What They Had
What They Had is a 2018 American drama film written and directed by Elizabeth Chomko and starring Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster, Blythe Danner, Taissa Farmiga, and Josh Lucas. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2018, and was released in the United States on October 19, 2018 by Bleecker Street. Plot. When her Alzheimer's-suffering mother, Ruth, wanders into a blizzard on Christmas Eve, Bridget Ertz travels back to her hometown to help her brother, Nicky, convince their father to put Ruth in a nursing home and face  the end of their life-long love affair. Ruth returns to her home with her family and discussions ensue about her future. Nicky debates with their father, Norbert as he has secured a spot in one of the premiere memory assisted facilities in Chicago. Yet Norbert insists that he alone can provide the best care for Ruth. Nicky looks to Bridget for help, but her time away from her parents makes this a challenge to address. Bridget is dealing with her own immediate family issues as she's never connected with her husband and her daughter, suffering from anxiety, has  stopped attending classes at college. Nicky continues to argue with his father over Ruth's future and after a heated discussion he leaves the home. Bridget discusses her father's interference in her life and just then they notice that Ruth has again disappeared from the home. She is discovered quickly, but Norbert finally realizes that Ruth must go to the assisted care facility. Norbert reconciles with his son by visiting his tavern. Shortly thereafter he dies due to a heart attack and Nicky is grief-stricken. Bridget spends time with her mother at her assisted home and sees how  well they are treating her. She leaves the facility with a restful smile on her face. Production. Development. In 2014, Elizabeth Chomko was selected for the Sundance Institute's Screenwriters Lab with a script for the drama film "What They Had". In September 2015, Chomko's script was announced as a winner for the Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. In June 2016, Chomko revealed she would also direct the film from her screenplay. Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa were later reported to produce for Bona Fide Productions, along with Bill Holderman, and Andrew Duncan and Alex Saks producing for June Pictures , and Keith Kjarval producing for Unified Pictures. Casting. On March 17, 2017, it was reported that Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Robert Forster, Blythe Danner, and Taissa Farmiga had been cast in the film. Sarah Sutherland's casting was confirmed in August 2017. Filming. Principal photography began on March 22, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. On March 28, members of the Amboy American Legion performed a graveside service for a scene in the film on location in Westchester, Illinois. Conboy Westchester Funeral Home also hosted the cast and crew for filming on March 28. Production was set up in Hyde Park, Chicago  for more than two weeks, concluding on April 17. Filming wrapped in Los Angeles on May 2, 2017. Music. In December 2017, it was reported that Danny Mulhern would compose the film's score. The end credit song "Are You There" is written by Aoife O'Donovan, the film's writer and director Elizabeth Chomko and her mother Kate Chomko. Release. In May 2017, Bleecker Street acquired domestic distribution rights to the film. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2018. "What They Had" was initially scheduled for release on March 16, 2018, but was  pushed back to October 19, 2018. Reception. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average of . The website's critical consensus reads, ""What They Had" finds laughter and tears in its portrait of a family at a crossroads, with writer-director Elizabeth Chomko getting outstanding performances out of a talented cast." Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".