There was something about Melissa McCarthy her husband noticed the moment he met her in a small workshop room at The Groundlings all those years ago. He knew immediately that not only was this someone that the world would fall in love with through fits of laughter, but he would too. Decades later, Falcone is directing his wife in The Boss, his second feature with McCarthy after they teamed up on Tammy.
The Boss stars McCarthy as Michelle Darnell, a savvy businesswoman who is one of the wealthiest women in the world. Suddenly, when she crosses the wrong man (Peter Dinklage in a breakout comedic role), the Feds swoop in an arrest her for insider trading. Her world has collapsed. Once released from prison, Darnell turns to the only person she has left who won’t slam a door in her face, her former assistant Claire (Kristen Bell, perfectly cast as the straight woman). From there, Claire and Michelle hatch a plan to form a Girl Scout-like troupe to sell Claire’s divine brownies in hopes of bringing Michelle back to the top.
The Movie Mensch caught up with Falcone for an exclusive interview where we talk everything from the casting of Bell, how one captures McCarthy’s improv mastery on film and how this entire ride to the top has been for the Falcone-McCarthy family from someone who has been there — literally — since the beginning.
The Movie Mensch: We spoke for Tammy and now we’re here for The Boss, how do you feel you’ve grown as a director since that directorial debut? And what was your take-away from this film to keep honing your skills as you move towards the next one?
Ben Falcone: There was a lot going on directing your first movie. You can never do that again (laughs). There was a little bit of stimulus/information overload that first time. Everyone’s got a question… “What kind of forks are we going to use?” Oh, my God, I have to pick the forks?! All the different teams, all the different departments — all these talented people are helping you try to tell your story. It was a little bit overwhelming at times. I could feel myself on set becoming stressed. I thought, “I got to do this right. The world is riding on this. There’s a lot of money and I want to make a good movie.” Then, I went through post and I realized, we did make a pretty good movie. We love the movie Tammy. So, the second time, I was a little more able to see the big picture. I was more able to say what I needed faster. I was a little more able to trust that if I thought a take was good, I don’t have to repeat it. In the second movie, as many people do, I took on more. In Tammy, I have these two women driving around in a Corolla across America. In this movie, I have a business mogul coming into a screaming crowd on a flaming bird. There was a lot to learn in terms of the effects for The Boss. There were none in Tammy, except for the deer. I was more efficient, and kept the same nurturing vibe like I like to foster on the set. But, by taking on more, I realized I have more to learn. When I see these brilliant action movies that people do, dramas, and others… boy, I have a lot more to learn.
The Movie Mensch: This movie has been Melissa’s baby for many years. But it doesn’t work without the role of the person that played off of her. Kristen Bell just nails it as the straight woman to Melissa’s comedy. What was it about her that she was perfect in the role of Claire for you?
Ben Falcone: She’s a real dream. With that role of Claire, we talked about who it could be. One of the things we wanted was for Melissa to be able to workshop a little bit with the person who was going to do that. Some people don’t do that. I remember Kristen, she said she wanted to come in and read it, and work on it with us. That was first. She cares about the process. She came in and literally just lit up the room. She’s delightful. Oddly, I don’t know why we picked this scene, but the scene they ran was the scene where they had the fight at the bakery. Maybe, because Kristen is so likable, and she came in and crushed it. Melissa and her, was so delightful to see them together. When they did that scene, I was just ready to go start shooting them. She’s a super actor, and just super funny. We were lucky to have her.
The Movie Mensch: I was moved by comments you made about the first time you saw Melissa at The Groundlings all those years ago and how you were so taken with her, immediately. To have a front-row seat to this whole ride and I think the levels of what we see her do are only ever increasing – she has The Boss and then Ghostbusters coming up – what has it been like for you, as her life partner in so many ways, to see the world discover what you know was special all along.
Ben Falcone: …in that little room all those years ago! I don’t want to sound cliché, but it’s been like a dream come true to see someone that you love and you know that they have this ability, and to see her get to chance to use more and more of her abilities and for people to enjoy those abilities. We get stuck on things in this business, and everybody in their jobs, the harsher reasons… the business of it. At the end of the day, we moved to Los Angeles at different times. We met in Los Angeles. We came here because we wanted to make people laugh. The fact that Melissa has made so many people laugh around the world, that’s a healthy thing for people. I don’t want to get too deep about it. But, it’s an undervalued thing… laughing and really cutting loose and gut laughter. It’s such a rewarding thing. It’s so gratifying, so when I’m in a screening and I’m nervous because I want everything to work. When I see something that she does work so well, it’s incredible. I’ll never forget, I was at a screening of Spy before the movie came out, and when the moped fell over, a woman three seats over from me was laughing so hard, she actually started punching the seat in front of her! I realized that was the healthiest moments she had had in weeks. If you have a laugh that produces a physical response, it’s healthy! It’s been a dream to see people enjoying Melissa. We just want to keep doing movies because we like it and we just want to keep people laughing.