November 17, 2025 • 27 mins
The Sounds of Film welcomes writer-director Michael J. Weithorn for a conversation about THE BEST YOU CAN, a new relationship dramedy that world-premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival and will be available off the record on VOD platforms beginning November 25.
Reuniting Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon on screen for the first time in twenty years, the film offers a smart, sharp, and emotionally resonant look at connection, change, and the unexpected pathways that bring people together.
In THE BEST YOU CAN, Sedgwick plays Cynthia Rand, a tightly wound New York City urologist whose life is thrown off balance when her husband—portrayed by Judd Hirsch, a brilliant former Watergate prosecutor—begins showing signs of dementia. Bacon co-stars as Stan, a bright but underachieving security guard trying to reconnect with his adult daughter, played by Brittany O’Grady. An unexpected robbery brings Cynthia and Stan together, sparking an unlikely bond that grows into something deeper and more meaningful.
THE BEST YOU CAN is written, directed, and produced by Michael J. Weithorn, best known as the co-creator and executive producer of the long-running CBS hit The King of Queens. Before that, he spent four acclaimed seasons on Family Ties, earning multiple Emmy nominations, and wrote for celebrated series including Cheers (WGA Award), The Wonder Years (Emmy nomination), and The Tracey Ullman Show. His additional work includes creating Ned & Stacey, South Central, and True Colors; co-creating the Sundance-screened animated series The Adventures of Baxter and McGuire; writing and directing the feature A Little Help; consulting on The Goldbergs; and creating the Fox comedy Weird Loners.
The Sounds of Film, hosted by Tom Needham, is the nation’s longest-running film and music interview show. Over its decades on the air, it has featured conversations with an extraordinary roster of guests, including Ric Burns, John Debney, Carter Burwell, Billy Joel, Ralph Macchio, and Wallace Shawn, as well as countless independent filmmakers, composers, documentarians, and cultural icons.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, this is Tom Needham and you are listening to the sounds of
film. And today I'm speaking with
writer, director Michael J Whitehorn about the Best You
Can, his Tribeca world premiere film.
It's a relationship dramedy thatreunites Kira Sig and Kevin
Bacon. It's a project from the Emmy
nominated creator of The King ofQueens.
(00:21):
That's Michael. And the film is coming out on
video on demand on November 25th.
It's really a great film. Michael.
I want to thank you so much for joining us here on The Sounds of
Film. It's my pleasure, Tom.
Oh, man, So I mean, you've done so many great things.
If you could just give our listeners a really quick recap
of your history and television and film, just so they have a
(00:43):
sense of all the work you've done.
Well, it's been mostly television.
I, I started out in the early 80s and, and after some
freelance assignments, I, I connected with Gary David
Goldberg and hired me for a show.
He was doing the four Family ties, but then he liked me and
kept me around and, and I was involved with Family Ties the
(01:05):
first Four Seasons of that and, you know, wrote many episodes
and, and that was an incredible experience.
And then I went off and, you know, became a creator in my own
right of shows and I did a bunchof shows that, you know, someone
or came, came and went very quickly.
Some some lasted a little bit longer.
(01:26):
I didn't end Stacy, if anyone remembers that.
That went a couple years. And then immediately after that
I did the King of Queens, which which which connected and, and
lasted nine seasons, I think. And and then after that I was
really interested. I'd already interested in going
into film and it, and I did a film in 2011 called A little
(01:48):
Help starring Jenna Fischer and,and then and now all.
And then I did another television series in between
that came and went very quickly called We're Loners.
And if you blink, you missed it.I was caught in a regime change
at Fox Broadcasting and and thenI wrote this script and and
spent four or five years trying to get financing and put it
(02:11):
together and finally was able toand, and made the best, the best
you can, which is coming out, asyou said, next week.
Well, I'm, I'm curious because everyone knows King of Queens
and all the other things that you mentioned, but you are from
Long Island and this is where the show takes place.
And I was wondering how your upbringing, whether it be in
(02:31):
Queens or Long Island, influenced you as a person.
And I'm also curious why there are so many talented people who
who came from this area, if you have any sense of that.
I, you know, I, I, New York is in my blood.
I grew up, you know, as, as you said in Queens and then later in
Port Washington. We moved when I was about 10
(02:52):
and, and you know, so it's just the rhythms, the accent, the
voices, the, the feel of it. And obviously New York is
especially Manhattan is a very dense place with a lot of
people. And I, you know, I actually, I
had an apartment in New York for35 years.
And whenever I really just need to write, I go back there just
to kind of let the energy of theplace kind of getting into my
(03:14):
bones a little bit. I don't know why.
It's just a very creatively vibrant place.
The King of Queens. I was noticing that almost all
of the cast and the writing staff were from New York, were
New Yorkers. And it wasn't even by design.
It just, you know, those are thepeople that I liked.
And I guess after the fact, I sort of realized, oh, you know,
(03:34):
they're all New Yorkers. And I, you know, the first film
I did A little help was, was based in New York, in Long
Island. It was set in Port Washington
actually, and I guess there's just something about, well,
there's also the rebate that NewYork offers.
So you can't really match that in California.
But, but, but, but I was glad because it was, it was really a
(03:55):
place that I felt so comfortablein and, and shooting a little
help. We I'm, I'm shooting the best
you can in Brooklyn almost exclusively.
You know, it just the energy, just kind of, we tried to find
ways to bring it into the film. And I'm glad it does feel like a
very New York film. And, you know, we shot in some
really interesting locations there and and, you know, Kira's
(04:19):
a New Yorker, Kevin's from Philadelphia, which is a close
cousin but but has lived in New York for 40 years or something.
So, you know, so yeah, no, I, I very much feel like it gives
films of real specificity of, ofenvironment and feel and one
(04:40):
that I personally feel comfortable with.
There are other places that givetheir own version of that that I
wouldn't, you know, feel that same simpatico with.
So I'm happy it worked out that way.
I understand that you've always brought parts of yourself into
your writing. Tell me about this film a little
bit. What's it about and and what
parts of this story came from some moments in your own
(05:02):
personal life? Well, the film is about
primarily about two people who are, as it turns out by
coincidence, exactly the same age, like literally born on the
same day of the same year. But they're very different
lives. You know, he's a Kevin Bacon
plays a security guard, you know, a in a, in a posh there,
(05:23):
there is actually a posh Brooklyn neighborhood with big
houses and one acre lots and things and, and he's, you know,
does security patrol. He's kind of a guy who's never
fulfilled his potential. A very bright, funny guy, but a
little bit like of a self sabotager kind of a thing, a
temper, that kind of thing. But a decent guy, like a lovable
loser sort of character. She's a very successful
(05:45):
urologist and she's married whenshe was in her 30s, she married
an older man who was, you know, guy who'd been on the Watergate
Senate committee prosecuting team and, and had gone on to a
great career in public interest law played by Judd Hirsch.
And, and now she's in her late 50s and he's in his mid 80s and
(06:07):
starting to develop dementia. And she's all of a sudden
finding that this great, strong,capable man is, is really losing
it. And she's a little, you know,
thrown by that and, and, and, and feeling disconnected and,
you know, and, and just by happenstance meets Kevin's
character and they begin textingat first just, it's business
(06:28):
wise, like he's the security guard.
And she's saying, oh, can you come look at this car parked in
front of my house? And then it develops into a, a,
a real deep friendship because they really are they, what they
do have in common is that they're both a little bit lost.
They're at sea in their lives and they need a friend and I've
always been drawn to films that that believably portray unlikely
(06:50):
friendships. Midnight cowboy believe it or
not was a was a an inspiration, you know at least deep down for
me on this in this film the way we were was one of my favorite
films. Likewise, an unlikely
relationship and when that can be done in a way that you buy it
and you say, wow, even though these people wouldn't normally
wind up together, I, the way you've shown me the how they
(07:13):
meet and what happens. I, I believe it.
And it's very touching to know that we can reach across these
chasms to other people and connect with them.
One of the things that I like the film is that it doesn't fit
neatly into anyone category and I know that sometimes that's
what the industry wants, but canyou tell me a little bit about
the way you you work drama and comedy into this film?
(07:35):
Yeah, You know, it wasn't any sort of deliberate, you know,
formula or anything. I, you know, I'm a comedy writer
first and foremost. But I do, you know, I've always,
even in the sitcom stuff I've done, I've tried to bring in as
much as the the form will allow,you know, more without getting
melodramatic, but sort of more real or deeper life issues dealt
(07:56):
with, you know, a little, hopefully going a little bit
beyond what sitcoms normally do.And, and to me, it's all, it's
like life. It's just the mix of we have
high moments and low moments. We have moments where we laugh
and things are silly or funny or, and things where things are
very grave and not funny at all.And, and, and so I, I didn't
really set out with any specificintention to be, you know, 40%
(08:20):
comedic and 60%, you know, it was just really the way the
thing came off the pen, so to speak, as I was writing it.
Because I really, I thought a lot about the characters for a
long time before I started writing and their situation.
Once I started writing, I reallyknew them and I knew who they
were and what they would say andwhat they would feel in a
particular situation. And I so I created those
(08:41):
situations and sort of let them speak through, through me.
Kind of, you know, it sounds very pretentious, but it kind of
is the way I write. I don't plot it out excessively.
You know, I, I kind of have a loose idea, but then let it let
the characters drive the story. And so I just felt inside of
both of these characters and putthem together and, and just sort
(09:02):
of saw what it went. And sometimes it went to a very
funny place, sometimes it went to a very serious place.
You have a long history of writing TV comedies.
As I said, this is a little bit different, but this is this is
your film. Is there more of you in a work
like this than in those other things?
Or can you tell us just a littlebit about the process of like,
(09:25):
how you bring your own personal sense into your writing,
particularly in a film like this?
Yeah. You know, actually you did ask
that the first question. I forgot there were a couple of
things specifically in the film that that that were that at
least drew on my own experience.One was, you know, if I, I
guess, tell the world, you know,prostate issues.
(09:46):
And so I've been through the process of getting prostate
exams and having to deal with that and, and, and the, and the
difficulties of that. And so it was a way of sort of
bringing something I knew well, you know, that's sort of very
always, no matter how many timesyou do it, humiliating moment of
having to be examined. And, and the other thing was my
(10:07):
father for the last 10 years or so of his life had dementia.
And I, you know, and, and for the last two years, I think he
was in a facility along the lines of the ones that I, one
that I portrayed in the film. And for me, I think that was
putting that in the film was a way of, I don't know, purging
that experience or using it or something.
(10:28):
And it's funny, at one of the screenings, test screenings we
did in New York, some some was very critical of the scene in
the memory ward that it was veryunrealistic and doesn't happen
like that. People aren't like that or
whatever. And I was actually very
Incognito because it was one of these sort of test screenings
where they're pushing the audience about the film.
(10:50):
So I didn't reveal who I was, but I wanted so much to say,
Sir. Every shot in that scene was
from my, you know, mental photo album or things I saw in the in
the place where my father was. But yeah, I mean, it's it's
awful. They try to paint it very, you
know, memory care neighborhood. They use these euphemisms and
(11:12):
things. But it's an awful way to go, you
know, to be divorced from your essential self and not knowing,
you know, where you are or why you're there.
And it's not a good thing. And they, as much as they may
try to, you know, make it the best version of that.
So those are things that I live personally.
And the other thing too, is justthe experience of discovering
(11:34):
how in the world of electronic communication, once we have
e-mail and then texting, how relationships can develop that
might not have otherwise. Because it's easy to text
somebody and then text back and back and back again.
It's much easier than picking upa phone, making a phone call or
going to their house, you know, if you don't know them well and
you don't have the pretext to bedoing that.
(11:54):
But texting anyone can text anybody about anything.
And I love the idea that that could open up a potential
relationship that that that in away nothing else could.
I like the way you edit those montages where you show them
communicating that way. It was very clever and you, you
do really show how that can happen and it's pretty powerful
(12:16):
with the technology and it it's the way that people do it today.
So you really did that. Well, one of the things that
you, you really delve into kind of along the lines of what you
were just talking about is some,some really deep themes and, and
issues that, that I think a lot of people will relate to.
Like Kira's, Kira's character, you know, she has a husband
(12:40):
who's starting to suffer from dementia, but then she has one
of these texting relationships as you described.
And I, I guess, you know, it's, it's a tough thing for, for a
main character because, you know, some people might feel all
that's wrong to, it's a form of betrayal in some sense to her
husband. But, but it's much more
(13:01):
complicated. I, I, I thought you handled that
really well. Can you can you explain a little
bit about that, that character and how she handles those
situations? Yeah, You know, I, it's funny
because in all my years of TV, one of the things that I
constantly had to deal with was getting notes from executives if
a character would be doing something that that they felt
(13:25):
the audience won't like him or like him.
Can we not do that or have them,you know, apologize right away
or soften it or something? And to me, you know, and I
always had to sort of beat thosenotes back because they, you
know, they, they're, they're notwriters or creative people.
So they're The thing is the, the, the, the more good and
angelic a character is, the morethe audience will like them.
(13:46):
And I didn't see it that way at all.
I thought the more that they recognize a character, the more
that they will feel emotionally attached to that character.
And recognizing character means recognizing them for all of
their weaknesses and, and, and imperfections.
And in this case, the fact that this woman, you know, all of a
(14:07):
sudden, as she says in the eulogy, you know, he was
strength. That's what he was.
I was, I was young, I was in my 30s.
And there was this man, this giant and he was so strong and
so effective. And it really that was who he
was to me. And then all of a sudden that
begins to to, to vanish quickly.And she's really lost and, and
she's not looking to have an affair.
She's not hunting proactively for another friend.
(14:29):
But Stan's just kind of is thereby circumstance and she finds
there's this connection. The idea that they were born on
on the same day in the same yearwas sort of in there.
Just really, it's not plot, it'sjust texture.
It's just, I think I have never met anyone born in the same day,
the same year as I am. But I have a feeling if I did,
or if anyone did, you would immediately feel a connection to
(14:52):
them. Maybe not that you would keep
up, you know, become lifelong friends, but that you would they
would be special to you in that moment that you discover this.
And if that sort of informed things a little bit too.
And if they were both at a pointin their life, they had
travelled the same exact amount of Rd. in life and they were
both at a point where, you know,stand because of the trouble
(15:13):
he's having, he's divorced, he doesn't have a mate and he and
his daughter is somewhat estranged from him.
That that he's they're both alone and that she felt alone.
And when people feel alone and something emerges from the mist
that makes them feel less alone,they tend to instinctively cling
to it. Particularly in this case where
she was never going into it, neither of them thinking it was
(15:34):
going to be an affair, sexual that just sort of happened to
them really. But more it was just someone to
talk to and someone to communicate with.
And, and, and who can relate to the feelings that you're having
of loneliness or sadness or, or the jokes that you like or the
just somebody, somebody to be there for you and that, you
know, And if what's interesting,I'll just tell you this time
(15:56):
that there was a scene in the film that when, when Warren Judd
Hirsch's character is going, youknow that when the, when the
person taking care of him, Pramila, is asking him questions
about the things in his office. And there's a picture of of him
and Cynthia, He tells the story of when he actually was 1
unfaithful to her one time and told her and how devastated she
(16:18):
was. And and it wasn't in there for
the purpose of like even in the score.
Well, you won't you won't be madat her for cheating because he
cheated. That wasn't why I was in there
is more nuanced than that. But some people who saw early
versions, women in particular, said it does seem like you're
trying to even the score and have people forgive her for
(16:38):
cheating. But you don't need to because we
understand why it happened. You don't need to have it be
even Steven And and I thought and as much as Judd was
brilliant delivering the speech where he talks about that, it
really did stop the movie. And and it's just one of those
things I hated to lose, but but but wound up losing because
people really were on board withher.
(16:59):
They they might wince and go, oh, Cynthia, but they got it.
They get it. They said, if I were in that
situation, I might very well have fallen into the same
behavior. And that's all I was really
going for is recognition. Oh yes, that is human.
That is real. I can relate.
Not nice, perfect, good. Just human.
(17:19):
And, and there's so many momentslike that in the film.
You did such a great job. I'm sure everyone's asking you
about Kira and Kevin, the main characters, as probably most
people know they're, they're married in real life.
Why was that like an interestingdynamic to bring to this film?
Because people do know it. But at the same time, they're,
(17:42):
you know, they're different thanthemselves in the film.
So tell me a little bit about why you made that choice and and
how it turned out. It you know, I have to be honest
when I was resistant at the beginning to casting the two of
them together, you know, they obviously are a very well loved
couple. They've been together for a long
time and they have a very, you know, the Instagram following,
(18:06):
you know, the people who just really love this iconic
Hollywood couple. And when we were trying to cast
the film went to Kevin first, you know, and Kira was obviously
on our list, you know, in the short list of what actresses
could play this role. And Kevin was on the the stand
list. But I had not thought of
casting, trying to cast them together.
But when Kevin read it and he liked it, he said he pitched
(18:28):
Kira. He said she liked it and would
love to do it. And I was resistant because I
was really very protective of the film and the cat.
And I wanted these characters tobe played as these characters.
I the one thing I was afraid of is I didn't want it to be like
an extended Instagram post, you know, an hour and 40 minute
Instagram post where they're sort of winking at the camera
going, it's us guys, you know, and you know, but, but when I
(18:53):
met with Kira, my fears were instantly elayed because she's,
you know, there are, there are actresses or actors who look at
roles as partially at least a way to sort of, you know, be
themselves and present their persona to the world.
And, and then there were actors who which turned out they both
are of the type that that reallyare dedicated to their craft and
(19:14):
submerging themselves into a character.
And in, in this case, you know, when I first met with Kira, one
of the things I was concerned about was that her signature
look with the blonde curls, beautiful blonde curls, is just
not, you know, a New York City urologist.
It's just like, and it just wasn't the right look.
And, and so I sort of gently brought up that and she
(19:35):
immediately said, Oh, I know, I'll, you know, I'll darken my
hair, put on a wig. I, I agree with you.
It's not that. And, and even though that was an
important point, but really moreimportantly, it told me how she
approached, you know, her work, because I never met her or work
with her before. So I didn't know and, and, and,
and very quickly I realized I'vegot 2 real actors here who
(19:57):
happened to be married and, and,you know, hopefully that'll
create an ease with each other that will inform their
performances on some very deep level.
But they're not going to be, youknow, that they're not going to
just be trying to be Kevin and Keira.
They're really becoming these characters.
I mean, they're, and they both did that and, and I asked them
not to rehearse together. I worked with them separately
(20:17):
when I did my preparation my. You know, script work with them
before we shot. And I couldn't have been
happier. And you know, I in a, in a
sense, I was probably stupid because the fact that it's Kevin
Bacon and Kyra Cedric together for the first time on the film
in 20 years is our single biggest marketing hook.
And I, you know, if I was thinking from a marketing
standpoint, I would have jumped at that the minute Kevin said
(20:39):
it. But I wasn't thinking marketing.
I was thinking about the film, but as it turned out it it
served both purposes very well. Very good.
Well, this show is called The Sounds of Film and we play a ton
of film soundtrack music. And one of the things that was
surprising to me, a good surprise was how cleverly you
incorporate music into this film.
(21:01):
And Kevin's daughter is a musician.
Tell us a little bit about how you did work the the music into
the film and and just your attitude about music and and
movies in general too. Yeah, it's funny.
I don't know if you saw that. I did one other film called A
Little Help. It was 2011 with Jenna Fischer.
It was the lead and there's musical, strong musical elements
(21:25):
in that as well, both in the plot as well as Got.
Jacob Dylan did 3 original songsfor the film, which to this day
I still listen to, just to listen to.
And I don't know, I love, you know, I'm not particularly
musical myself. I'm a drummer.
So I, I've been involved in bands and things, but I, I don't
(21:47):
write music or, or any of that, but I, I just love it.
It to me, it just is so woven into the fabric of life.
And we associate music with times in our life and moments
and feelings And that it's it's,you know, something that really
augments, I think a film, the life experience making Sammy a
film, a musician, aspiring musician was, you know, a very
(22:11):
deliberate choice. Because I knew that if if, if
her journey was to go from being, you know, kind of afraid
to come out of her hole into theworld.
And at the end she she does in some way that that, that what
would be an interesting thing tosee her do or an educating
thing, you know, like, you know,like her discovering she can
write a really good legal brief,you know, wouldn't be as much
(22:32):
fun to watch. So.
And I just gave an opportunity to bring and then, you know, and
finding, you know, Brittany O'Grady, who, you know, one of
the tough things about casting that role was finding somebody
who could act the shit out of it, you know, and really sell
the, the, the nuance of the emotional, you know, turmoil
that this young woman is in. And also sing in a way that when
she sings, you know, the thing, one thing I hate in movies is
(22:54):
they say, oh, my God, you're so talented, you should be famous.
And then the person sings or whatever it is and they go,
they're OK. It's not that good.
So I needed somebody who really could could wow you with the
singing. And she had both of them.
She was such a sweetheart too, just a a joy to work with.
And and then there was another keys.
And the other song was written by Rob Benedict, who I've worked
(23:18):
with multiple times. And he's also has a band called
loud and Swain. And this was one of their songs,
the song she waits. And as I was going through
trying to find the right, just the right song, and I came upon
that and I said, this is perfect.
And, and, and so I, I don't know.
It's just to me almost instinctive to to find what the
(23:38):
role music is playing in the lives of the characters of, of,
you know, in film And, and also the composer Kurt Farquhar is
somebody that I've worked with many times and I just love every
time he does something, he brings something fresh to it.
He he just go get so inside of it.
He's so passionate. And I thought the scoring that
he did and, and he has this singer named Barri Bari or
(24:02):
BARRI, can't remember who, who did all of the vocalizing.
Even though there's multiple voices at different moments,
it's all him. So it's one voice singing and
all of those vocal scoring moments.
And I just loved what he did there.
So yeah, I don't know. I it's more visceral, like we
need music is just sort of part of the fabric.
It's part of the tapestry of this whole thing.
(24:24):
Those vocals really got me. I, I love experimental scores
and, and, and you know, scores that do something a little bit
different and, and even the, theother stuff that you were
talking about, they're just suchkey moments in the movie.
So if the music wasn't good, it could have just killed the whole
scene. But it works great.
You said you were a drummer. Just really quick.
(24:45):
Tell me, tell me about your drumming.
Well, it was never I, I, I, you know, it's like in high school
bands and stuff. And for a minute I thought, oh,
I want to be a drummer. But then realized that the, the
absolute peak of my ability was high school band level drumming.
But the real fun was. And, and I don't know if you saw
Michael J Fox just wrote a book about his experience.
(25:05):
Yeah, doing and, and I was on Family Ties with him and we were
good friends and we started a band of the people, you know,
people who worked on the show and we played all the wrap
parties and other things like that.
So that is great. Me and a few other writers and
and Michael. And so that was in a way the
high point of of my career as a drummer is being in the Family
(25:29):
Ties band. Well, I'm.
Sure, we don't have the same birthday, but I'm also a drummer
in a. Similar.
Oh, you are. Yeah, just, you know, from
earlier years. But Mike, I, I love this film so
much. What is it that you hope people
take away from seeing this film now that people are going to
have the opportunity? You know, I, I, you know, it's,
(25:51):
I don't know how to say that doesn't sound kind of, you know,
dorky or whatever. But I, I, I, I hope it
reinforces the idea that people that you might not necessarily
considered to be anyone who, whose life is like yours or who
could relate to you or that you would be interested in their
life. That if the opportunity
presented itself, you know, if you're stuck in an elevator, so
(26:12):
to speak, that you would find very, very real human
connections that we're all kind of on this, you know, rock out
in space together. And, you know, we all have this
main thing in common and that ifwe just took a minute to to
really share with each other what we're thinking, feeling,
what our lives are, there could be real connection.
(26:35):
I think there's a real tendency to just say these are my people
and those people are not my people.
And, and I'm not of that world. And, you know, and, and sort of
kind of show the barriers can bebroken down in a way that isn't
idealized or silly, but that's just very real.
We've been speaking about the best you can.
That's the movie speaking with Michael J Whitehorn and Michael,
(26:56):
where can people find this film on November 25th?
On your local VOVOD site, at your local store VOD, Yeah,
Amazon, iTunes cable. I think all the major cable
carriers will have it on their end, on demand menu.
And then at some point in January, that has not been
(27:19):
announced yet, it'll be on Netflix.
So there's just a fairly short window where it'll be something
you have to pay for. And then if you have Netflix,
it'll be there. In the US, that is.
I don't know what the international plans are for that
Sony is concocting, but in the US it'll be on Netflix.
But between now and and for the rest of the year, from the 25th
(27:41):
on, it'll be on. VOD sites.
Well, congratulations Michael. You did an incredible job, the
best you can and hopefully we can touch base again in the
future.
Hi, this is Tom Needham and you are listening to the sounds of
film. And today I'm speaking with
writer, director Michael J Whitehorn about the Best You
Can, his Tribeca world premiere film.
It's a relationship dramedy thatreunites Kira Sig and Kevin
Bacon. It's a project from the Emmy
nominated creator of The King ofQueens.
(00:21):
That's Michael. And the film is coming out on
video on demand on November 25th.
It's really a great film. Michael.
I want to thank you so much for joining us here on The Sounds of
Film. It's my pleasure, Tom.
Oh, man, So I mean, you've done so many great things.
If you could just give our listeners a really quick recap
of your history and television and film, just so they have a
(00:43):
sense of all the work you've done.
Well, it's been mostly television.
I, I started out in the early 80s and, and after some
freelance assignments, I, I connected with Gary David
Goldberg and hired me for a show.
He was doing the four Family ties, but then he liked me and
kept me around and, and I was involved with Family Ties the
(01:05):
first Four Seasons of that and, you know, wrote many episodes
and, and that was an incredible experience.
And then I went off and, you know, became a creator in my own
right of shows and I did a bunchof shows that, you know, someone
or came, came and went very quickly.
Some some lasted a little bit longer.
(01:26):
I didn't end Stacy, if anyone remembers that.
That went a couple years. And then immediately after that
I did the King of Queens, which which which connected and, and
lasted nine seasons, I think. And and then after that I was
really interested. I'd already interested in going
into film and it, and I did a film in 2011 called A little
(01:48):
Help starring Jenna Fischer and,and then and now all.
And then I did another television series in between
that came and went very quickly called We're Loners.
And if you blink, you missed it.I was caught in a regime change
at Fox Broadcasting and and thenI wrote this script and and
spent four or five years trying to get financing and put it
(02:11):
together and finally was able toand, and made the best, the best
you can, which is coming out, asyou said, next week.
Well, I'm, I'm curious because everyone knows King of Queens
and all the other things that you mentioned, but you are from
Long Island and this is where the show takes place.
And I was wondering how your upbringing, whether it be in
(02:31):
Queens or Long Island, influenced you as a person.
And I'm also curious why there are so many talented people who
who came from this area, if you have any sense of that.
I, you know, I, I, New York is in my blood.
I grew up, you know, as, as you said in Queens and then later in
Port Washington. We moved when I was about 10
(02:52):
and, and you know, so it's just the rhythms, the accent, the
voices, the, the feel of it. And obviously New York is
especially Manhattan is a very dense place with a lot of
people. And I, you know, I actually, I
had an apartment in New York for35 years.
And whenever I really just need to write, I go back there just
to kind of let the energy of theplace kind of getting into my
(03:14):
bones a little bit. I don't know why.
It's just a very creatively vibrant place.
The King of Queens. I was noticing that almost all
of the cast and the writing staff were from New York, were
New Yorkers. And it wasn't even by design.
It just, you know, those are thepeople that I liked.
And I guess after the fact, I sort of realized, oh, you know,
(03:34):
they're all New Yorkers. And I, you know, the first film
I did A little help was, was based in New York, in Long
Island. It was set in Port Washington
actually, and I guess there's just something about, well,
there's also the rebate that NewYork offers.
So you can't really match that in California.
But, but, but, but I was glad because it was, it was really a
(03:55):
place that I felt so comfortablein and, and shooting a little
help. We I'm, I'm shooting the best
you can in Brooklyn almost exclusively.
You know, it just the energy, just kind of, we tried to find
ways to bring it into the film. And I'm glad it does feel like a
very New York film. And, you know, we shot in some
really interesting locations there and and, you know, Kira's
(04:19):
a New Yorker, Kevin's from Philadelphia, which is a close
cousin but but has lived in New York for 40 years or something.
So, you know, so yeah, no, I, I very much feel like it gives
films of real specificity of, ofenvironment and feel and one
(04:40):
that I personally feel comfortable with.
There are other places that givetheir own version of that that I
wouldn't, you know, feel that same simpatico with.
So I'm happy it worked out that way.
I understand that you've always brought parts of yourself into
your writing. Tell me about this film a little
bit. What's it about and and what
parts of this story came from some moments in your own
(05:02):
personal life? Well, the film is about
primarily about two people who are, as it turns out by
coincidence, exactly the same age, like literally born on the
same day of the same year. But they're very different
lives. You know, he's a Kevin Bacon
plays a security guard, you know, a in a, in a posh there,
(05:23):
there is actually a posh Brooklyn neighborhood with big
houses and one acre lots and things and, and he's, you know,
does security patrol. He's kind of a guy who's never
fulfilled his potential. A very bright, funny guy, but a
little bit like of a self sabotager kind of a thing, a
temper, that kind of thing. But a decent guy, like a lovable
loser sort of character. She's a very successful
(05:45):
urologist and she's married whenshe was in her 30s, she married
an older man who was, you know, guy who'd been on the Watergate
Senate committee prosecuting team and, and had gone on to a
great career in public interest law played by Judd Hirsch.
And, and now she's in her late 50s and he's in his mid 80s and
(06:07):
starting to develop dementia. And she's all of a sudden
finding that this great, strong,capable man is, is really losing
it. And she's a little, you know,
thrown by that and, and, and, and feeling disconnected and,
you know, and, and just by happenstance meets Kevin's
character and they begin textingat first just, it's business
(06:28):
wise, like he's the security guard.
And she's saying, oh, can you come look at this car parked in
front of my house? And then it develops into a, a,
a real deep friendship because they really are they, what they
do have in common is that they're both a little bit lost.
They're at sea in their lives and they need a friend and I've
always been drawn to films that that believably portray unlikely
(06:50):
friendships. Midnight cowboy believe it or
not was a was a an inspiration, you know at least deep down for
me on this in this film the way we were was one of my favorite
films. Likewise, an unlikely
relationship and when that can be done in a way that you buy it
and you say, wow, even though these people wouldn't normally
wind up together, I, the way you've shown me the how they
(07:13):
meet and what happens. I, I believe it.
And it's very touching to know that we can reach across these
chasms to other people and connect with them.
One of the things that I like the film is that it doesn't fit
neatly into anyone category and I know that sometimes that's
what the industry wants, but canyou tell me a little bit about
the way you you work drama and comedy into this film?
(07:35):
Yeah, You know, it wasn't any sort of deliberate, you know,
formula or anything. I, you know, I'm a comedy writer
first and foremost. But I do, you know, I've always,
even in the sitcom stuff I've done, I've tried to bring in as
much as the the form will allow,you know, more without getting
melodramatic, but sort of more real or deeper life issues dealt
(07:56):
with, you know, a little, hopefully going a little bit
beyond what sitcoms normally do.And, and to me, it's all, it's
like life. It's just the mix of we have
high moments and low moments. We have moments where we laugh
and things are silly or funny or, and things where things are
very grave and not funny at all.And, and, and so I, I didn't
really set out with any specificintention to be, you know, 40%
(08:20):
comedic and 60%, you know, it was just really the way the
thing came off the pen, so to speak, as I was writing it.
Because I really, I thought a lot about the characters for a
long time before I started writing and their situation.
Once I started writing, I reallyknew them and I knew who they
were and what they would say andwhat they would feel in a
particular situation. And I so I created those
(08:41):
situations and sort of let them speak through, through me.
Kind of, you know, it sounds very pretentious, but it kind of
is the way I write. I don't plot it out excessively.
You know, I, I kind of have a loose idea, but then let it let
the characters drive the story. And so I just felt inside of
both of these characters and putthem together and, and just sort
(09:02):
of saw what it went. And sometimes it went to a very
funny place, sometimes it went to a very serious place.
You have a long history of writing TV comedies.
As I said, this is a little bit different, but this is this is
your film. Is there more of you in a work
like this than in those other things?
Or can you tell us just a littlebit about the process of like,
(09:25):
how you bring your own personal sense into your writing,
particularly in a film like this?
Yeah. You know, actually you did ask
that the first question. I forgot there were a couple of
things specifically in the film that that that were that at
least drew on my own experience.One was, you know, if I, I
guess, tell the world, you know,prostate issues.
(09:46):
And so I've been through the process of getting prostate
exams and having to deal with that and, and, and the, and the
difficulties of that. And so it was a way of sort of
bringing something I knew well, you know, that's sort of very
always, no matter how many timesyou do it, humiliating moment of
having to be examined. And, and the other thing was my
(10:07):
father for the last 10 years or so of his life had dementia.
And I, you know, and, and for the last two years, I think he
was in a facility along the lines of the ones that I, one
that I portrayed in the film. And for me, I think that was
putting that in the film was a way of, I don't know, purging
that experience or using it or something.
(10:28):
And it's funny, at one of the screenings, test screenings we
did in New York, some some was very critical of the scene in
the memory ward that it was veryunrealistic and doesn't happen
like that. People aren't like that or
whatever. And I was actually very
Incognito because it was one of these sort of test screenings
where they're pushing the audience about the film.
(10:50):
So I didn't reveal who I was, but I wanted so much to say,
Sir. Every shot in that scene was
from my, you know, mental photo album or things I saw in the in
the place where my father was. But yeah, I mean, it's it's
awful. They try to paint it very, you
know, memory care neighborhood. They use these euphemisms and
(11:12):
things. But it's an awful way to go, you
know, to be divorced from your essential self and not knowing,
you know, where you are or why you're there.
And it's not a good thing. And they, as much as they may
try to, you know, make it the best version of that.
So those are things that I live personally.
And the other thing too, is justthe experience of discovering
(11:34):
how in the world of electronic communication, once we have
e-mail and then texting, how relationships can develop that
might not have otherwise. Because it's easy to text
somebody and then text back and back and back again.
It's much easier than picking upa phone, making a phone call or
going to their house, you know, if you don't know them well and
you don't have the pretext to bedoing that.
(11:54):
But texting anyone can text anybody about anything.
And I love the idea that that could open up a potential
relationship that that that in away nothing else could.
I like the way you edit those montages where you show them
communicating that way. It was very clever and you, you
do really show how that can happen and it's pretty powerful
(12:16):
with the technology and it it's the way that people do it today.
So you really did that. Well, one of the things that
you, you really delve into kind of along the lines of what you
were just talking about is some,some really deep themes and, and
issues that, that I think a lot of people will relate to.
Like Kira's, Kira's character, you know, she has a husband
(12:40):
who's starting to suffer from dementia, but then she has one
of these texting relationships as you described.
And I, I guess, you know, it's, it's a tough thing for, for a
main character because, you know, some people might feel all
that's wrong to, it's a form of betrayal in some sense to her
husband. But, but it's much more
(13:01):
complicated. I, I, I thought you handled that
really well. Can you can you explain a little
bit about that, that character and how she handles those
situations? Yeah, You know, I, it's funny
because in all my years of TV, one of the things that I
constantly had to deal with was getting notes from executives if
a character would be doing something that that they felt
(13:25):
the audience won't like him or like him.
Can we not do that or have them,you know, apologize right away
or soften it or something? And to me, you know, and I
always had to sort of beat thosenotes back because they, you
know, they, they're, they're notwriters or creative people.
So they're The thing is the, the, the, the more good and
angelic a character is, the morethe audience will like them.
(13:46):
And I didn't see it that way at all.
I thought the more that they recognize a character, the more
that they will feel emotionally attached to that character.
And recognizing character means recognizing them for all of
their weaknesses and, and, and imperfections.
And in this case, the fact that this woman, you know, all of a
(14:07):
sudden, as she says in the eulogy, you know, he was
strength. That's what he was.
I was, I was young, I was in my 30s.
And there was this man, this giant and he was so strong and
so effective. And it really that was who he
was to me. And then all of a sudden that
begins to to, to vanish quickly.And she's really lost and, and
she's not looking to have an affair.
She's not hunting proactively for another friend.
(14:29):
But Stan's just kind of is thereby circumstance and she finds
there's this connection. The idea that they were born on
on the same day in the same yearwas sort of in there.
Just really, it's not plot, it'sjust texture.
It's just, I think I have never met anyone born in the same day,
the same year as I am. But I have a feeling if I did,
or if anyone did, you would immediately feel a connection to
(14:52):
them. Maybe not that you would keep
up, you know, become lifelong friends, but that you would they
would be special to you in that moment that you discover this.
And if that sort of informed things a little bit too.
And if they were both at a pointin their life, they had
travelled the same exact amount of Rd. in life and they were
both at a point where, you know,stand because of the trouble
(15:13):
he's having, he's divorced, he doesn't have a mate and he and
his daughter is somewhat estranged from him.
That that he's they're both alone and that she felt alone.
And when people feel alone and something emerges from the mist
that makes them feel less alone,they tend to instinctively cling
to it. Particularly in this case where
she was never going into it, neither of them thinking it was
(15:34):
going to be an affair, sexual that just sort of happened to
them really. But more it was just someone to
talk to and someone to communicate with.
And, and, and who can relate to the feelings that you're having
of loneliness or sadness or, or the jokes that you like or the
just somebody, somebody to be there for you and that, you
know, And if what's interesting,I'll just tell you this time
(15:56):
that there was a scene in the film that when, when Warren Judd
Hirsch's character is going, youknow that when the, when the
person taking care of him, Pramila, is asking him questions
about the things in his office. And there's a picture of of him
and Cynthia, He tells the story of when he actually was 1
unfaithful to her one time and told her and how devastated she
(16:18):
was. And and it wasn't in there for
the purpose of like even in the score.
Well, you won't you won't be madat her for cheating because he
cheated. That wasn't why I was in there
is more nuanced than that. But some people who saw early
versions, women in particular, said it does seem like you're
trying to even the score and have people forgive her for
(16:38):
cheating. But you don't need to because we
understand why it happened. You don't need to have it be
even Steven And and I thought and as much as Judd was
brilliant delivering the speech where he talks about that, it
really did stop the movie. And and it's just one of those
things I hated to lose, but but but wound up losing because
people really were on board withher.
(16:59):
They they might wince and go, oh, Cynthia, but they got it.
They get it. They said, if I were in that
situation, I might very well have fallen into the same
behavior. And that's all I was really
going for is recognition. Oh yes, that is human.
That is real. I can relate.
Not nice, perfect, good. Just human.
(17:19):
And, and there's so many momentslike that in the film.
You did such a great job. I'm sure everyone's asking you
about Kira and Kevin, the main characters, as probably most
people know they're, they're married in real life.
Why was that like an interestingdynamic to bring to this film?
Because people do know it. But at the same time, they're,
(17:42):
you know, they're different thanthemselves in the film.
So tell me a little bit about why you made that choice and and
how it turned out. It you know, I have to be honest
when I was resistant at the beginning to casting the two of
them together, you know, they obviously are a very well loved
couple. They've been together for a long
time and they have a very, you know, the Instagram following,
(18:06):
you know, the people who just really love this iconic
Hollywood couple. And when we were trying to cast
the film went to Kevin first, you know, and Kira was obviously
on our list, you know, in the short list of what actresses
could play this role. And Kevin was on the the stand
list. But I had not thought of
casting, trying to cast them together.
But when Kevin read it and he liked it, he said he pitched
(18:28):
Kira. He said she liked it and would
love to do it. And I was resistant because I
was really very protective of the film and the cat.
And I wanted these characters tobe played as these characters.
I the one thing I was afraid of is I didn't want it to be like
an extended Instagram post, you know, an hour and 40 minute
Instagram post where they're sort of winking at the camera
going, it's us guys, you know, and you know, but, but when I
(18:53):
met with Kira, my fears were instantly elayed because she's,
you know, there are, there are actresses or actors who look at
roles as partially at least a way to sort of, you know, be
themselves and present their persona to the world.
And, and then there were actors who which turned out they both
are of the type that that reallyare dedicated to their craft and
(19:14):
submerging themselves into a character.
And in, in this case, you know, when I first met with Kira, one
of the things I was concerned about was that her signature
look with the blonde curls, beautiful blonde curls, is just
not, you know, a New York City urologist.
It's just like, and it just wasn't the right look.
And, and so I sort of gently brought up that and she
(19:35):
immediately said, Oh, I know, I'll, you know, I'll darken my
hair, put on a wig. I, I agree with you.
It's not that. And, and even though that was an
important point, but really moreimportantly, it told me how she
approached, you know, her work, because I never met her or work
with her before. So I didn't know and, and, and,
and very quickly I realized I'vegot 2 real actors here who
(19:57):
happened to be married and, and,you know, hopefully that'll
create an ease with each other that will inform their
performances on some very deep level.
But they're not going to be, youknow, that they're not going to
just be trying to be Kevin and Keira.
They're really becoming these characters.
I mean, they're, and they both did that and, and I asked them
not to rehearse together. I worked with them separately
(20:17):
when I did my preparation my. You know, script work with them
before we shot. And I couldn't have been
happier. And you know, I in a, in a
sense, I was probably stupid because the fact that it's Kevin
Bacon and Kyra Cedric together for the first time on the film
in 20 years is our single biggest marketing hook.
And I, you know, if I was thinking from a marketing
standpoint, I would have jumped at that the minute Kevin said
(20:39):
it. But I wasn't thinking marketing.
I was thinking about the film, but as it turned out it it
served both purposes very well. Very good.
Well, this show is called The Sounds of Film and we play a ton
of film soundtrack music. And one of the things that was
surprising to me, a good surprise was how cleverly you
incorporate music into this film.
(21:01):
And Kevin's daughter is a musician.
Tell us a little bit about how you did work the the music into
the film and and just your attitude about music and and
movies in general too. Yeah, it's funny.
I don't know if you saw that. I did one other film called A
Little Help. It was 2011 with Jenna Fischer.
It was the lead and there's musical, strong musical elements
(21:25):
in that as well, both in the plot as well as Got.
Jacob Dylan did 3 original songsfor the film, which to this day
I still listen to, just to listen to.
And I don't know, I love, you know, I'm not particularly
musical myself. I'm a drummer.
So I, I've been involved in bands and things, but I, I don't
(21:47):
write music or, or any of that, but I, I just love it.
It to me, it just is so woven into the fabric of life.
And we associate music with times in our life and moments
and feelings And that it's it's,you know, something that really
augments, I think a film, the life experience making Sammy a
film, a musician, aspiring musician was, you know, a very
(22:11):
deliberate choice. Because I knew that if if, if
her journey was to go from being, you know, kind of afraid
to come out of her hole into theworld.
And at the end she she does in some way that that, that what
would be an interesting thing tosee her do or an educating
thing, you know, like, you know,like her discovering she can
write a really good legal brief,you know, wouldn't be as much
(22:32):
fun to watch. So.
And I just gave an opportunity to bring and then, you know, and
finding, you know, Brittany O'Grady, who, you know, one of
the tough things about casting that role was finding somebody
who could act the shit out of it, you know, and really sell
the, the, the nuance of the emotional, you know, turmoil
that this young woman is in. And also sing in a way that when
she sings, you know, the thing, one thing I hate in movies is
(22:54):
they say, oh, my God, you're so talented, you should be famous.
And then the person sings or whatever it is and they go,
they're OK. It's not that good.
So I needed somebody who really could could wow you with the
singing. And she had both of them.
She was such a sweetheart too, just a a joy to work with.
And and then there was another keys.
And the other song was written by Rob Benedict, who I've worked
(23:18):
with multiple times. And he's also has a band called
loud and Swain. And this was one of their songs,
the song she waits. And as I was going through
trying to find the right, just the right song, and I came upon
that and I said, this is perfect.
And, and, and so I, I don't know.
It's just to me almost instinctive to to find what the
(23:38):
role music is playing in the lives of the characters of, of,
you know, in film And, and also the composer Kurt Farquhar is
somebody that I've worked with many times and I just love every
time he does something, he brings something fresh to it.
He he just go get so inside of it.
He's so passionate. And I thought the scoring that
he did and, and he has this singer named Barri Bari or
(24:02):
BARRI, can't remember who, who did all of the vocalizing.
Even though there's multiple voices at different moments,
it's all him. So it's one voice singing and
all of those vocal scoring moments.
And I just loved what he did there.
So yeah, I don't know. I it's more visceral, like we
need music is just sort of part of the fabric.
It's part of the tapestry of this whole thing.
(24:24):
Those vocals really got me. I, I love experimental scores
and, and, and you know, scores that do something a little bit
different and, and even the, theother stuff that you were
talking about, they're just suchkey moments in the movie.
So if the music wasn't good, it could have just killed the whole
scene. But it works great.
You said you were a drummer. Just really quick.
(24:45):
Tell me, tell me about your drumming.
Well, it was never I, I, I, you know, it's like in high school
bands and stuff. And for a minute I thought, oh,
I want to be a drummer. But then realized that the, the
absolute peak of my ability was high school band level drumming.
But the real fun was. And, and I don't know if you saw
Michael J Fox just wrote a book about his experience.
(25:05):
Yeah, doing and, and I was on Family Ties with him and we were
good friends and we started a band of the people, you know,
people who worked on the show and we played all the wrap
parties and other things like that.
So that is great. Me and a few other writers and
and Michael. And so that was in a way the
high point of of my career as a drummer is being in the Family
(25:29):
Ties band. Well, I'm.
Sure, we don't have the same birthday, but I'm also a drummer
in a. Similar.
Oh, you are. Yeah, just, you know, from
earlier years. But Mike, I, I love this film so
much. What is it that you hope people
take away from seeing this film now that people are going to
have the opportunity? You know, I, I, you know, it's,
(25:51):
I don't know how to say that doesn't sound kind of, you know,
dorky or whatever. But I, I, I, I hope it
reinforces the idea that people that you might not necessarily
considered to be anyone who, whose life is like yours or who
could relate to you or that you would be interested in their
life. That if the opportunity
presented itself, you know, if you're stuck in an elevator, so
(26:12):
to speak, that you would find very, very real human
connections that we're all kind of on this, you know, rock out
in space together. And, you know, we all have this
main thing in common and that ifwe just took a minute to to
really share with each other what we're thinking, feeling,
what our lives are, there could be real connection.
(26:35):
I think there's a real tendency to just say these are my people
and those people are not my people.
And, and I'm not of that world. And, you know, and, and sort of
kind of show the barriers can bebroken down in a way that isn't
idealized or silly, but that's just very real.
We've been speaking about the best you can.
That's the movie speaking with Michael J Whitehorn and Michael,
(26:56):
where can people find this film on November 25th?
On your local VOVOD site, at your local store VOD, Yeah,
Amazon, iTunes cable. I think all the major cable
carriers will have it on their end, on demand menu.
And then at some point in January, that has not been
(27:19):
announced yet, it'll be on Netflix.
So there's just a fairly short window where it'll be something
you have to pay for. And then if you have Netflix,
it'll be there. In the US, that is.
I don't know what the international plans are for that
Sony is concocting, but in the US it'll be on Netflix.
But between now and and for the rest of the year, from the 25th
(27:41):
on, it'll be on. VOD sites.
Well, congratulations Michael. You did an incredible job, the
best you can and hopefully we can touch base again in the
future.
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