Adam Scott’s memorable turn as Parks and Recreation’s Ben Wyatt will in no way prepare his fans for The Overnight. Bawdy and funny, dark and unsettling, sexy and weird, the intense romantic dramedy takes us through a gauntlet of relationship strains and tests. Not to mention Scott’s full frontal nudity.
Jason Schwartzman, Max Moritt, Judith Godrèche, Adam Scott and Taylor Schilling in The Overnight.
Before me in Toronto is a hopeful if somewhat nervous double threat, dapper in a well cut cobalt blue suit, phone firmly in hand as producer of The Overnight. He’s pleased that the film topped the specialty box office in Los Angeles and New York last weekend but it’s clear he’s on high alert. “It’s out first film for our company”, he says, which incidentally glories in the name Gettin’ Rad Productions.
The Overnight opens as two couples meet in the park and agree to get together.
When Scott and Taylor Schilling as Alex and Emily arrive at Kurt and Charlotte’s (Jason Schwartzman and Judith Godrèche) home, a pleasant evening of food and wine evolves from the usual niceties to flirtation to bizarre situations that challenge both couples sexually, emotionally and psychological.
It appears at first that Kurt is the mastermind of what could be a swinging setup. Emily is intrigued and repelled, Alex feels his manhood is being challenged and Charlotte makes a play. Meanwhile Kurt obsesses over his paintings of, um, buttholes. Eventually they wind up in bed in various ways. 
The Overnight is reminiscent of the sexual revolution films of the 60s’ and 70s. It lays out our intimacy and sex fears as those films did, and Scott agrees that in some respects his film harks back to those iconoclastic films in spirit at least.
“The film Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice is a landmark film”, says Scott. “We didn’t want to copy any of its scenes, especially the one of the four characters in bed. So many films have copied that so we did things differently. I have a lot of respect for Bob and Carol. But after seeing our film again I realise there isn’t anything else like it today.”
A clever bit of cinematic manipulation is how the film shapes our response to Kurt and Charlotte’s aggressive sexuality. They seem depraved because the film forces us to make that assumption. They set up situations that would make Alex and Emily seem closed-minded if they didn’t go along.
Says Scott “It’s manipulation or it’s seen through Taylor Schilling’s eyes and she’s on edge, or maybe it’s just depraved. But there are no monsters.” Emily is clearly unnerved by the prospect of having sex with them, but Alex feels he’s being challenged and wants to defend his manliness.
What follows is an hysterical scene in which Kurt and Alex do a naked dance, comparing one another’s penises.
The actor used prosthetic props to make the point, and I asked Scott if he’s dismayed by having that particular image onscreen and embedded for all time. “Oh no! I hope not forever. I could have played either role but I related more to Alex and his personality and situation.”
Scott’s proud of the film and reflected on producing. “It’s intensive. My wife, Naomi Scott did so much of the work in all departments because we couldn’t afford to hire people. She worked on costuming, casting, location scouting, and more. It’s our first feature so we were completely hands on”.
[Credit The Archive]
The Overnight is in theatres Friday – check out @Overnight_Movie @MrAdamScott #TheOvernight