Tribeca Film Festival 2019: “Life Is Comedy And Life Is Drama, And Often At The Same Time.” Interview with Matt Ratner, Director Of STANDING UP, FALLING DOWN

I was able to sit down with Matt Ratner, director of the Tribeca Film Festival 2019 film Standing Up, Falling Down, about what he loves and looks for in movies, the journey of making it, and his advice for other first time directors.

This is Kristy Strouse from Film Inquiry. Congratulations on the film! I saw it last night and I really enjoyed it. How did you first get involved with this project?

Matt Ratner: The first movie I ever produced, I produced with Rick Rosenthal and David Permut and the gentleman who was working with David Permut named Chris Mangano, and we worked on a couple movies together and he sent me the script. I had been looking for a script to direct for a long time and it was the first script I read where I didn’t want to wait until the next morning to call about it. I read it and wanted to get in touch with the writer right away because I felt like it wasn’t a story I wanted to tell. It was a story I needed to tell.

And this is the first feature you’ve directed but I believe you produced projects that have been in festivals right?

Matt Ratner: Yes.

How important do you feel film festivals such as Tribeca are? Tell us about your experience a bit.

Matt Ratner: Tribeca in particular is very special to me because it was the first film I did premiered here as well in 2014. It continues to be a really important voice for independent films and storytelling. It’s important because I think it’s important for nuanced films that aren’t necessarily mainstream to be seen and to be enjoyed. I also think it’s important because of the distribution landscape. Being able to premiere somewhere like Tribeca really makes such a material difference in what you ultimately want as a storyteller, which is to get them to see the stories you are telling.

Absolutely. So, your two leads are hilarious. What was the casting like? Did you have either in mind?

Matt Ratner: I think with a small independent film the idea that Billy Crystal is going to be in your movie is something you don’t ever really consider. Because he’s soo…

Iconic.

Matt Ratner: Exactly! I mean, you talk about When Harry Met Sally basically being a perfect movie. Growing up on his work and respecting his work for so long you’d never dream that you’d be working with him as a colleague. So, when he expressed interest obviously very, very quickly we started working together. Then we brought Ben on board and their chemistry between them was really instant, and that’s another place where you’d rather be lucky than good, because if this was a studio film we would have screen tested it and we would have had Ben and Billy read together with a parade of executives looking at them. With an indie you don’t have that luxury so we really had to roll the dice on will this dynamic, which is the central dynamic of the film, work? And Ben and Billy became very close and they had not met before this film, so it was really neat because their relationship off screen and on screen really sort of mirrored each other.

That’s amazing, and I think that comes through because they have fantastic chemistry. Are you a big fan of comedy in general?

Matt Ratner: I am, yeah. I mean, I always enjoyed specifically these kinds of stories because life is comedy and life is drama, and often at the same time. There’s a certain messiness to the story that I was really attracted to. I had never liked stories that are tied up too neatly, and so that was I found so compelling about this was the blend of comedy and drama.

I agree. So, have you always known you wanted to be a director?

Matt Ratner: Even if I didn’t always admit it to myself, yes, I think I always did. I grew up in Cleveland and I would go see plays and the arts were always a love and passion for my family. My mother ran an art gallery for years before she had me, and then I went to school for theater. Then I kind of ending up taking a weird turn and worked in politics for a while. Then I got sick of wearing a suit to work everyday and ultimately moved out to Los Angeles. I always knew I wanted to be… the main creative voice, whether that was a showrunner or a director, whatever that would be. This sort of storytelling drive was always the key motivator.

You’ve obviously been involved with film for a while, what was it like directing your first feature? Any particular challenges?

Matt Ratner: The great thing about my producing background is that I know how to protect a first-time director. I think the biggest challenge was knowing when to take off the producing hat because I produced this as well, and thankfully I had a great team. Some were people I had never worked with and some were many times before. Being able to make sure that I was really dialed in and focusing on the things that are uniquely the domain of the director. You’re working with actors and not being distracted by things that could be outsourced. That was really the biggest challenge, but I also think it was a boon as I understand the practical realities of production in a way that really helps me make choices. Like, I really want this shot which requires these technical elements, which means I can’t have this other thing that I really want and understanding that is really important.

Were there any particular movies growing up that inspired you or began your love for cinema?

Matt Ratner: For movies particularly, I’ve always loved Indiana Jones. Those sorts of things you had on VHS [laughs] back when you watched movies like that.

I think I still have the first couple on VHS somewhere.

Matt Ratner: Yes, those were the… “sick movies.” The ones you watched when you stayed home from school.

Oh absolutely. [Laughs]

Matt Ratner: And for me, being from Cleveland, Major League was a touchstone one for me. The baseball comedy. There’s just a power of storytelling that I have always loved. I remember one piece, one tonal influence for this was a play called Stones in His Pockets, which is by Irish playwright Marie Jones. I saw that in highschool in London for theatre workshop, and it was the first play where I was laughing so hard that I didn’t notice I got punched in the gut. That kind of storytelling has always been interesting to me.

Definitely. Is there something in particular that you hope audiences will take away from this experience?

Matt Ratner: You hope that people take something from it that somehow even if it is a tiny way causes them to reevaluate their own experiences or causes them to think differently about someone in their life. For me this film deals a lot with regret and the nature of regret. It deals a lot with the idea of second chances. Are there times when it is too late for second chances? And I think that’s something that’s not defined to one demographic. I think it is something that everybody deals with and deals with at different phases at their life. That’s part of the reason that I loved that it was an intergenerational friendship. So, I hope people will take something like that.

And there is a lot of humor, but also some very emotional parts.

Matt Ratner: And then Thanos shows up and it’s just crazy.

[Laughs] Yes, there’s that.

Matt Ratner: It was our entire budget! [Laughs]

Anything else you are working on?

Matt Ratner: Ya know, I’ve been so tunnel vision on this that I’m really just sort of coming up for air. I have a few things on the hopper, but I’m really just starting to reengage with the world.

How have things been going for you, with the premiere last night and the response?

Matt Ratner: I said to someone last night actually, that, if you didn’t enjoy last night I should be in a different business. Because there are saner ways to make a living. It was obviously a relief, because the film was very well received, but if you’re in this business for external validation, you’re in the wrong one. [Laughs] But it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy it. And the fact that no one had really seen the final cut… Ben and Billy had, but that was it from the cast. There hadn’t been a screening of the final cut of the film with more than 30 people in a room and you think you have some distance from your work, but you really don’t. And then to see it in a theater, with however many were in there, and feel that they are on the emotional journey with you… Like you said, it’s a movie that bounces between comedy and drama and it’s one that asks a lot of its audiences, to make those tonal shifts with us. It’s one thing I have always tried to do, to respect an audience and see if they can handle that. So, to see that last night was really special.

I can imagine. As I said- I enjoyed it very much.

Matt Ratner: Thank you so much!

I know we touched on this in a way, but is there something in particular that you look for in a script?

Matt Ratner: It’s kind of a cliché answer, but it’s true. So, A: do I want to spend two years of my life on this? And B: Is there a story worth telling? Because everything else you can fix. If the characterizations are weak you can fix it, or plot or pacing problems – you can fix that. Not that it’s easy, but they are fixable. But, if the core of the story isn’t there then it’ll never be there. And we were really lucky, because it was there and the writer, Peter Hoare is a tremendously talented guy. He’s one of my favorite people that I have ever collaborated with. It’s a very personal story for him, and he was so gracious about killing his darlings and if it makes the movie better. And that was true top to bottom, with Billy and Ben too and the entire crew. What makes the film better? And if it makes the film better than lets do it.

You said it was very personal for Peter, was there inspiration from his life?

Matt Ratner: He grew up in Long Island and it was important for me to shoot there. We shot in Long Beach, and Billy’s also from there. It’s really important for me to get some of the DNA of long island in there. With Peter I know it was very, very loosely based on a sort on inciting incident if you will. He went through these struggles when he was a writer and ended up having to go back to NY. And, you know, for an independent film these stories tend to be very personal to the writers because it’s not the one they are writing to pay the rent, ya know? It’s not the studio re-write, it’s something that is meaningful to them and sometimes it can get people to be precious and Peter was the absolute antithesis of that. He’s become a very dear friend and such a lovely collaborator.

Awesome! And I’m from Long Island originally myself. What was it like filming there?

Long beach in November as it was intended! [Laughs] I think there’s a sensibility to the place that, and we kicked around other filming locations and faking exteriors, but once I went there to scout you just feel like there is something unique about that place that needs to be grounded there. We spent about 7 days filming there. A lot of the exteriors, and a lot of the interiors we did in deep Queens. I think that the texture of the place matters.

I agree. Is there any advice you can leave us with for future filmmakers?

Matt Ratner: I think that, I once had a professor in college in a room full of acting students, and she said, in a very dramatic stereotypical way: “If you can possibly imagine yourself being happy doing anything else, do that.” And the intent was to put the fear of god in people and it sort of worked. Every person that I went to school with who wanted to make a career out of it and has stuck with it at least for five years, has made one. It might not be exactly what they wanted, but they’ve done it. And I think it’s a crazy, serendipitous business. It’s one of the few worlds where talent and work ethic are necessary but not sufficient. You have to accept the randomness of it, and you do work that you enjoy, that motivates you, that excites you. And do work because you don’t know a lot about X and someone who is working on a commercial does. Seek out mentorship, and find people you trust. It’s obviously a challenging business, and everybody knows that, but there’s never been a better place for independent storytelling. It’s an exciting time to be a part of it.

That was terrific, thank you! It was great meeting you and congratulations on the film.

Matt Ratner: Yes, the same, and thanks for your kind words.

We want to thank Matt Ratner for taking time out to talk with us.

Standing Up Falling Down premiered on April 25th at Tribeca Film Festival.