Originally titled Predisposed after the short it was based on, Why Stop Now made a splash at this years Sundance where it caught the attention of IFC Films at the film’s world premier. Riding the line between addiction drama and drug infused comedy, the film centers on Eli (Jesse Eisenberg) as he tries to escape his drug addicted mother (Melissa Leo) by putting her in rehab, which would ultimately free him to pursue a top-notch musical education. All he needs to do is get her high first. The problem is, she owes her dealer (Tracy Morgan) a nice little sum, and he wants them both to help him score a new deal before hooking her up. Within this wacky adventure is a soulful contemplation on redemptive quality of art and the importance of family, no matter how wretched they might be.
I caught up with co-directors Ron Nyswaner and Phil Dorling, as well as co-star Melissa Leo, to discuss the feature’s thematic layers, what it was like working with Jesse Eisenberg and Tracy Morgan on set, the classically based soundtrack and more. The film is currently available through a variety of on-demand services and will be hitting theaters August 17, so keep your eyes peeled.
