Nancy (film)

Nancy is a 2018 American mystery drama film written and directed by Christina Choe in her debut feature film. It stars Andrea Riseborough, J. Smith-Cameron, Ann Dowd, John Leguizamo, and Steve Buscemi. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018, with Choe winning the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award for her screenplay.[5] It was released on June 8, 2018, by Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Nancy
Theatrical release poster
Directed byChristina Choe
Written byChristina Choe
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyZoe White
Edited byDavid Gutnik
Music byPeter Raeburn
Production
companies
Distributed bySamuel Goldwyn Films
Release dates
  • January 20, 2018 (2018-01-20) (Sundance)[1]
  • June 8, 2018 (2018-06-08) (United States)[2][3][4]
Running time
87 minutes
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$92,000[3]

Plot

Nancy Freeman is a lonely woman who lives with her ailing mother Betty. An aspiring short story writer whose submissions are routinely rejected, Nancy finds an outlet for her creativity and need for attention and affection by running a blog in which she claims to be the grieving mother of a dead child. Off the blog, she meets Jeb, a divorced father grieving the loss of his daughter. Posing as being pregnant, having purchased a prosthetic belly, they get coffee together and connect. However, upon a chance encounter at a grocery store, Jeb discovers that Nancy isn't pregnant after all and becomes upset and never sees her again.

Soon thereafter, Betty passes away from a stroke. Nancy sees a news report about a couple - Leo and Ellen - who have never given up the search for their daughter, who was kidnapped as a child thirty years prior. Noting a vague resemblance between herself and an age progression of the couple's daughter, Nancy contacts them, claiming she may have been kidnapped and that she is their child.

Ellen, a professor of comparative literature, is quick to believe that Nancy is her daughter after seeing a photo of her while Leo, a psychologist, remains more skeptical. When Nancy visits, he quickly sets up a DNA test for the next day. Nancy's cat is parked in the sun room as Leo is allergic.

After dinner, Ellen sleeps alongside Nancy, in her daughter's bedroom - which hasn't been changed or slept in since her disappearance. She sleeps deeply. Next day, Leo shows Nancy his photo gallery in the attic and takes her photo. A man arrives to take a saliva sample and ask Nancy a few questions. He says the DNA test will take three days. The three then go to an art gallery together and share meals and get to know each other. Nancy confides in Ellen her dream of being a writer and shares her work with the couple. Ellen enjoys it and offers to send it to an editor she knows, much to Nancy's delight.

Ellen receives the results of the DNA test results and it is confirmed that Nancy isn't her daughter. On a walk with Nancy, she reveals she blames herself for her daughter's disappearance as Brooke ran off to see a kitten in a pet shop. Nancy comforts her. A gunshot is heard and a young man runs out desperate for a phone. Ellen dials 911 and Nancy applies compression to a boy's bleeding while they wait for the ambulance.

Later that night, Ellen hugs Nancy and whispers 'I love you', suggesting she is happy to have her in the couple's life despite the DNA results. But Nancy panics and leaves in the night while the couple sleep.

Cast

Release

The film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018.[1] Shortly after, Samuel Goldwyn Films acquired distribution rights to the film.[6] It was released on June 8, 2018.[2][3][4]

Reception

Box office

Nancy grossed $80,115 in the United States and Canada and $11,885 in other territories for a worldwide total of $92,000.[3]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 84% approval rating based on 58 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Nancy is an uncomfortable watch, but worth the effort thanks to Andrea Riseborough's central performance -- and writer-director Christina Choe's powerful empathy for her character's dangerously misguided choices."[7] Metacritic reports a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 17 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8]

References
  1. Debruge, Peter (November 29, 2017). "Sundance Film Festival Unveils Full 2018 Features Lineup". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  2. Erbland, Kate (May 2, 2018). "Nancy' Trailer: Andrea Riseborough Thinks Ann Dowd Kidnapped Her in Twisted Sundance Drama". IndieWire. Penske Business Media. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  3. "Nancy (2018)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  4. "Nancy (2018) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  5. Rife, Katie (June 7, 2018). "Sundance winner Nancy toys with our sympathy for a disturbingly daring grifter". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  6. McNary, Dave (February 19, 2018). "Andrea Riseborough's Thriller 'Nancy' Sells to Samuel Goldwyn (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  7. "Nancy (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  8. "Nancy". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
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