Where’d You Go, Bernadette Dvd

Where’d You Go, Bernadette is a 2019 American mystery comedy-drama film directed by Richard Linklater from a screenplay by Linklater, Holly Gent, and Vince Palmo, based on the novel of the same name by Maria Semple. It stars Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Kristen Wiig, Judy Greer, and Laurence Fishburne.

Where’d You Go, Bernadette was released on August 16, 2019, by Annapurna Pictures through their United Artists Releasing joint venture. It received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

Architect-turned-recluse Bernadette Fox (Cate Blanchett) is settled down with her husband Elgie (Billy Crudup) and their 15-year-old daughter Balakrishna “Bee” (Emma Nelson) in a dilapidated former schoolhouse in Seattle. Bernadette seldom leaves the house or interacts with others, having become agoraphobic. She does not get along with the other parents at Bee’s school, including their neighbor Audrey Griffin (Kristen Wiig). Despite her misanthropic behavior, Bernadette is exceptionally close to Bee.

Bee requests a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for having received good grades, which Bernadette reluctantly agrees to. Shortly afterwards, Bernadette starts to behave oddly, concerning everyone. She uses a cocktail of prescription drugs to control her anxiety and insomnia, which grows worse as the Antarctica trip nears. Her feud with Audrey grows more intense; at one point Audrey accuses Bernadette of running over her foot while speeding away in her car. Later on, the hillside above Audrey’s home, which Bernadette had cleared of invasive blackberries, subsides into Audrey’s garden and house during heavy rain. Although she insists that she was only complying with Audrey’s request, Elgie accuses architect Bernadette of knowing that the hill would collapse without the blackberries to hold it in place.

Bernadette has a personal assistant named Manjula in India with whom she regularly communicates. One day, she finds Elgie, Dr. Kurtz (Judy Greer), and an FBI agent at her home for an intervention. They tell her that Manjula is a front for a Russian criminal operation which has Bernadette’s personal information and is planning to defraud her family. Elgie wants Bernadette to go with Dr. Kurtz to a mental hospital to seek treatment, which horrifies her. She sneaks out of the house and finds refuge with Audrey, with whom she makes amends. With Audrey’s help, Bernadette flies to Antarctica. Elgie and Bee follow in hot pursuit, after the FBI agent tells them that the Russian criminal has been arrested and is no longer a threat.

In Antarctica, Bernadette befriends a scientist (Troian Bellisario) and learns that the research station at the South Pole is going to be completely rebuilt and will need an architect. She smuggles herself off her cruise ship and onto Palmer Station, where she convinces the team leader (Kate Burton) to give her a spot on the next convoy to the South Pole. Meanwhile, Elgie comes to the realization that he has failed his wife in not supporting her. He and Bee catch up with her at the station, and realizing that her passion and creativity have been reignited, give their permission to her to make the 5-week trip.

Cast

Cate Blanchett as Bernadette Fox
Billy Crudup as Elgie Branch
Emma Nelson as Balakrishna “Bee” Branch
Kristen Wiig as Audrey Griffin
James Urbaniak as Marcus Strang
Judy Greer as Dr. Janelle Kurtz
Troian Bellisario as Becky
Zoë Chao as Soo-Lin Lee-Segal
Laurence Fishburne as Paul Jellinek
Claudia Doumit as Iris
Katelyn Statton as Vivian
Steve Zahn as David Walker
Megan Mullally as Judy Toll
Richard Robichaux as Floyd the pharmacist
Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Captain J. Rouverol
Kate Burton as Ellen Idelson