If you've ever longed to see more stories on screen about adults who are still 'coming of age', then Aussie actress Alice Englert's directorial debut – a black comedy entitled Bad Behaviour – might be exactly the kind of film you've been searching for.
Englert, daughter of Oscar-winner Jane Campion, most recently starred in last year's TV adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons before making the call to switch gears into a directorial role.
After debuting at Sundance Film Festival in January, Bad Behaviour also joined the lineup at the Sydney Film Festival in May, where it was an official competition finalist.
View this post on Instagram
Who is in the cast of Bad Behaviour?
Jennifer Connelly leads the film as Lucy, with Englert playing her estranged daughter, Dylan. British actor Ben Whishaw, plays spiritual leader Elon Bello, alongside a few familiar Kiwi faces like Succession's Dasha Nekrasova, and singer-songwriter Marlon Williams.
What's the plot of Bad Behaviour about?
The film follows Lucy, a former child actor attempted to resolve some of her traumas by attending a kind of new-age therapeutic retreat run by a wellness guru named Elon. While she struggles to relax and fit in with the other sanctuary attendees, she must also reconcile with her daughter Dylan – a stunt performer currently filming in New Zealand – each attempting to find mutual support in one another.
“It kind of came out of a hunger or an ache that I have to see stories about adult women who are coming of age, in a way, that is beyond the kind of teenage mode," Englert said of what inspired the film. "I really want to be allowed to grow up."
When will Bad Behaviour be released?
Bad Behaviour will see a cinematic release in New Zealand from 2 November, and in Australia from 9 November.
Watch the trailer
Images courtesy of Protagonist Pictures.
