Jerry & Marge Go Large, adapted for the screen by Emmy-nominated screenwriter Brad Copeland (Arrested Development), isn’t a narrative that begs for the big screen, but it’s interesting that a mid-budget film like this is chosen for streaming exclusive rather than a multiplex release.
Is “Jerry & Marge Go Large” based on a true story?
Jerry & Marge Go Large is based on Jason Fagone’s incredible 2018 Huffington Post article of the same name and tells the incredible story of Jerry Selbee (Bryan Cranston), a retiree who discovers a mathematical loophole in the Massachusetts lottery and wins millions of dollars with the help of his loving wife, Marge Selbee (Annette Bening). Jerry and Marge decided to put their calculated wealth to good use by revitalizing their little Michigan town and applying their mathematical technique. The latest film from filmmaker David Frankel (Marley & Me, The Devil Wears Prada) explores the remarkable within the ordinary, starring Larry Wilmore, Rainn Wilson, Anna Camp, and Michael McKean.
Cranston is best known for his towering, multi-Emmy-winning performance on AMC’s great series, Breaking Bad, and it’s a limited, small-scale narrative that could be best watched from the comfort of your own home. It is, however, a departure for Bening, a four-time Oscar nominee who has stuck loyally to the big screen in the past, notably with notable lead roles in American Beauty, The Grifters, The Kids Are All Right, and 20th Century Women. Bening was most recently seen in Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile. Jerry & Marge Go Large will be the first streaming-only project for the actress.
Jerry & Marge Go Large, which was also produced by Oscar-nominated producer Gil Netter (The Blind Side), has a strong pedigree, but this Paramount+ choice should be seen as a reflection of the studio’s streaming-focused intentions rather than the picture itself.
With various Star Trek episodes, the Yellowstone prequel drama, 1883, and their blockbuster-sized video game adaption of Halo, the century-old company has made a point in recent months to portray itself as a bold streaming contender. They haven’t established their own films as prominently as Netflix did in its early days, but a quirky, old-fashioned, star-driven movie like Jerry & Marge Go Large, which premieres this summer, may alter that.