The trailer for the David O. Russell-directed (Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle) comedy Accidental Love was released online today. The trailer comes after a terribly troubled production that resulted in long delays for its release.
The film stars Jessica Biel (The Illusionist) as Alice Ackle, a waitress who gets engaged to a sleazy cop (James Marsden), only to be shot in the head with a nail gun. Unfortunately, her lack of insurance prevents the doctors from operating, leaving her with erratic tendencies. When her fiance bails, she seeks help from a young senator (Jake Gyllenhaal) to get her the treatment she needs.
Filming and post-production stopped on the healthcare satire fourteen separate times due to financing troubles, and shut down for good before Russell was able to shoot Biel’s character taking the nail to the head. This resulted in Russell officially quitting the film in 2010. Following his departure, Russell directed three-straight hits – The Fighter (2010), Silver Linings Playbook (2012), and American Hustle (2013). Russell’s next film is the drama Joy, scheduled to be released next year.
The film’s disappearance up until now could be seen as a reason Russell appears to be on such a hot streak recently. The same can be said for Gyllenhaal, who has earned acclaim for his recent performances, starting with 2011’s Source Code (2011) all the way to last year’s Nightcrawler. He recently beefed up for the upcoming boxing film, Southpaw.
Russell’s name has been removed from the film with the pseudonym “Stephen Greene” credited as the director. It will release on VOD and in limited theaters in February.