SYNOPSIS

The story revolves around 17-year-old Lisa (Paquin), who may have contributed to a bus accident in Manhattan's Upper West Side. Lisa's mother, Joan (played by Lonergan's wife, J. Smith-Cameron), is a single mom grappling with parenting and her acting career. A sexually active teen, Lisa inappropriately flirts with one of her teachers (Damon) while arguing with her classmates about the Middle East. Lisa ultimately becomes involved in a legal action against the bus operator(Ruffalo). The film's title comes from the Margaret in the poem "Spring and Fall: To a Young Child" by 19th century poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, briefly alluded to in one of Lisa's classrooms.

PREVIEW NOTES

• Variety reports that Lonergan is in negotiations to bring his newest project to Fox Searchlight with Pollack, Minghella, and Rudin to produce $15 mil pic. - 2003-10-23
• Variety reports that Fox Searchlight and Camelot Pictures are co-financing the project which starts shooting in New York next month. Anna Paquin is set and actors Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo, J. Smith-Cameron and Jeannie Berlin are near deals to join the project. Lonergan wrote the script for and has worked for two years with producers Scott Rudin, Gary Gilbert and Sydney Pollack to pull it together. Anthony Minghella and Dan Halsted will executive produce. - 2005-08-23
• The Hollywood Reporter reports that Jean Reno has joined the cast he will play Ramon, a South American millionaire who is pursuing Paquin's mother. - 2005-11-15