Institute History
Description
Piano prodigy Eli Smith has talent to burn, but he is constantly derailed by his troubled mother, whose vices keep getting in his way. On the day of his big audition for a prestigious music program, Eli attempts to get his life on track by taking her to rehab. Enlisting help from two hapless drug dealers, mother and son embark on a riotous journey where events spiral comically out of control. Along the way, this gang of misfits faces the mistakes of the past, the challenges of the future, and the possibilities of love.
Phil Dorling and Ron Nyswaner return to the Sundance Film Festival with an extended version of their short that played in the 2009 Festival. Making the most of the full-length format, they humorously and poignantly flesh out the complicated nature of addiction and how it affects those around us . . . especially family. The all-star cast, including Jesse Eisenberg and Melissa Leo, wonderfully bring to life the shrewdly conceived script by the two writers/directors, who reveal a deft ability to balance the disparate notes in a film that will make you laugh out loud one moment and swell with emotion the next.
Archives note: See also the 2009 short film Predisposed.