The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), written and directed by Steve Kloves.
Two brothers (Beau and Jeff Bridges) have had a nightclub piano act all their adult lives. Scraping by, making a living, one is pretty happy with the life. The introverted younger brother hates it. He is a skilled, perhaps inspired jazz pianist, but lacks the courage to strike out on his own.
The catalyst for their split is new singer Michelle Pfeiffer, a former professional escort with no lack of courage.
Want to make a film without much money? First time director? With a good script, good casting and an experienced cinematographer you can still make a great movie. Both funny and a little sad, but without bleakness. An invocation of club life, both elegant and shabby, and the contrast of talent and mediocrity. Do they make them like this anymore?
Score by Dave Grusin who also dubs Jeff Bridges' piano. (Both brothers could really play, which helps their performances).
Set in Seattle and partly filmed there.
Available on Blu-ray from Twilight Time.
The first commentary track has Nick Redman and Julie Kirgo interviewing the director:
This was his first film as director and he praises the cast and crew for supporting him.
Sydney Pollack was one of the producers in his corner, defending him from the studio and letting him do it his own way.
He directed only one other film and is chiefly a writer, most notably for the Harry Potter movies.
He resisted casting acting brothers to play brothers, but when Jeff Bridges introduced him to Beau he was sold.
All the actors who read the script loved it and all the studios hated it, wanting a much happier Hollywood ending. And: "Must star someone from Saturday Night Live..."
Afterwards Michelle Pfeiffer brought him Thelma and Louise but he was busy with other things.
He points out that Pfeiffer has a good voice, but not a professionally great one. (She had record offers after, which she thought was ridiculous). Her talent was to act the hell out of the lyrics. A better voice would have turned the picture into a fantasy.
The second commentary track is by cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, made for DVD ten years after the film. It is sometimes intermittent ("I get caught up watching the film", he says) but has often interesting details on lighting and lenses, and the creative interchange while making a good movie like this one.
He says the brothers really fought during the fight scene. Jeff drank a little to get into the mood and Beau got a broken finger.
"People sometimes comment on my style. I try not to have one. Every film is different".