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Read the Philadelphia CityPaper.net Review

Read the Variety Review

"...TOP NOTCH! A SHARPLY OBSERVED TALE. THINK 'FRIENDS' WITH AN ACERBIC DOROTHY PARKER AFTERTASTE."
-Glenn Lovell, VARIETY

"COMPASSIONATE AND UNFLINCHING!"
-Paul Malcolm, LA WEEKLY

"ONE OF THE MOST FRANK AND HONEST FILMS I’VE SEEN IN QUITE A WHILE. PROVACTIVE AND SENSITIVE WITH SMACK YOU IN THE FACE FRESHNESS."
-Bill Diehl, ABC RADIO NETWORK

"A VERY PERSONAL AND POWERFUL VIEW OF A WOMAN’S SEXUALITY. A REAL DELIGHT."
-Cal Godot, INDIEWIRE

"JULIE LYNCH’S HAUNTING DEBUT FILM IS COURAGEOUS AND DISTURBING. STAYS WITH YOU LONG AFTER ITS CONCLUSION."
-Sam Adams, THE PHILADELPHIA CITY PAPER

Getting Off: The Back Story
by Julie Lynch
When I had just started writing GETTING OFF, I had the good fortune to meet Eilhys England. I gave her a copy of the very first draft. She liked it and told me she would work with me to get it made. She attached Lizzie Borden to direct. They both critiqued a number of drafts and when we all thought it was ready, Eilhys and I started sending the script to every contact we had.

Stan Wertlieb read it and suggested I send it to Mark Horowitz who was then at Alliance.   Mark liked the script and was very friendly with Lizzie - so it seemed like a great match. Mark gave me crucial notes that took about two drafts to accomplish. Once he was happy with it, he gave it to the head of production at Alliance who decided it was too intense.   So, in the end, Mark had to pass.

Feeling frustrated, I decided to check out the indie scene. Jim Stark recommended that we team up with Gill Holland. I met with Gill a few days later. He read the script that night and, by the next morning, Gill, Eilhys and I were in pre-production. I was still hoping that Lizzie would direct but once she saw the budget constraints, it no longer made sense for her. I was sad to lose her. She had been an important part of the script's development.

At that point, Gill suggested that I direct. Given the budget, it made a lot of sense and since I love working with actors, I was thrilled to have the opportunity. Gill brought Nadia Leonelli on board. Then together, Nadia and Gill brought in production designer Petra Barchi, script supervisor Molly McGuire, 1st Assistant Director Jamin O'Brien and DP Enrique Chediak.

While Eilhys secured locations like Caroline's and the Merc bar and wardrobe from Nicole Miller, Gill and I started casting. We hired Adrienne Stern to work with the talent agents and, in the mean time, Gill asked his long-time friend Tom Gilroy to play Ryan and I asked Bill Sage to play Matt. Then the audition process began.

Garret Dillahunt was the first actor I auditioned who blew me away. The Chris character doesn't have a great deal of screen time but, for me, he is the heart of the film so I was thrilled to find someone so instantly lovable. Adrienne also brought in Blanchard Ryan to play Brill and Dael Orlandersmith to play Shantrelle. As the search for the rest of the actors continued, both Gill and Bill Sage recommended I consider Brooke Smith for the part of Elaine. I met Brooke for lunch - loved her immediately - but didn't see her as Elaine at all. I saw her as Jennifer and as soon as she read the script she agreed. Brooke knew we were having a difficult time finding the right Josie. She mentioned that she had met an actress at an audition - Christine Harnos - who looked like Josie to her. By the time we were able to locate Christine, she had flown back to LA so we continued searching. The role was difficult to cast because Josie had to be such a complex mix of strength and vulnerability.

Finally, after auditioning more than 200 actresses, we got a script to Christine. After reading it, she rushed back to New York.   When she walked into Adrienne's office, I gasped. She looked more to me like Josie than the character I had described in the screenplay.

During my first rehearsal with Christine and Tom Gilroy, I found out that I'd lost the actress I had already cast as Elaine. Together, Christine and Tom racked their brains for the perfect replacement. Simultaneously, they blurted out the name Amy Ryan. As it turned out, Christine and Amy had been friends for years and both Tom and Bill Sage had worked with and respected her. I had coffee with Amy later that day. Even before I watched her reel, I knew she would be great.

In the eleventh hour, the actor I had cast as Michael landed a leading role in a studio film. I quickly got on the phone with Craig Gartner and Todd Noonan at ICM who sent me tape on every available client.   Once I saw David Marshall Grant's reel, I realized I had seen him three times in Angels in America--and loved him. I made a deal with him immediately.

We started shooting five days later.