Stillwater is a new crime movie starring Matt Damon as a father, who is trying to get his daughter out of jail.
Let’s find out more about the movie!
- Stillwater is a 2021 American crime drama film.
- It was directed by Tom McCarthy.
- The movie is based on a script he co-wrote with Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain and Noé Debré.
- It stars Matt Damon as an unemployed oil-rig worker from Oklahoma who sets out with a French woman (Camille Cottin) to prove his convicted daughter’s (Abigail Breslin) innocence.
- The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on July 8, 2021.
- It was released theatrically in the United States on July 30, 2021 by Focus Features.
- It received generally positive reviews from critics.
- It was announced in July 2019 that Tom McCarthy would write and direct the film, with Matt Damon set to star.
- Abigail Breslin was added to the cast later in the month.
- The filming began in August 2019
- Camille Cottin was added to the cast in September.
- Mychael Danna composed the film’s score.
- It was filmed on location in Oklahoma and Marseille.
- The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on July 8, 2021.
- It was scheduled to be released in the U.S. on November 6, 2020, but was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Its American release finally occurred on July 30, 2021.
- In the United States and Canada, Stillwater was released alongside Jungle Cruise and The Green Knight, and was projected to gross around $5 million from 2,531 theaters in its opening weekend.
- The film made $1.8 million on its first day, including $280,000 from Thursday-night previews.
- It went on to debut with $5.2 million, finishing fifth.
- The film fell 45% to $2.6 million in its second weekend, remaining in fifth place.
- The story is loosely based on Amanda Knox’s story.
- Amanda Knox denounced the film and its creators on Twitter for profiting from her wrongful conviction and for distorting the facts of her story. Knox said, “by fictionalizing away my innocence, my total lack of involvement, by erasing the role of the authorities in my wrongful conviction, McCarthy reinforces an image of me as a guilty and untrustworthy person.”
- Shortly before the film’s release Knox expressed anger, claiming the movie is profiting off her life and struggle.
- Tom McCarthy explained in an interview how he and Matt Damon immersed themselves in the culture of Oklahoma oil “roughnecks” for the film – “Matt and I started going to Oklahoma early on to get a taste of the place and the people and spending time with roughnecks, in particular. They really opened up their lives to us, and their worlds and their families. They were incredibly instrumental in helping us shape the story.”
- Abigail Breslin obtained her driver’s license two weeks before shooting began, as one scene required her to drive a car.
- Matt Damon and his team received a 5-minute standing ovation at the 74th Cannes Film festival where the film premiered (July 2021). Most of the other films also received ovations of the same or longer lengths.
- Stillwater is the home to the main campus of Oklahoma State University.
- The address of Matt Damon’s character’s home, 2823 S Walking Trail Drive, 74074 Stillwater OK, really exists. However, it is a vacant lot.
- Abigail Breslin plays the daughter of Matt Damon, who starred alongside her Little Miss Sunshine (2006) father, Greg Kinnear, in Stuck on You (2003) and Green Zone (2010).
- In addition to the above, of course, both Abigail Breslin and composer Mychael Danna were involved with 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine.
