Frankie and Johnny Are Married

This is a wonderful film about staying real, human, and loving in the face of life's unexpected challenges. It's also an amusing, tender, non-sappy, very human- scale, look at the emotional turmoil of rehearsing and staging a live theater production on a small budget. Lisa Chess and Michael Pressman bring warmth and genuine heart to this fictionalized true story, playing themselves as actress and director of a stage production of Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune that turns into an unmitigated disaster. Alan Rosenberg is brilliant as the renegade actor who subverts the entire production.

One sub-plot -- what is it like for a man to direct his attractive wife doing nude sex scenes with an actor who has the real-life hots for her and doesn't believe in following the rules -- is particularly intriguing. The film opens in very limited distribution in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco in June. Catch it while you can.

An absolutely fearless enterprise by all involved, "Frankie & Johnnie Are Married" is the ultimate actor's nightmare: not only that the curtain goes up and you're naked and you don't know your lines, but that the entire production is collapsing around you...and you're still naked.

Writer-Director Michael Pressman expertly brings each scene right to the brink and then expertly pulls it back from the abyss, thanks to his co-star (and real-life wife) Lisa Chess and their gutsy co-star Alan Rosenberg. In particular (ask anybody who's tried this), they've worked through how to a) act natural; b) act like they're acting; and c) blur the line in all the right places.

This is a hoot for anybody who's ever done Equity waiver theatre, low-budget movies, or worked with their relatives and friends -- and Pressman, Chess, and Rosenberg have the gall to do all three at once.

For those who enjoyed "Waiting for Guffman" and "Noises Off," this splendidly warm, sharply funny, but somehow intimate and upbeat comedy-drama is a perfect example of why everybody loves show biz -- and hates it -- at the same time.

We loved this movie. It maintained its heart while expressing the frustration with the realities of the creative process and creative people. In contrast with many films about the entertainment business it accomplishes all this without a hint of cynicism.

Michael Pressman was endearing playing himself -- trying against all odds to be a supportive husband. Lisa Chess, also playing herself, was wonderful --

especially in the scenes with Alan Rosenberg. Their acting exercises and "creative differences" were hysterical. Alan Rosenberg plays the "I'm as good as Pacino" role to the hilt, and Jillian Armenante was also very funny as the inept producer.

This is an excellent film and Alan Rosenberg's performance is spectacular.

There are many good cameo's and it is one of the funniest movies ever. More people should go out and see this movie. Michael Pressman is great as is his wife. I want to go see it again. Their is many bad words. The story is touching and everything is spectacular. The real standout is Alan Rosenberg again. If you wish to see more of him go watch the guardian on cbs on tuesday at 9. Forget 24 and everything else. This movie deserves oscars and a best actor award for Alan Rosenberg. He kicks butt. Let me restate my thesis, this is a great movie, it has great acting, and a great story, and great everything. I really suggest to go out and see this movie.

Of all the films I saw at the AFI Film Festival, this is the one I've been telling everyone they should run out and see. It's the true story of what happens when a Hollywood director/producer decides to put on an equity-waiver play: things go WRONG. It's filled with great performances from writer/director/actor Michael Pressman and his real-life wife Lisa Chess, and Alan Rosenberg chews up every scene he's in with his gruff charm and caustic behavior. The supporting cast is fantastic as well, and the cameos were hilarious. You don't have to be a Hollywood insider to appreciate the humor and drama of "Frankie and Johnny Are Married". My question is: when is this film coming out? Someone HAS to pick this up for distribution!