Why Stop Now is a 2012 American comedy‑drama film written and directed by Phil Dorling and Ron Nyswaner. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg as Eli Bloom, a young piano prodigy, Melissa Leo as his mother Penny, and Tracy Morgan as the drug dealer “Sprinkles.” It is a feature‑length adaptation of the directors’ 2008 short film Predisposed.
Production
- Directed by: Phil Dorling, Ron Nyswaner
- Written by: Phil Dorling, Ron Nyswaner
- Produced by: Neda Armian, Brice Dal Farra, Claude Dal Farra, Lauren Munsch, Ron Nyswaner, Paul Prokop
- Cinematography: Ben Kutchins
- Edited by: Suzy Elmiger, Colleen Sharp
- Music: Spencer David Hutchings
- Production company: BCDF Pictures
- Distributed by: IFC Films
Release
- Premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival on 27 January 2012.
- Limited theatrical release in the United States on 17 August 2012.
Running time: 88 minutes
Country: United States
Language(s): English, Spanish
Box office: $2,432 (reported)
Plot summary Eli Bloom, a piano prodigy and supermarket clerk, must balance his upcoming audition for a prestigious conservatory with the responsibility of caring for his mother, Penny, a recovering drug addict. When Penny fails to qualify for rehab due to lack of insurance, Eli escorts her to her dealer, Sprinkles, leading to a chaotic series of events that jeopardize Eli’s hand injury, his audition, and the welfare of his younger sister, Nicole. The film follows Eli’s attempts to resolve these crises while navigating familial obligations, drug culture, and a whimsical encounter with Revolutionary War reenactors.
Cast
- Jesse Eisenberg as Eli “Mozart” Bloom
- Melissa Leo as Penny Bloom
- Tracy Morgan as Leopold “Sprinkles” Leonard
- Isiah Whitlock, Jr. as Black
- Emma Rayne Lyle as Nicole Bloom
- Sarah Ramos as Chloe
- Stephanie March as Trish
- Tanya Wright as Lisa
- Paul Calderón as Eduardo
- Additional supporting roles include Jayce Bartok, Mike Neal, and Huff as Dave.
Reception
- Rotten Tomatoes: 25 % approval rating based on 20 reviews (average 4.46/10).
- Metacritic: Score 36/100 based on 10 reviews, indicating “generally unfavorable reviews.”
- Notable critic Roger Ebert awarded the film three‑and‑a‑half stars out of four, praising it as a “bright screwball comedy” with a limited release.
Accolades
- Emma Rayne Lyle received a nomination for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress Ten and Under at the 34th Young Artist Awards (2013).
References
- Wikipedia article “Why Stop Now (film)”.
- Sundance Film Festival archives.
- Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic aggregation sites.
- Roger Ebert review, RogerEbert.com (15 August 2012).