"Phillip Morris" Finally Finds a Home

Ewan McGregor and Jim Carrey in "I Love You Phillip Morris." Image courtesy of Consolidated Pictures Group.

Variety's Michael Fleming is reporting that Glenn Ficarra and John Requa's "I Love You Phillip Morris" has been picked up for distribution by Consolidated Pictures Group, after months of speculation whether the Sundance alum would find a home. The film - based on a true story - stars Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor as lovers. As described by indieWIRE's Eric Kohn in his Sundance review:

"Taking cues from the true story of gay con man Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) and his prison lover Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor), co-directors Jon Requa and Glenn Ficara assemble a crass, tonally uneven romantic dramedy that undulates in quality with nearly every scene change. Steven's early years as a married closet case play like deadpan satire of American conservatism; when the character winds up in jail for his fraudulent behavior, the script shifts to raunchy lowbrow jokes, as if hailing from the universe of the Farrelly brothers."

Consolidated Pictures Group, run by Timothy Patrick Cavanaugh, Randall Miller, Jody Savin and James Mancuso, made a "mid-seven figure deal" with EuropaCorp, "Phillp"'s financier. The company has also made a "significant" P&A commitment. CPG was launched last Sundance, while two of its principals - Randall Miller and Jody Savin - self-released their 2008 "Bottle Shock" to surprisingly decent grosses last summer.

indieWIRE speculated on "Morris"'s potential acquisition back in March, suggesting the film might be off the market at that time. Fox Searchlight had at one point been rumored as a distributor. It seems that wasn't so.

Nonetheless, "Morris" will find life beyond the festival circuit either way. It is being positioned for a Valentine's Day, 2010, release by CGP.

The film is also screening as part of this week's Director's Fortnight at Cannes.