Sundance 2015: Melissa Rauch’s ‘The Bronze’ is the Talk of The Town

22 Jan 2015 7:13 PM PT

2015 Sundance Festival commenceed with Robert Redford delivering an opening speech that touched on free speech, the advancement of television and the “weird” experience of starring in a picture showing at the very festival he started.

 

—> Redford Kicks Off : ‘Television is Advancing Faster than Filmmaking’, by /

— The Finks ()

 

Day One press conference: buzzwords this year are ‘diversity’, ‘intensity’ and ‘change’. Bring it on! — Total Film ()

As the first day of premieres began there was already a buzz about Power Couples and breakthrough performances.  Vanity Fair and The Wrap have labeled Melissa Rauch, of CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory”, a breakout star portraying a former Olympic gymnast  aimlessly lost on the downside of glory. Her character as described in the Sundance program as ” a lovably loathsome character who makes Tonya Harding look like Grace Kelly.”  With that point of reference it’s no wonder The Bronze made the ‘Must See’ list of several critics and buyers alike.

Opening 2nite is , starring & co-written by ‘s Melissa Rauch — Gabrielle McAndrew ()

Meet the power couples of — VANITY FAIR ()

Variety has compared The Bronze to Napoleon Dynamite even though the “comedy” film is listed  in the category for U.S. Dramatic Competition. Co-star Sebastian Stan, of the Winter Soldier in “Captain America, calls it a “dark comedy” and noted that when he was sent the script, “I read it, and it was literally one of the things where I couldn’t stop laughing. I was laughing so much, I was calling my friends and quoting my character.”

The Bronze which was just filming in Amherst, Ohio this past June now finds itself as a day one premiere in a coveted slot that has brought impending success to previous films, like this year’s Oscar nominated Whiplash. Could this be a multiple breakthrough for Rauch not only as an actress but as a writer and executive producer in an industry in need of diverse voices?  The New York Times TimesTalk series from the Cinema Cafe Lounge at the Sundance film festival will host Rauch to be part of the discussion via it’s webcast on the topic of women filmmakers on Friday, January 23rd and we will continue our coverage of the Bronze and the Sundance Festival throughout the weekend.

 

 

 

Melissa Rauch and her husband Winston wrote the first draft of the script to ‘The Bronze’ in three months.

— Ramin Setoodeh ()

 

Getting ready to dive into a week of movies. Starting w THE BRONZE. — Chris Collier ()

Lots of anticipation for ‘s The Bronze. Comedic talents unleashed on indie passion project cld be a beautiful thing — Steven Zeitchik ()

 

Opening Night Photos

 

world premiere at

— WeLiveFilm.com ()

   

The cast of ‘The Bronze,’ the opening night film at . — Ramin Setoodeh ()

Bryan Buckley intros the cast of THE BRONZE. — Borys Kit ()

 

     

Melissa Rauch says she used a body double for her sex scene, but Sebastian Stan did not. “I was happy to do it,” he says. Sundance2015 — Ramin Setoodeh ()

      Reviews

I’m saying it first: The Bronze is pure gold. — Borys Kit ()

The Bronze is damn funny. There’s an art to mean spirited comedy, and they nail it. Check it out when you can. — Brian Alkerton ()

On the insane, acrobatic sex scene in , said she “writes what she knows”! — Lauren Bradshaw ()

Saw my first film at Sundance, The Bronze. Absolutely hilarious. Sat behind Jack Black. Got to shake his hand afterwards — Malcolm R. Garvey ()

The sex scene in ‘The Bronze’ between Melissa Rauch and Sebastian Stan will give ‘Fifty Shades’ a run for its money.

— Ramin Setoodeh ()

 

 

is gold at . Big laughs. — Brent Lang ()

will be loved by many. I liked it but I expected a lot more from it to be honest. The comedy was way too clichéd

— WeLiveFilm.com ()

just saw The Bronze. Phenomenally superb. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll wear a leotard. I might have leaked slightly.

— Jason Isaacs ()

“The Bronze” will be a hit R-rated comedy. Raunchy, witty & hilarious!

— Greg Sorvig ()

Kindly: Opening night film THE BRONZE is no WHIPLASH.

— Joshua Rothkopf ()

I laughed in , but it's a mess, especially in its uneven tone.

— Kate Aurthur ()

The director of Sundance, John Cooper, lavishing praise on ! Said when he first saw it he knew it HAD to be in!

— Lauren Bradshaw ()

= "Tonya Harding, the Later Years." Some good naughty giggles and a comic sex scene that gets a 10. Not much else.

— Ty Burr ()

Melissa Rauch churns out one of the most memorable characters I've seen in a while & you won't forget that sex scene, I tell ya

— Amirose Eisenbach ()

is my new funny girl crush!

— Aida Rodriguez ()

Loved The Bronze. Hilarious, dark, clever and raunchy. I pretty much smiled the entire movie. Great first day of films,

— Amirose Eisenbach ()