# Mr. Roosevelt

Mr. Roosevelt is an American comedy film written, directed by, and starring Noël Wells. The film marks her directorial debut and also stars Nick Thune, Britt Lower, Daniella Pineda, Andre Hyland, Doug Benson, Armen Weitzman, and Sergio Cilli.
The plot follows Emily Martin (Noël Wells) as she returns to her hometown to say goodbye to her cat, and attempts to come to terms with her past while staying with her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.
Mr. Roosevelt premiered at South by Southwest on March 12, 2017 and was released by Paladin on November 22, 2017. The film received positive reviews from critics.

## Plot

Emily Martin, a comedian living in Los Angeles, returns to her hometown of Austin, Texas after hearing from her ex-boyfriend Eric that their cat, Mr. Roosevelt, is ill. At the veterinarian's office, Emily learns from Eric and his live-in girlfriend, Celeste, that Mr. Roosevelt has already passed away. She agrees to cover the vet bill and is invited to stay at Eric and Celeste's house as a guest while she's in town. It was previously the house that Emily and Eric shared, but has now been drastically renovated.
That evening, Eric and Celeste invite Emily to dinner with another couple. The atmosphere turns tense when Emily asks Eric about his band, and Celeste reveals he has shifted to a real estate career for stability. When the topic shifts to Emily's career, she describes herself as a comedian, but admits most of her work involves commercial auditions. Celeste, who vaguely describes herself as an entrepreneur, presses Emily about her motivations for moving to Los Angeles.
Upset, Emily storms off and accidentally bumps into Jen, a restaurant server. This causes Emily to cut her hand, and Jen helps her clean it up in the bathroom. Jen recognizes Emily from her YouTube channel and asks her why she is back in Austin. Emily opens up to Jen and, in an attempt to snap her out of her spiral, Jen splashes a cup of water in Emily’s face. They both burst out laughing. When Emily returns, everyone silently stares at her wet face and dress. The rest of the evening passes in awkward silence.
The next morning, Celeste cheerfully presents Emily with a return flight to Los Angeles. Eric offers to make Emily breakfast, but she insists on making them coffee instead. As she prepares it, they seem to "accidentally" bump into each other, and Eric holds her from behind in a tender manner. Emily snaps out of it when she notices Mr. Roosevelt's empty bowl and hears Eric mention it's now a "coffee-free" house. As he heads off to class, he casually mentions that her things are in the shed.
Emily cycles into town for coffee and runs into Jen at her house. The two spend the day at the Greenbelt, where Emily meets Art (Andre Hyland). Later, she quits her job over the phone. Cutting loose, Emily smokes marijuana with some local youth at a swimming hole but eventually receives the message that her cat’s cremation is complete and ready for pick-up. Rushing to the vet, she learns Celeste has already picked up the ashes. Furious, Emily storms back to the house and attempts to take the urn. However, she enters a celebratory brunch. The couple informs her that they had planned a farewell brunch for Mr. Roosevelt. Emily breaks down in front of Eric, Celeste, and their friends.
Emily and Eric go out to eat while Celeste is busy. They get invited to a house party where Jen’s band is playing. Eric joins Jen onstage to cheer Emily up, and on the way home, he and Emily kiss. He quickly pulls away, calling it a mistake, and admits he now wants a family. Their conversation turns tense as Eric accuses Emily of being too self-absorbed to see how much she has hurt him.
Upset, Emily storms off and sleeps with Art. The next morning, hungover, she cleans up and heads to brunch. Finding the situation absurd, she takes the ashes and rides off on her bike.
At Jen’s house, Emily explains her emotional outburst and dissatisfaction. When Jen tries to calm her with a splash of water, Emily dodges, loses balance, and spills the ashes. Overwhelmed, she breaks down in tears. After composing herself, Jen drives her to Eric’s, where Emily leaves a goodbye note, clears out the shed, and catches a ride to the airport with Jen.

## Cast

* Noël Wells as Emily Martin
* Nick Thune as Eric Kline
* Britt Lower as Celeste Jones
* Daniella Pineda as Jen Morales
* Andre Hyland as Art
* Doug Benson as Todd
* Armen Weitzman as Andy
* Sergio Cilli as Tom
* Carley Wolf as Samantha

## Production

In March 2016, it was announced that Noël Wells would write, direct, and star in the film as the main character, Emily. Filming took place in Austin, Texas, and was shot on 16 mm film. The film's score was composed by Ryan Miller.

## Release

The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest (SXSW) on March 12, 2017, where it received a standing ovation from the audience. Shortly after, Paladin and Netflix acquired U.S. distribution rights. The film was released theatrically on October 27, 2017, and later became available on Netflix on December 26, 2017.

## Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 100% Tomatometer rating based on 34 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The critical consensus states: "Mr. Roosevelt offers an existential exploration of an entire generation through the microcosm of one woman's relationship with her cat."
On Metacritic, the film has a score of 73 out of 100, based on 13 critical reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."