New rom-com starring Alison Brie is set in Leavenworth
6A new movie debuting on Amazon Prime stars the Northwest’s Bavarian village.
Leavenworth served as the setting for rom-com "Somebody I Used To Know,” and filming took place there and in Portland, OR.
Alison Brie both stars in the film and co-wrote the screenplay with husband Dave Franco, who also directed.
They chose Leavenworth as the backdrop after Franco visited for a friend's wedding.
"You can imagine people growing up in Leavenworth, small town, middle of nowhere, touristy aspect, and maybe having that feeling of, ‘I've got to get out of here and spread my wings,’” he said. “But then you can also imagine them growing up and looking back and being like, ‘Oh, it's so beautiful and it's so charming and unique and wonderful,’ and those kind of themes felt perfect for this story."
In the film, Brie plays Ally — a television executive who returns to her hometown after a rough patch at work. There, she unexpectedly reunites with her former boyfriend Sean, played by Jay Ellis.
They spend a night enjoying some of Leavenworth's signature attractions, from giant pretzels to the May Pole at the center of town.
"The Leavenworth Reindeer Farm, that was great. We don't have a lot of reindeer farms in Los Angeles,” Brie said. "We actually shot a reindeer stampede, in the middle of the night.”
“Great actors, great performers,” Ellis added.
Their rekindled romance hits a snag when it's revealed Sean is engaged to someone else.
But in a twist on the classic rom com, his fiancée — played by Kiersey Clemons — is someone audiences will root for. She’s a free spirit who reminds Ally of her younger self.
Clemons said she and Brie have a lot in common in real life, too.
“I love that we both are on the same page when we interact in a way where most people would be like, 'I'm sending Kiersey and Alison to HR,’” Clemons laughed.
Funny, sweet and edgy, "Somebody I Used To Know" is both familiar and unexpected.
And it may not be the last time Franco and Brie set a movie in the Northwest.
“Honestly my wife and I talk about bringing the Pacific Northwest into a throuple more often than not,” Franco joked. “We love it up there."
"We're a step away from moving up there," Brie added.
“Somebody I Used To Know” is rated R and debuts on Amazon Prime Feb. 10.
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