The first trailer has landed for Brave New Jersey, the cheekily-titled comedy that finds Arrested Development and Veep star Tony Hale as Clark Hill, one of many who experienced the now-legendary day where Orson Welles’ broadcast War of the Worlds over radio waves in 1938 and started a hysteria of massive proportions. Helmed by first time director Jody Lambert (who penned People Like Us), Brave New Jersey seems to be about the lies we believe, and the fun you might end up having along the way.
We said in our review, “Part of the pleasure is the film’s superb production design by Chloe Arbiture and art direction by Jonathan Bell, who have crafted an authentic and clean pre-World War II look that is a simple yet gorgeous. Depicting the last night of these characters’ lives, or so they think, Brave New Jersey is an elegant work of Americana with a gentle charm that’s hard not to be won over by.”
See the trailer below which features a pull quote from our very own John Fink, along with a poster and synopsis.
In a small New Jersey town on the night of Orson Welles’s legendary 1938 “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast, the hoax that terrified millions into believing Martians were invading America, citizens face what they think is their last night on Earth. The over-worked town’s mayor Clark (Tony Hale, “Veep”) will take a chance on love. The neglected housewife, Lorraine (Heather Burns, “Manchester By The Sea”) will break free from her big-cheese husband (Sam Jaeger, “Parenthood”). The demure schoolteacher Peg (Anna Camp, “Pitch Perfect”) will become a warrior. The aimless reverend (Dan Bakkedahl, “Life in Pieces”) will rediscover his faith. The scared Sheriff (Mel Rodriguez, “The Last Man on Earth”) will find his courage. And the reclusive war veteran (Raymond J. Barry, “Training Day”) will become a hero as he convinces the town to fight the aliens. All these characters join forces for a final “battle” that leads to a surprising and hilarious outcome.
Brave New Jersey hits VOD and theaters on August 8th.