Christian Review Magazine Issue 2 - Jan/Feb 2015 | Page 15

● MTV understood Swartzwelder’s choice: “There’s a faith-based film about ‘old fashioned courtship’ hitting theaters on the exact same day as the sinful, S&M filled adaptation of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. And if you thought that was some sort of divine coincidence, you’d be wrong. This is a challenge.” re time together to sha k Swartzwelder) use ry that opens n Roberts) and Clay (Ri s, the love sto Amber (Elizabeth An D, from Skoche Film vie OLD FASHIONE perspectives in the mo nd 2015. ine’s weeke s of Grey” on Valent opposite “Fifty Shade The romantic-drama, OLD FASHIONED centers on Clay Walsh (Swartzwelder), a former frat boy who gives up his carousing ways and now runs an antique shop in a small Midwestern college town. There, he has become notorious for his lofty and outdated theories on love and romance. When Amber Hewson (Elizabeth Ann Roberts), a free-spirited young woman with a restless soul, drifts into the area and rents the apartment above his shop, she finds herself surprisingly drawn to his noble ideas, which are new and intriguing to her. And Clay, though he tries to fight and deny it, simply cannot resist being attracted to her spontaneous and passionate embrace of life. Ultimately, Clay must step out from behind his relational theories, and Amber must overcome her own fears and deep wounds, as the two of them, together, attempt the impossible: an “old-fashioned” courtship in contemporary America. “The wheels of OLD FASHIONED were in motion long before the FIFTY SHADES book got to Hollywood,” Swartzwelder said. “We didn’t create our film in response to any other specific book or film, at all . . . but the decision to hold-off on our release so it could open alongside FIFTY SHADES? Yes, that was indeed deliberate.” “We thought it was a unique opportunity to set up a film as antidote,” he continued. “Think of a young woman you care about . . . which love story would you wish for her?” ● Britain’s Daily Mail headlined its story, “Trading bondage for Bibles: Christian movie takes on FIFTY SHADES OF GREY at the box office with its 'godly romance' alternative” ● E! Online clearly captured audience options: “If you want to see a love story this coming Valentine's Day, you can either go to the very clean and tame end of the spectrum, or you can go to the other end of the spectrum that leads to the red room of pain. Your choice.” “FIFTY SHADES will attract that book’s readers and a lot of curiosity,” OLD FASHIONED Producer Nathan Nazario said. “The OLD FASHIONED audience will include people drawn to real life, real love. Of course, we’re after conversations prompted by two contrast