Angelina Jolie’s By the Sea got a limited release this weekend, and once all of the reviews were in, I can sort of understand why she didn’t want to do a wider release. Even the Daily Beast branded the film “boring as f—k” and “the most depressing two-hour luxury perfume ad of all time.” Vulture made a half-hearted attempt to claim that the film might be an Oscar contender, but even they couldn’t keep up the ruse. Still, with these two, the hustle never dies. The Daily Mail has some exclusive photos of the Jolie-Pitt clan at the airport – go here to see. And Angelina gave another wordy interview to The Telegraph. Some highlights:
The working honeymoon filming ‘By the Sea’: “There were a few days when we thought it wasn’t the best idea. There were days during filming last year when we were really worried and it was hard. If we had married and were just starting a relationship it would have been a disaster, but because we have been together so long we wanted to see how far we could push our relationship and our love and see if we can work together under very intense circumstances and with very complex issues and see if it would make us better. But at the end we came out of it thinking, ‘This was the best honeymoon,’ because the film says, ‘Whatever you go through, weather the storm and stick together.’ So it was kind of a message to each other that we are going to stick together whatever comes.”
She & Brad have issues? “Brad and I have our issues, but if the characters were even remotely close to our problems we couldn’t have made the film. To be clear: we have fights and problems like any other couple. We have days when we drive each other absolutely mad and want space, but the problems in the movie aren’t our specific problems.”
Working on Mr. & Mrs. Smith: “When we first worked together it was very different because we didn’t really know each other and we were young and, it was really a fun film, so we thought, maybe By the Sea was going to be that kind of fun, but realised very quickly that it wasn’t. Then we joked that this is what happens after 10 years of marriage.”
She knows Brad’s triggers: “Our first few days were quite tricky because no matter what I say, he knows me so well and knows every little gesture when I get impatient, or when I am not really happy. And I was nervous about not being able to have the right direction for him, to see him stuck and not being able to push him. So it was challenging, but we made a private pact that we were going to try to be as open and honest and emotive as possible and give to each other as much as we could and, succeed or fail, we would just lay it bare. These were very sensitive themes and I know Brad’s triggers and what he can do and what he is thinking about so I had to step away and just be very careful in how he was directed. I tried to give him a safe space and tell him to trust me and I would do my best to protect him in the editing room if he would be as open and give me as much of himself and his emotions and his honesty, and he did. I think he worked very hard.”
Turning 40: “I turned 40 this year and I am so happy. Most women in my family start to get sick and start dying in their 40s and I am going to be very happy to become 50 and 60. I love getting older.”
Taking the kids to Cambodia: “Maddox is working with me in production so when I have my production meeting he is sitting right next to me and we go though our notes. Pax is going through the photography and Shiloh is sketching the sets. It has to be with family and they have to be a part of it now.”
She hopes she keeps getting directing work: “I love directing and I would love to be allowed to do more films and I hope I’m a good enough director to keep getting jobs. Most of my films are based on a history that’s important to me. I don’t have the same connection with By the Sea although it’s important because humanity in life is important. But I think I am
