After starring in Wet Hot American Summer as the beleaguered Coop, (but before returning as a slightly younger version of Coop in First Day Of Camp), Michael Showalter got to work on The Baxter, his feature directorial debut. The would-be cult comedy kept its focus on a very specific trope: The poor schlub who gets left at the altar when the more charming rom-com lead butts in. His second feature, Hello, My Name Is Doris, similarly has some fun with a cinematic convention, asking, “What happens when a Manic Pixie Dream Girl grows up?” Sally Field stars as the titular MPDG, a quirky spinster who falls head-over-heels for her much younger co-worker (Max Greenfield). As expected, Showalter surrounds this fledgling May-December romance with a bunch of familiar funny faces, including Wendi McLendon-Covey, Stephen Root, Kumail Nanjiani, and more.
Hello, My Name Is Doris opens in Chicago on March 18 but The A.V. Club and Roadside Attractions have an opportunity for you to see it for free on March 9. For your chance to win a pair of passes to the advance screening, simply follow the link here and enter your information. Remember: Advance screenings are often intentionally overbooked, so be sure to arrive early if you want to guarantee yourself a seat. An official plot synopsis and trailer for the film can be found below.
“When Doris Miller (Sally Field) meets John Fremont (Max Greenfield), her company’s hip new art director, sparks fly—at least for Doris. Her first encounter with true romance (outside of the pages of a novel) convinces Doris that she and the mostly unaware John are meant for each other. In the cluttered house she shared with her late mother, Doris mines the Internet for information on her one-and-only, guided by the 13-year-old granddaughter of her best pal Roz (Tyne Daly).
When Doris begins showing up at John’s regular haunts, she wins over his Williamsburg friends with her eclectic vintage wardrobe, quirky naiveté and un-ironic enthusiasm for their rooftop knitting circle. Her new life brings Doris a thrilling perspective, but also creates a rift between her and her longtime friends and family, who believe she’s making a fool of herself over a guy half her age. Eager for all the experiences she has missed out on, Doris throws caution to the wind and follows her heart for the very first time.”