Jill Sprecher Movies
After toiling for a dozen years in the New York film industry, Jill Sprecher broke through to the ranks of writer-directors with the independent feature Clockwatchers (1997).Raised in Madison, WI, Sprecher stayed close to home for college, studying philosophy and literature at the University of Wisconsin's Madison campus. Relocating to New York City after college, Sprecher earned a graduate degree in cinema studies at N.Y.U. and got her start in the movie industry as a production assistant on the cult favorite Liquid Sky (1983). Remaining an avowed New Yorker, Sprecher worked as a production manager and/or production coordinator on a number of New York-based independent and studio productions, including Enemies, A Love Story (1989) and Where the Heart Is (1990).
Supplementing her movie income with temp work, Sprecher drew on the experience when she decided to co-write a screenplay with her younger sister and '90s New York City roommate Karen Sprecher. Working with producer Gina Resnick, indie talents Parker Posey and Toni Collette, and Friends star Lisa Kudrow, Sprecher also opted to direct the film almost by default, and became a successful Sundance Film Festival hyphenate. Centering on four twentysomething female temps, Clockwatchers proved to be a smart, character-driven satire of corporate hell for women, and won accolades at several film festivals and as an art house release. After she and her sister finished their next screenplay, 13 Conversations About One Thing (2002), Clockwatchers fan Michael Stipe signed on as executive producer. Despite Stipe's presence and such names as Matthew McConaughey, Alan Arkin and John Turturro in the cast, though, the Sprechers were forced to go deeply into debt to finish the film. A contemplative, personal work interweaving five stories about fate and human connections, 13 Conversations About One Thing garnered good reviews at festival screenings in 2001 and again on its release in 2002. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi
A salesman in a slump turns to a life of crime in this comedy-drama from filmmaker Jill Sprecher. Mickey Prohaska (Greg Kinnear) is an insurance salesman living and working in rural Wisconsin. Mickey likes to believe that he's a talented salesman who can talk anyone in to buying a policy, but the truth is his career has hit the skids, he's struggling to make ends meet, and his divorce from his wife Jo Ann (Lea Thompson) has shaken his confidence. Mickey and his new partner Bob Egan (David Harbour) are able to sell a policy to elderly farmer Gorvy Hauer (Alan Arkin), though Gorvy seems more interested in having someone come by and fix his television than discussing his financial future. One day, Mickey is paying Gorvy a visit when he makes a remarkable discovery -- the old violin in his living room is a vintage one worth $30,000. Seeing an easy payday, Mickey begins hatching a scheme to get the instrument away from Gorvy and into the hands of a violin dealer, but his plan gets more complicated at every turn and eventually goes from difficult to dangerous. Also starring Bob Balaban and Billy Crudup, The Convincer (aka Thin Ice) was an official selection at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, (more)
- 2006
Bill (Bill Paxton) is in high spirits. Roman (Harry Dean Stanton) has been coerced into signing an agreement to allow his family back into their homes at the Juniper Creek compound, and the bank has agreed to give him a loan to open a third branch of Home Plus. He plans a big barbecue to celebrate, ordering lobsters flown in from Maine, and invites Don (Joel McKinnon Miller) and his family to join them to celebrate Don's taking a fourth wife, Betty (Melinda Allen). Because Bill's in a good mood, Nicki (Chloë Sevigny) decides to tell him about her 58,000-dollar credit-card debt. He's shocked and dismayed, and outraged when she tells him that Roman made a payment for her. Nicki starts to believe he might actually throw her out on the street, apparently a fairly common practice back in Juniper Creek. Bill finds out that Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn) knew about Nicki's debts, and questions her loyalty to him. "I'm also married to two other people," she explains. Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin) learns that Betty was voted into Don's family unanimously, piquing her curiosity about her own vote. Ben (Douglas Smith) spills the beans that it took several votes before Margene was accepted. Already confused about her place in the family, Margene goes out to dinner with Pam (Audrey Wasilewski) and Carl (Carlos Jacott), who surprise her by fixing her up with Chad (Michael McMillian), a nice young man from their church. This episode was co-written by Jill and Karen Sprecher (13 Conversations About One Thing). ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- 2001
- R
- Add 13 Conversations About One Thing to Queue Add 13 Conversations About One Thing to top of Queue
Following up on her acclaimed debut, Clockwatchers, Jill Sprecher spins this intricate ensemble film about life's big questions. Set in New York City, the film focuses on five different characters with radically different perspectives on life. Gene (Alan Arkin) manages a large insurance company and is a compulsive pessimist, constantly bursting the bubbles of his more cheery colleagues. Walker (John Turturro), who holds a similarly bleak view of the world, decides that he cannot stand another day in his dull life as a physics professor and thus promptly dumps his wife, Patricia (Amy Irving). Troy (Matthew McConaughey) is an up-and-coming lawyer whose career is derailed after a hit-and-run accident. And Beatrice (Clea DuVall) is a modest cleaning woman hoping for a miracle. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Matthew McConaughey, John Turturro, (more)
Four women reflect on their lowly place in the corporate caste system in this dryly satiric comedy. Iris (Toni Collette) is a college graduate who hasn't decided what she wants to do with her life, except that she doesn't want the job her father has lined up for her at a frozen food company. While pretending to look for other work, she signs on with a temp agency, which sends her out to do office work for Global Credit, a particularly faceless corporation where the permanent employees go out of their way to avoid the temps. Iris is very much aware that she's at the bottom rung at Global, and she bonds with three other women in the temp pool. Paula (Lisa Kudrow) talks about her career as an actress and insists that she will only temp until one of her auditions pans out. Jane (Alanna Ubach) prattles on about her wealthy fiancé, although her friends are convinced that he's cheating on her. And Margaret (Parker Posey) is at once the rebel of the group, regarding her job and general office procedure with a barely disguised contempt, and the one who most desperately wants a "real" job with Global. When office supplies and various personal items start to disappear, all signs point to one of the temp workers (most likely Margaret), though none will own up to any wrongdoing. Clockwatchers was the directorial debut for filmmaker Jill Sprecher, who co-wrote the screenplay with her sister Karen Sprecher. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Toni Collette, Parker Posey, (more)
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