As you may have heard, a movie spinoff centered around “The Big Lebowski” character The Jesus has been shot and edited for release.
The Jesus-spinoff-movie was originally titled "Going Places" but is now, quite simply, called “The Jesus Rolls.” Distributor Screen Media are probably trying to imply, a little more explicitly, the ‘Lebowski’ connection, nothing wrong with that.
Jesus Quintana was one of the many highlight of the Coen Brothers classic, despite having, what, around 2 or 3 minutes of screen time, This memorable character was immaculately played by John Turturro (“You don't mess with The Jesus”). I had originally reported on this film back in 2016, it was, by all accounts, shooting in 2017 and, now, Screen Media are saying it will be released in “early 2020.” A possible TIFF bow is expected.
The cast also includes Bobby Cannavale, Audrey Tautou, and Susan Sarandon. “The Jesus Rolls” is inspired by excellent French film “Les valseuses,” which I remember seeing on French TV many eons ago. Turturro is directing, writing and starring in the film.
An official synopsis is now available:
“THE JESUS ROLLS follows a trio of misfits whose irreverent, sexually charged dynamic evolves into a surprising love story as their spontaneous and flippant attitude towards the past or future backfires time and again, even as they inadvertently perform good deeds. When they make enemies with a gun-toting hairdresser, their journey becomes one of constant escape from the law, from society and from the hairdresser, all while the bonds of their outsider family strengthen.”
Eight year-olds, Dude.
This is the adaptation of the nonfiction book by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz. It wrapped production in February and has been in post-production ever since. The film test-screened a few months ago.