Virginia | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by | Dustin Lance Black |
Produced by | Scott J. Brooks Hopwood DePree Christine Vachon |
Written by | Dustin Lance Black |
Starring |
Jennifer Connelly Ed Harris Emma Roberts Carrie Preston Toby Jones |
Music by | Nick Urata |
Cinematography | Eric Alan Edwards |
Edited by | John David Allen Beatrice Sisul |
Production
company |
TicTock Studios
Killer Films |
Distributed by | Entertainment One |
Release date
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Running time
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116 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $12,728 |
Virginia (originally titled What's Wrong With Virginia) is a 2010 film written and directed by Dustin Lance Black, and starring Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Emma Roberts, Carrie Preston, and Toby Jones.
In a small town, mentally unstable Virginia has a two-decade affair with a local married sheriff, Dick Tipton. Her son Emmett (Harrison Gilbertson) acts as her protector. During Emmett's quest for the truth of his father's identity, he begins a relationship with Tipton's daughter Jessie.
The film was shot in West Michigan (Holland, Grand Haven, South Haven, Saugatuck, Zeeland) during fall of 2009 in seven weeks on local streets, homes, and businesses. The project was filmed in Michigan, the decision having been taken to film there due to a state program offering incentives to the entertainment industry. To create Virginia's style, Dustin Lance Black requested Jennifer Connelly's advice to design the set of the character's house, as well as the selection of wardrobe she uses through the film.
Throughout filming and for its premiere at the TIFF, the film was titled What's Wrong With Virginia. Black re-cut the film following its poor initial reception, and it was subsequently re-titled Virginia for theatrical release.IndieWire quoted Black as saying that the film "was pretty bad. So I opened up the edit and got a new editor and went back to script and finishing that film."
The film was first shown on September 15, 2010 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
On January 17, 2012, Variety announced that Entertainment One have acquired North American distribution rights to Virginia. The film premièred in U.S theaters on May 18, 2012.
Virginia received negative reviews following its premier at TIFF. While noting that the film was "propped up by a strong central performance" from Jennifer Connelly, Katey Rich of Cinema Blend reported that it was "all over the place in every imaginable way."The Hollywood Reporter felt that "the film is tonally all over the place, eventually settling in a rut that comes a lot closer to resembling bad camp than edgy satire." 'Screen International similarly found the film tonally confused, writing that "the screenplay becomes as busy and overloaded as a packed roller-coaster, testing the viewer’s patience along the way and offering little in the way of a payoff."