Blockers is likely to be one of the best comedies released this year. First and foremost it’s funny, which helps, but it’s also got a great deal of warmth to it, and much of that is down to the tone captured by first-time director Kay Cannon. We had the pleasure of sitting down with her, alongside the film’s leading actress Leslie Mann, to discuss this entertaining production.

We asked Cannon – the writer of the Pitch Perfect franchise – what it was like to direct for the first time, while Mann discussed with us her own anxieties that come with children moving out and going to college, one of the paramount themes in this feature. The pair discuss how they went about establishing the pathos and comedy, and Mann talks about how nice it was to not have to improvise so much, something she has to do a lot of when collaborating with her husband Judd Apatow on his films.

Finally, Cannon tells us how thrilled she was to be given the chance to direct this film – a rare leap of faith from a studio to allow a female filmmaker the platform to showcase her talents without any prior experience behind the lens. Something we all hope happens a lot more often.

Watch the full interview below…

Synopsis

Julie, Kayla and Sam are three high school seniors who make a pact to lose their virginity on prom night. Lisa, Mitchell and Hunter are three overprotective parents who flip out when they find out about their daughters’ plans. They soon join forces for a wild and chaotic quest to stop the girls from sealing the deal — no matter what the cost.
Blockers is released on March 30th. Read our review here.