Swan Song is a 2021 American science fiction romantic drama film written and directed by Benjamin Cleary. The film stars Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Awkwafina, Glenn Close, and Adam Beach.
| Swan Song | |
|---|---|
 Release poster | |
| Directed by | Benjamin Cleary |
| Written by | Benjamin Cleary |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Masanobu Takayanagi |
| Edited by | Nathan Nugent |
| Music by | Jay Wadley |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Apple TV+ |
Release date |
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Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Swan Song was released in select theaters and on Apple TV+ on December 17, 2021. The film received generally positive reviews from critics.
Plot
editWhen a loving husband and father Cameron Turner is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he is presented with the option of sparing his family grief by having him replaced with a clone. Turner is torn about whether to discuss the option with his wife.
Cast
edit- Mahershala Ali as Cameron Turner, a family man suffering from a terminal illness.
- Ali also portrays Jack, Cameron's clone.
- Naomie Harris as Poppy Turner, Cameron's wife.
- Awkwafina as Kate, a previously cloned human.
- Glenn Close as Dr. Scott, the brash director of human cloning.
- Adam Beach as Dalton
- Lee Shorten as Rafa
Production
editIn February 2020, Apple TV+ announced it had acquired the rights to the film, to be written and directed by Benjamin Cleary and star Mahershala Ali.[1] In September, Naomie Harris joined the cast,[2] and Awkwafina and Glenn Close signed on in November.[3][4] Adam Beach announced he was added to the cast in December.[5]
Principal photography began on November 9, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada[6][7] and concluded on February 6, 2021.[8] The film was released on December 17, 2021.[9]
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 79% of 100 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Swan Song occasionally strays on the wrong side of maudlin, but Mahershala Ali's work in dual roles lends this sci-fi drama genuine heart."[10] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11]
Accolades
edit| Ceremony | Category | Recipient(s)/Nominee(s) | Results | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22nd Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Actor | Mahershala Ali | Nominated | [12][13] |
| 75th British Academy Film Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Nominated | ||
| 2nd Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie | Nominated | ||
| Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie | — | Nominated | ||
| 79th Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Mahershala Ali | Nominated | [12][13] |
| 18th Irish Film & Television Awards | Best Film | — | Nominated | [14] |
| Best Director | Benjamin Cleary | Nominated | ||
| Best Script | Nominated | |||
| Best Editing | Nathan Nugent | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound | Steve Fanagan | Won | ||
| Best VFX | Ed Bruce & Manuel Martinez | Nominated | ||
| Rising Star | Benjamin Cleary | Nominated | [15] | |
| 53rd NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture | Mahershala Ali | Nominated | [12][13] |
References
edit- ^ "Apple Sets Benjamin Cleary Film 'Swan Song' Starring Mahershala Ali". 19 February 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- ^ "Naomie Harris Joins Mahershala Ali In Apple Original Film 'Swan Song'". 30 September 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (November 18, 2020). "Awkwafina Joins Mahershala Ali And Naomie Harris In Apple Pic 'Swan Song'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
- ^ Welk, Brian (November 19, 2020). "Glenn Close Joins Mahershala Ali in 'Swan Song' for Apple TV+". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
- ^ Beach, Adam [@adamruebenbeach] (December 1, 2020). "Honored to be in this one 🎬 https://t.co/sSvEn3dcug" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Swan Song Production Start Date". 19 October 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-10-31. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
- ^ Hollywood North Buzz - YVRShoots [@yvrshoots] (November 26, 2020). "It's Apple original movie #SwanSong with Mahershala Ali filming in an East Vancouver neighbourhood. Thanks @viidub, @R_Aravern & @wiebeypie. https://t.co/SmBcQnZpCT" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-04-09. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 13, 2021). "Apple Bites Into Oscar Season December 17: Here's First Images Of Swan Song With Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Glenn Close & Awkwafina". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- ^ "Swan Song". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
- ^ "Swan Song". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ a b c Lattanzio, Ryan (13 December 2021). "2022 Golden Globe Nominations: 'Licorice Pizza,' 'Squid Game,' 'West Side Story,' and More". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- ^ a b c Hipes, Patrick (January 9, 2022). "Golden Globes: The Power Of The Dog, West Side Story, Succession Lead Way – Complete Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ "IFTA 2022 NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE IRISH ACADEMY AWARDS". Archived from the original on 28 February 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "IFTA ANNOUNCES THE SCREEN IRELAND - IFTA RISING STAR NOMINEES 2022". Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.