| Mr. Roosevelt | |
| Director: | Noël Wells |
| Music: | Ryan Miller |
| Cinematography: | Dagmar Weaver-Madsen |
| Editing: | Terel Gibson |
| Distributor: | Paladin |
| Runtime: | 90 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Mr. Roosevelt is an American comedy film written, directed by, and starring Noël Wells, in her directorial debut. It co-stars Nick Thune, Britt Lower, Daniella Pineda, Andre Hyland, Doug Benson, Armen Weitzman, and Sergio Cilli.
Emily Martin returns to her hometown to say goodbye to her deceased cat and attempts to come to terms with her past, while staying with her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.
The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 12, 2017. It was released on October 27, 2017, by Paladin.
Emily Martin has lived in LA for two years to make it as a comedian, but still auditions unsuccessfully. During an unsatisfactory tryst, her ex Eric Kline calls, telling her their cat Mr. Roosevelt is ill.
Rushing back to Austin, TX, Emily coincides with Eric in the vet's waiting room. As they are hugging, he introduces her to Celeste, his live-in girlfriend. Shocked, Emily handles the vet bill, as Mr. Roosevelt has passed.
The cremation will take a day or two, so the couple offers her a room, in the house she used to share with Eric. Celeste has completely transformed it. Snooping on Facebook, Eric has no new photos, but Celeste's page has lots of them and the cat.
That evening, the couple invites Emily to dinner with another couple. During the awkward meal, when she asks Eric about his band, Celeste explains that he's getting his real estate license as it's a more steady, long-term career. When Emily is asked about work she explains she's a comedian, not really a comic nor an actress. Her auditions are primarily for commercials. Vaguely calling herself an entrepreneur for her own online company, Celeste presses Emily to explain why she'd moved to LA if not to become an actor or comic.
Upset, Emily storms off and bumps into a server, Jen. Eric follows, but both women shoo him off. As Emily cut her hand, Jen cleans it in the bathroom. She recognises her from her Youtube channel, and when asked why she's back in Austin, Emily pours out everything: her cat dying, her ex with a new girlfriend she hadn't known about, how she's taken over, so attached to Emily's cat... Jen gets a cup of water and throws it in her face to snap her out of it. They both burst out laughing.
When Emily returns, everyone stares at her wet face and dress strangely. The rest of the evening is spent in silence. In the morning, Celeste happily presents Emily with a return flight to LA using their frequent flyer miles.
Eric offers to make Emily breakfast. She offers to make coffee. As Emily is making it, they seem to be 'accidentally' bumping into each other and he holds her from behind. But then she comes to when she 'sees' Mr. Roosevelt at his bowl, and hears Eric say it is now a coffee-free house. As he heads off to class, he indicates that her things are in the shed.
Emily cycles into town for coffee, then finds Jen, in her shared house. Together they go to the Greenbelt for the day. She meets Art, then quits her job over the phone. Emily cuts loose and smokes MJ, but eventually hears the message that the cremation is finished. Hurrying to the vet, she's told the ashes were taken by Celeste, so she storms back to the house. Livid, she tries to take the urn, but the couple planned a goodbye brunch for the morning.
Emily and Eric go out for a bite, as Celeste is busy, and they are invited to a house party. Jen is there with her band and later Eric joins her onstage to cheer Emily up. Afterwards, on the way back, they kiss. He says it was a mistake, that he loved music but now he wants a family. They finally hash it out...Emily broke his heart and Eric believes she can't see it because she's self-absorbed.
Emily storms off, hooking up with Art and they have sex. She wakes hungover with him naked and her clothes being semen-stained. Jumping up, Emily puts an old outfit on from her boxes, makes herself presentable and walks into the brunch. Finding it ridiculous, she takes the ashes and rides off on her bike.
At Jen's again, Emily updates her about everything, working herself into a frenzy again. When Jen tries to diffuse her again with water in the face, she dodges, loses her balance and she and the ashes go flying. Breaking down, after the long-in-coming cry, Jen drives her to Eric's and the four put Mr. Roosevelt to rest in the back yard.
Emily leaves a note goodbye, tosses most of the things from the shed, and gets a lift to the airport with Jen.
In March 2016, it was announced Noël Wells would write, direct, and star in the film.[1] She plays a struggling comedian in Los Angeles who returns home to Austin, Texas.[2] Production on the film took place in Austin and was shot on 16 mm film.[3] [4] Ryan Miller composed the film's score.[5] The house she stayed in is at 5010 Duval Street in central Austin.
The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 12, 2017,[6] [7] receiving a standing ovation from the audience in attendance.[8] [9] Shortly after, Paladin and Netflix acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film.[10] It was released on October 27, 2017.[11] On December 26, 2017, the film was released on Netflix.
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 100% rating based on 33 reviews, and the critical consensus is summarized as, "Mr. Roosevelt offers an existential exploration of an entire generation through the microcosm of one woman's relationship with her cat.".[12] On Metacritic, it has an average score of 73 out of 100, based on 13 critical reviews, indicated "generally favorable reviews".[13]