HOW FAR IS TOO MUCH R?
SheKnows: When the film was shown at test screenings, there were some moments the audience thought went too far. Did you ever wonder if it was a bit too much?
Ryan Reynolds: Yeah, there are a few of those moments. For me, there are a couple of moments in the “Lorno” [light porno] that went too far.
SheKnows: We heard you were expecting a guest on one of the raunchiest days, who was that?
Ryan Reynolds: I don’t usually, or typically, look at a schedule in advance, which would be a wise tip for some young and up-and-coming actor to know when your mom is coming to visit. That was the two days that my mom came out there to Atlanta to visit. I introduced her to my porn mate. [Very uncomfortable]
SheKnows: Did things go too far?
Ryan Reynolds: There were a few moments in that sequence that aren’t in the film that will perhaps be in the DVD which are just way too far. Way way way too far.
SheKnows: Can you tell us?
Ryan Reynolds: I don’t know if I should because that little hint will turn into a tidal wave. But yeah, it was way, way crossing the line.
SheKnows: Any cross-the-line moments for you, Jason?
Jason Bateman: No, I didn’t feel like there were gloves on at all during this film. We could have kept going further and further. There’s a balance you have to strike. You don’t want to get the audience numb to stuff that is shocking. That’s why David is such a good director, you know, if you have it all be shocking and crazy all the time, you have to have static. He’s got a great ability, as do the writers, to sort of bring it down and touch earth every once and a while and then take off again.
SheKnows: What was it like to play opposite two strong female characters, played by Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde?
Jason Bateman: It fit really well in this film because there’s a lot of offensive things that his character and that my character do, and to earn that acceptance from the audience and have it not be repugnant or repellent, the audience has to sort of empathize with them.
Ryan Reynolds: Leslie is like…
Jason Bateman: Hey! [laughs]
Ryan Reynolds: I think she’s a fantastic comedic actress as well. I think what she does is she brings something to the table that allows the audience to want to see Dave back with her. I mean you know, a lot of these movies do tend to two-dimensional women, especially in that kind of role and it can be very thankless.
SheKnows: How so?
Ryan Reynolds: It’s very easy to just paint her as the kind of nagging, offensively stereotyped wife role, but she’s complex and hot and funny and charming and interesting and yeah, their life might be just a touch stale, but you know, that’s what happens, but you still want Dave to get back with her. And that’s important. And you know Olivia, that girl just brings so much to the table. She’s, oh god, she’s got a mouth on her like a sailor.
Jason Bateman: Mm-hmm.
Ryan Reynolds: I wasn’t going there. Just amazing, though. Yeah, it takes a lot of comedic chops to play a role like that and not let it turn into this person who is just sort of going along with everything. I like it that she’s getting this guy into as much trouble as his buddy is.
ON BEING CHILD ACTORS
SheKnows: You guys both grew up as child actors, how do you feel about the child actors you work with now?
Ryan Reynolds: I just think it’s a win if we don’t have a record. Not spend a lot of time in jail.
Jason Bateman: I did well getting my expunged.
Ryan Reynolds: Yeah.
Jason Bateman: I’m back in the black now. The girl, Sydney [Rouviere], she plays the oldest kid. She’s got her head on squarely. She doesn’t need any advice from us. This would be a whole different interview, but it’s a complicated thing to practice being somebody else before you really know who you are.
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