Tenure (film): Difference between revisions

Tenure
Tenure
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Mike Million
Written by	Mike Million
Produced by	Jared Ian Goldman; Paul Schiff; Tai Duncan; Brendan McDonald; Blowtorch Entertainment
Starring	Luke Wilson; David Koechner; Gretchen Mol
Cinematography	Steve Yedlin
Edited by	Tom McArdle
Music by	John Frizzell
Distributed by	Blowtorch Entertainment
Release dates	October 2009 (Hamptons Film Festival); February 19, 2010 (United States);
Running time	89 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$5 million

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Tenure is a 2009 American dark comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Million and starring Luke Wilson, David Koechner and Gretchen Mol. The film was produced by Paul Schiff and released by Blowtorch Entertainment as their first original production.

After being screened at several film festivals and independent theaters, Tenure was first released on DVD exclusively at Blockbuster Video stores on February 19, 2010.^[1] A national release followed in April 2010.

Plot

Charlie Thurber (Luke Wilson) is a beleaguered English professor at fictional Grey College (a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania) who competes for tenure against an impressive new hire from Yale, Elaine Grasso (Gretchen Mol). Jay Hadley (David Koechner) is an anthropology professor at Grey who tries to convince Thurber to sabotage Grasso’s career – while being simultaneously obsessed with trying to prove the authenticity of Bigfoot. Thurber's articles are rejected by a series of academic journals and he worries about becoming a victim of the "publish or perish" pressures of professorship. And despite competing for the same job, Thurber and Grasso begin developing a friendship after she flounders as a classroom teacher and asks him for advice.

Meanwhile, Thurber struggles with a series of personal problems: his sister pesters him for money to pay for their father's retirement home; a smitten female student is aggressively flirtatious; and rather than admit he's single, Thurber hires a woman of questionable sanity to act as his girlfriend for a dinner with Grasso and her snobbish boyfriend.

Thurber's tenure review with college officials seems to be a disaster until the dean casts a tie-breaking vote, noting that Thurber's students gave him exemplary reviews and clearly adore him. Thurber is offered probational tenure, with the caveat that his classroom teaching will be severely reduced so that he can devote more time to publishing in respectable academic outlets.

The film concludes with Thurber inviting his ailing father to move in with him, Grasso dumping her boyfriend and hinting that she would like to pursue a relationship with Thurber, and Thurber quitting Grey College to teach at a high school so that he can remain in the classroom with students.

Cast

Luke Wilson as Charlie Thurber
David Koechner as Jay Hadley
Gretchen Mol as Elaine Grasso
Bob Gunton as William Thurber
Sasha Alexander as Margarette
Andrew Daly as Warren
Michael Cudlitz as Tim
Rosemarie DeWitt as Beth
Lily Holleman as Blaire
Lyman Chen as Steve Kim
Zach Selwyn as Buck
Keith Adams as Goth
William Bogert as Dean Leakey
Hillary Pingle as Robin
Nathan Pham as Stan

Production

Tenure was filmed using locations in Pennsylvania, including: Bryn Mawr College, Lower Merion High School, Rosemont College (including the historic Joseph Sinnott Mansion), and the Garrett Hill section of Radnor Township. The film was shot in 25 days on a budget of $5 million.^[2] And Foulkeways Retirement Community in Gwynedd, PA. ^[3]

Reception

Belinda Acosta, film critic at The Austin Chronicle, gave the film a favorable review, writing, "Wilson’s performance is as warm as a cardigan sweater. So, when a perky new hire (Gretchen Mol) threatens Charlie’s already shaky position, instead of swerving into high anxiety Wilson plays it close to the chest... The even-handedness of the film (directed by Mike Million) is part of its charm. And while it’s clear what’s coming long before the end of the film, the journey to the obvious conclusion is no less satisfying."^[4]

References

^ Crossman, Kevin (15 February 2010), "'Tenure' Coming to Blockbuster DVD Feb 19, Nationally in April", The Frat Pack Tribute
^ Sierra Bellow; et al. (Summer 2009), "Making Movies: The Celluloid Ringmaster; Mike Million Directs his First Feature Film", The University of Virginia Magazine
^ Paulsen, Faith (2015). Foulkeways: The Dream Today (1st ed.). Blurb, Incorporated. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-36-659600-0.
^ Acosta, Belinda. The Austin Chronicle, film review, October 28, 2009.

External links

Tenure at IMDb
Tenure at Rotten Tomatoes

[1] Crossman, Kevin (15 February 2010), "'Tenure' Coming to Blockbuster DVD Feb 19, Nationally in April", The Frat Pack Tribute

[2] Sierra Bellow; et al. (Summer 2009), "Making Movies: The Celluloid Ringmaster; Mike Million Directs his First Feature Film", The University of Virginia Magazine

[3] Paulsen, Faith (2015). Foulkeways: The Dream Today (1st ed.). Blurb, Incorporated. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-36-659600-0.

[4] Acosta, Belinda. The Austin Chronicle, film review, October 28, 2009.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 | image          = Tenure poster.jpg
 | caption        = Theatrical release poster
-| director       = [[Mike Million]]
+| director       = Mike Million
-| producer       = [[Paul Schiff]]<br />Tai Duncan<br />Brendan McDonald<br />[[Blowtorch Entertainment]]
+| producer       = [[Jared Ian Goldman]]<br />[[Paul Schiff]]<br />Tai Duncan<br />Brendan McDonald<br />[[Blowtorch Entertainment]]
 | writer         = Mike Million
 | starring       = [[Luke Wilson]]<br />[[David Koechner]]<br />[[Gretchen Mol]]
-| music          = [[Dolby Laboratories]]
+| music          = [[John Frizzell (composer)|John Frizzell]]
+| cinematography = [[Steve Yedlin]]
+| editing        = [[Tom McArdle]]
 | distributor    = [[Blowtorch Entertainment]]
 | released       = {{Film date|2009|10||Hamptons Film Festival|2010|2|19|United States}}
@@ Line 16: / Line 18: @@
 | gross          =
 }}
-'''''Tenure''''' is a 2009 American [[comedy film]] written and directed by [[Mike Million]] and starring [[Luke Wilson]], [[David Koechner]] and [[Gretchen Mol]].  The film was produced by [[Paul Schiff]] and released by [[Blowtorch Entertainment]] as their first original production.
+'''''Tenure''''' is a 2009 American [[dark]] [[comedy-drama]] film written and directed by Mike Million and starring [[Luke Wilson]], [[David Koechner]] and [[Gretchen Mol]].  The film was produced by [[Paul Schiff]] and released by [[Blowtorch Entertainment]] as their first original production.
 After being screened at several [[film festivals]] and independent theaters, ''Tenure'' was first released on [[DVD]] exclusively at [[Blockbuster Video]] stores on February 19, 2010.<ref>{{Citation
   | last = Crossman
   | first = Kevin
-  | title = ‘Tenure’ Coming to Blockbuster DVD Feb 19, Nationally in April
+  | title = 'Tenure' Coming to Blockbuster DVD Feb 19, Nationally in April
   | pages =
-  | newspaper = [http://the-frat-pack.com/ The Frat Pack Tribute]
+  | newspaper =  The Frat Pack Tribute
   | location =
   | date = 15 February 2010
   | url =http://the-frat-pack.com/2010/02/15/tenure-coming-to-blockbuster-dvd-feb-19-nationally-in-april/
  | accessdate = <!-----24 February 2010----->}}</ref> A national release followed in April 2010.
-==Plot==
-Charlie Thurber ([[Luke Wilson]]) is a beleaguered English professor at fictional Grey College who competes for [[tenure]] against an impressive new hire from [[Yale]], Elaine Grasso ([[Gretchen Mol]]).  Jay Hadley ([[David Koechner]]) is an anthropology professor at Grey who tries to convince Thurber to sabotage Grasso’s career - while being simultaneously obsessed with trying to prove the authenticity of [[Bigfoot]]. Thurber's articles are rejected by a series of academic journals and he worries about becoming a victim of the "[[publish or perish]]" pressures of professorship. And despite competing for the same job, Thurber and Grasso begin developing a friendship after she flounders as a classroom teacher and asks him for advice.
+== Plot ==
-Meanwhile, Thurber struggles with a series of personal problems: his sister pesters him for money to pay for their father's retirement home; a smitten female student is aggressively flirtatious; and rather than admit he's single, Thurber hires a woman of questionable sanity to act as his girlfriend for a dinner with Grasso and her snobbish boyfriend.
+Charlie Thurber ([[Luke Wilson]]) is a beleaguered English professor at fictional Grey College (a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania) who competes for [[tenure]] against an impressive new hire from [[Yale]], Elaine Grasso ([[Gretchen Mol]]).  Jay Hadley ([[David Koechner]]) is an anthropology professor at Grey who tries to convince Thurber to sabotage Grasso’s career – while being simultaneously obsessed with trying to prove the authenticity of [[Bigfoot]]. Thurber's articles are rejected by a series of academic journals and he worries about becoming a victim of the "[[publish or perish]]" pressures of professorship. And despite competing for the same job, Thurber and Grasso begin developing a friendship after she flounders as a classroom teacher and asks him for advice.
+Meanwhile, Thurber struggles with a series of personal problems: his sister pesters him for money to pay for their father's retirement home; a smitten female student is aggressively flirtatious; and rather than admit he's single, Thurber hires a woman of questionable sanity to act as his girlfriend for a dinner with Grasso and her snobbish boyfriend.
-Thurber's tenure review with college officials seems to be a disaster until the dean casts a tie-breaking vote, noting that Thurber's students gave him exemplary reviews and clearly adore him. Thurber is offered probational tenure, with the caveat that his classroom teaching will be severely reduced so that he can devote more time to publishing in respectable academic outlets.
+Thurber's tenure review with college officials seems to be a disaster until the dean casts a tie-breaking vote, noting that Thurber's students gave him exemplary reviews and clearly adore him. Thurber is offered probational tenure, with the caveat that his classroom teaching will be severely reduced so that he can devote more time to publishing in respectable academic outlets.
 The film concludes with Thurber inviting his ailing father to move in with him, Grasso dumping her boyfriend and hinting that she would like to pursue a relationship with Thurber, and Thurber quitting Grey College to teach at a high school so that he can remain in the classroom with students.
-==Cast==
+== Cast ==
 * [[Luke Wilson]] as Charlie Thurber
 * [[David Koechner]] as Jay Hadley
@@ Line 54: / Line 57: @@
 * Nathan Pham as Stan
-==Production==
+== Production ==
-''Tenure'' was filmed using [[Filming location|locations]] in Pennsylvania, including: [[Bryn Mawr College]], [[Lower Merion High School]], [[Rosemont College]], and the [[Garrett Hill, Pennsylvania|Garrett Hill]] section of [[Radnor Township]]. The film was shot in 25 days on a budget of $5 million.<ref>{{Citation
+''Tenure'' was filmed using [[Filming location|locations]] in Pennsylvania, including: [[Bryn Mawr College]], [[Lower Merion High School]], [[Rosemont College]] (including the historic [[Joseph Sinnott Mansion]]), and the [[Garrett Hill, Pennsylvania|Garrett Hill]] section of [[Radnor Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania|Radnor Township]]. The film was shot in 25 days on a budget of $5 million.<ref>{{Citation
-  | last = Sierra Bellow, ''et al''.
+  | last = Sierra Bellow
-  | first =
   | title = Making Movies: The Celluloid Ringmaster; Mike Million Directs his First Feature Film
   | pages =
@@ Line 64: / Line 66: @@
   | date = Summer 2009
   | url =http://www.uvamagazine.org/features/article/making_movies/
+  | accessdate = <!-----24 February 2010----->|display-authors=etal}}</ref> And Foulkeways Retirement Community in Gwynedd, PA. <ref>{{Cite book |last=Paulsen |first=Faith |title=Foulkeways: The Dream Today |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-36-659600-0 |edition=1st |pages=51 |publisher=Blurb, Incorporated |language=English}}</ref>
-  | accessdate = <!-----24 February 2010----->}}</ref>
-==Reception==
+== Reception ==
 Belinda Acosta, film critic at ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'', gave the film a favorable review, writing, "Wilson’s performance is as warm as a cardigan sweater. So, when a perky new hire (Gretchen Mol) threatens Charlie’s already shaky position, instead of swerving into high anxiety Wilson plays it close to the chest... The even-handedness of the film (directed by Mike Million) is part of its charm. And while it’s clear what’s coming long before the end of the film, the journey to the obvious conclusion is no less satisfying."<ref>[http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Screens/Blogs/index.html/objID899494/blogID/ Acosta, Belinda]. ''The Austin Chronicle,'' film review, October 28, 2009.</ref>
-==References==
+== References ==
 {{Reflist}}
-==External links==
+== External links ==
 * {{IMDb title|1198408|Tenure}}
+* {{Rotten Tomatoes|tenure}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Tenure}}
 [[Category:2009 films]]
-[[Category:2000s comedy films]]
+[[Category:2009 comedy-drama films]]
-[[Category:American films]]
+[[Category:American comedy-drama films]]
-[[Category:American comedy films]]
+[[Category:Films about academia]]
 [[Category:Films shot in Pennsylvania]]
+[[Category:Films set in universities and colleges]]
+[[Category:Films scored by John Frizzell (composer)]]
+[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
+[[Category:2000s American films]]
+[[Category:English-language comedy-drama films]]