All These Small Moments revolves around a number of things. It is about a teenager’s first crush, the damage of high school lies, a woman looking for any kind of connection and a married couple going through a divorce.
Molly Ringwald is one half of the latter, playing the wife to Brian D’Arcy James’ husband in the charming but poignant comedy drama, which bares a resemblance to “The Squid And The Whale” and “Little Men.”
I recently had the chance to speak to Ringwald about “All These Small Moments,” during which time she talked to me about the allure of playing a mother in crisis.
When did you first get the script for “All These Small Moments”?
I only read it about a year and a half ago. It all happened so fast. We shot last March. I really connected with the character and It seemed like a cool project to do. I liked the fact that she was a mother and usually mothers are played one dimensionally, where you just get to see a nice side of them. Particularly when it is told from a teen point of view. They’re either very nice or a villain. She was nice and complicated. Tough. She was very in her own thoughts, in her own world. As people tend to get when they’re in a moment like this.
In situations like this parents have to start their lives over again.
I remember watching my own mother go through that when I left home when I turned 18 and moved to New York. I watched her go, ‘Oh my God! I didn’t think this through.’ She had put everything into being a mother. For some people that’s what they need, but for others they’re like, ’Now what? My kids don’t need me in the same way. And I don’t know what to do about it.’ That’s where my character is at when you meet her. There’s a lot of other stuff going on in the film, though, it’s not all about her.
After I watched it I wanted to call my mother.
That’s incredible. That’s really incredible. Especially because in many ways I didn’t think she was the most likable character. Melissa wrote a complex character and she allowed me to be unlikable, and what you’re saying is a real testament to playing a real character. And it probably made you react in that way because she felt real. Make sure you call your mother.
I will. I promise. Talk about working with Melissa (Miller-Costanzo, director).
Melissa is funny. Quirky. Eccentric. Not noticeably so, that just creeps up on you. I feel like she managed to keep the respect and confidence of the crew throughout. Which is huge for a first time director. Because you can always kind of tell when the director loses that. Everything flounders. But we were working crazy hours on this and everyone was there every step of the way.
Lastly this film feels like a love letter to buses.
Yes! Yes. Melissa said that the amount of buses and public transport in this movie meant that it was impossible to shoot it anywhere else. This movie is so not California. There’s just not a transit system or culture over here. It is wonderfully Brooklyn and New York.
"All These Small Moments" is now playing at the Tribeca Film Festival.
