Inspiration can strike at any time.
Writers and directors often recall how they came up with an idea at the most inopportune time. Sometimes while they were laying in bed on the precipice of falling asleep. Sometimes when they were on the toilet. It just happens, when it happens.
But although things were a little easier for Ben Falcone, the idea for “Life Of The Party” still came completely out of nowhere. The writer and director, who also has a brief appearance in the comedy opposite his wife Melissa McCarthy, recently recalled to me how the actress’ mother was the catalyst for the film.
“Melissa’s mom was in our house. Sandy McCarthy. And she was wearing a kid of fun sweater. I don’t know why it just immediately flashed through my head, ‘What would it be like if Sandy in her 40s went to college with Melissa in her 20s’.”
McCarthy immediately loved the idea. “I pitched the idea to Melissa right away and she really liked it. Like the idea of always being able to reinvent yourself. We sort of ran with it and the script wrote itself very quickly.”
Of course, Falcone allowed the McCarthys to finish what they were doing before pitching the idea, which was advisable as they were in the middle of a hotly disputed card game.
“I think they were playing cards or something,” responded Falcone when I asked if they immediately started to write the script. “So I definitely waited for the card game to finish and then mentioned it before bed.”
You can see the result now, as “Life Of The Party” is finally in cinemas, while during our discussion Ben Falcone also broke down his creative process with Melissa McCarthy, which will made your heart swell, and admitted that he didn’t know what he was doing when he made his directorial debut with “Tammy.”
