Why Armie Hammer Was Cut From The Film And Other Revelations From The Filmmakers, Owen Wilson & Jason Sudeikis
“Hall Pass,” the upcoming comedy from Peter and Bobby Farrelly (“There’s Something About Mary,” “Kingpin,” “Dumb And Dumber“), sees Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis as two friends given a week-long hall pass from their wives (played by Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate). They have one week off from marriage and thus the freedom to chase the girls they constantly ogle and lust after. If anything, this is a movie for those that have, in a way, been growing up with the Farrellys: with a mix of the outrageous humor they’re known for, but a grasp for some more heartfelt moments as well. Sudeikis, in particular, makes a mark as the off-the-wall best buddy.
The two stars and directors recently sat down along with co-writers Pete Jones and Kevin Barnett and co-star Jenna Fischer to talk about the movie. Some jokes, some insights, some missed opportunities to watch Armie Hammer eat a hot dog after the jump.
Despite appearances, the filmmakers consider “Hall Pass” a chick flick.
“This is a guy concept but the women win, it’s ultimately a chick flick, I mean, they win across the board,” Peter said. “They get to do more than the guys do on the hall pass and the guys come back humbled and trying to please them.” Joked Wilson, “They would often say ‘we’re making ‘Mystic Pizza’ here’.” But it didn’t start out that way. “One of the early problems with the movie is the guys got the hall pass and the women just bit their fingernails and that didn’t work… my wife read it and she said ‘I hate these fucking women, if you get a hall pass, I get a hall pass’. [she was] Literally angry with me, so we rethought it.” The script was also given a pass by female writers Morgan Murphy and Laura Kightlinger.
Wilson’s wardrobe really helped him get into character.
“One of the things that [the filmmakers] had in mind for me playing the character was having a real look for the guy, I remember my older brother coming to Atlanta where we filmed, he was actually in the movie, and saying you look so bad,” he laughs, “really just putting on the clothes made you feel like, god I’ve got no game and you really don’t feel, when you’ve got pleated jeans, and orthopedic like shoes, you just don’t feel very sexy.”
One of the more outrageous scenes was a last minute addition.
“We’re not bashful about [creating raunchy scenes] but that’s not our goal,” explained Bobby, “at first we just try to create a character and a concept that we like so much that we can hang these gags on. Something like this scene, that’s one of the last things we put in the script really.” Added Peter, “Right before we started shooting we sat down and said: let’s go through it again, are there opportunities for jokes where there aren’t some now. One of the writers had an experience similar to this and it just cracked us up so we decided to try it.” Added Sudeikis (who is in the scene) “I think I only heard a couple of days before they shot the scene in the bathroom… with the gal, with the stomach problems — they did a “polish”,”he laughs, “and replaced ‘fart’ with ‘shit sprayed on a bathroom wall’ — spoilers — and that was a surprise to me.”
The Farrellys are all work and also all play.
“When you’re a little kid and you daydream about what movie-making must be like,” said Fischer,”what you’re daydreaming about is a Farrelly brothers movie. Their set is so fun and so easy — it made me feel like I always wanted to feel on a movie set. It was a total pleasure.” Wilson added, “There were more wrap parties on this than a normal movie.” “On set gambling,” said Sudeikis, “more games were invented — you guys could have your own Olympics with all the things you do [on set].”
(Duh?) a Hall Pass in real life is not advised.
“It’s a horrible idea,” said Jenna Fischer, “It’s a wonderful premise for a film, but it’s a horrible practical idea in real life. Don’t do it.” Noted Sudeikis, “All of the guys are kind of quiet.” “You know the one problem with the hall pass is if you have a hall pass, your wife would want a hall pass and then no guy would have a hall pass, then forget it,” said Peter, “cause that would get way stickier quicker.” Added Jones, “You’re swingers at that point right?”
Armie Hammer’s appearance as a bouncer was left on the cutting room floor (“whhhyyy?” ask all of the ladies).
“Believe it or not this is our shortest movie,” said Bobby, “there were quite few scenes that were taken right out of it, we have 7 or 8 on the DVD. We had a scene with Armie Hammer… it was a very fun scene where the guys try to get into the club and Armie Hammer’s the doorman and he says sorry guys you’re not getting in, I’m going to get fired… they slip him $50, he lets them in, cut to they’re all standing at a hot dog stand, Armie Hammer’s been fired, they’re all eating hot dogs and they’re trying to get their money back from him.”
“Hall Pass” appears in theaters February 25th. See the trailer below:
