also have pretty decent career playing Jim Halpert for nine years in the successful Emmy winning television comedy series “The Office”, as well as doing various feature film projects, as well, including his own.

Now they can be seen together again as mother and son, in “The Hollars” that just opened nationwide this weekend.

Left to right: Richard Jenkins as Don Hollar, Sharlto Copley as Ron Hollar, John Krasinski as John Hollar and Anna Kendrick as Rebecca. Photo by Jonny Cournoyer, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

In addition to Krasinski playing the son;  Margo Martindale and Richard Jenkins play his parents; Sally and Don Hollar.  The remaining outstanding cast ensemble include Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, and Anna Kendrick.  Josh Groban, Randall Park, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead also play memorable supporting roles.

In the movie, John Hollar (John Krasinski), a struggling New York City artist is forced to navigate the small middle-American town he left behind when news of his mother’s illness brings him home. Back in the house he grew up in, John is immediately swept up in the problems of his dysfunctional family, high school rival (Charlie Day), and an over-eager ex-girlfriend (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as he faces impending fatherhood with his girlfriend (Anna Kendrick) in New York.

From a script by Jim Strouse that turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Krasinski’s second feature as a director is a poignant look at the bonds of family and friendship. Krasinski gives Strouse full credit for how well the movie turned out.

“Movies like this just never get made anymore…we had an amazing script, written by Jim Strouse, who Margo worked with.  He writes in way that no one else does.  He writes family a very real way.” “His script is very honest and real.”  

Holding on to the script for over six years, Krasinski’s financier finally told him that they were having problems raising the money to produce the film, so he needed to personally raise the money himself, if he was going to make the movie a reality.  It was a no-brainer for Krasinski, and he was then able to work on casting immediately.  Her first choice was Margo Martindale.  Richard Jenkins would not join unless he was able to cast Martindale and everything fell into place with its impressive cast after that.

Once the cast met on the set, Krasinski already felt like family. “We were weirdly blessed and within 24 hours; we became family.”,  Looking directly at Martindale, Krasinski cracked “I mean, I love this woman like it’s my own mother, if not more”. ..“We really became close and there was something very special and magical happening.”

Krasinski’s reunion with Martindale sixteen years later, as well as the fact that Strouse actually worked with Martindale before (“The Winning Season”), was proof that life does indeed go in full circles.

When it came to directing his cast during the most critical and integral scene in the movie which takes place in the hospital with Martindale having her emotional moment around much of the supporting cast surrounding her hospital bed, Krasinski thanked and acknowledged her gift to the cast members.

“One of the most important scenes, if not the most important scene in my life, not as an actor or director…what I learned that day was tenfold”…“That was not acting, that was a gift to everyone on the set or anyone who was going to watch the movie”. “To ask someone to go through that …that people take some time, she wanted to go right now.  What you see in the movie was the only take.   Unbelievably vulnerable, personal, primal…she let it happen for us, which I’ll never ever be able to thank her for.  She gave it 150% every single time.”

Krasinski asked Martindale after the scene was done, “Why do you always give 150% every time?”

Martindale replied referring to her co-stars, “because that’s my husband, those are my sons, and I’m going to give them everything they need to be great performers too.”

Even though the dysfunctional family movie genre has been way a bit overdone in the industry, leave it to John Krasinski as an actor/director who understands each of his actors to make for an all outstanding ensemble cast, as well to being completely true to the original script.  Margo Martindale is a complete standout, and the rest of the ensemble cast is just plain fun to watch in comical situations that are never predictable, as life truly is.  Very recommended!