It’s been 12 years since Courteney Cox last directed a feature film. (Yes, the Courteney Cox you know and love.) The first time around, a film called “Just Before I Go,” didn’t go exactly as planned. The reviews were, well, not great. And talking to Cox now, oh yeah, how she’d love to have that one back, because she knows now how to have made that one into a better film.
Cox is a director on a mission with “Evil Genius,” which is premiering at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. With this film, Cox knows exactly what she wants. You might remember the story this is based on: In 2003, an Erie, Pennsylvania pizza delivery man named Brian Wells was kidnapped, had an elaborate homemade bomb locked onto him, and was then told to rob a bank. National news broke in to show this poor man, surrounded by police, pleading with them to get this bomb off of him. The story of how Brian Wells got into this situation in the first place is truly nuts.
In Cox’s film, David Harbour plays Bill, a man who reports to the police that he’s been keeping a dead body in his freezer, killed by Marjorie (Patricia Arquette). In a letter, he assures the police this body has nothing to do with the recent pizza man bombing incident that has not yet been solved. This, as you might expect, raises some red flags. From there, Bill and Marjorie’s comically convoluted bank robbery scheme (it involved a scavenger hunt and a bank robbery note that was several pages long that contradicts itself) starts to present itself.
Ahead, Cox explains why this movie is so important to her and how and why she knew exactly what she wanted this time around. She also explains how “Friends” was a useful guide in how she presented these characters. And, she talks about her directing influences, and what she took away from being directed by Brian De Palma in Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” video.
The following interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
IndieWire: It’s been 12 years since you last directed a movie. That’s unusual. Why did that happen?
Courteney Cox: It took me eight years to get this off the ground. So, really, I was just bored by the time I found something, a story that I wanted to do. The one that I did before this, I had done music videos in between. I was on “Cougar Town” and I directed about 10 episodes of that. So I was still doing little things.
But I really love this story. I liked true crime, but I love Barbara Schroeder. She directed the documentary “Talhotblond.” When I found out this was available, I wanted to develop it. And then there was lockdown and there were two different strikes and it took forever. So, it took a long time and I think it really does all start with the script. Courtenay Miles wrote an incredible one. They don’t come around very often, especially ones that people would take a chance on me and that’s why I developed it. You have to do that sometimes and some people will believe in you.
It’s interesting to hear Courteney Cox say, “Someone has to take a chance on me.”
Well, it was less having someone take a chance on me to direct this, because of who I worked with before, but it was more I’m going to make this happen. And then once I make this happen, I’m going to stick with it. I’m going to put the best music in, pull all the favors I possibly can, the great composer, great DP, great cast, and this will be my calling card for the next job that means something. As opposed to me going in and trying to pitch myself for something and make it about my celebrity. You know what I mean? This is a passion project. I know now, I think, this will get me jobs without me having to work this hard and getting it made. I’m going to always work hard, but this was really an uphill battle and I’m so happy it worked out.
I mean, yeah, you got the cinematographer of “In Bruges.”
I know, I know. Believe me, I had to… Yeah. I was very specific about the look of what I wanted and it also was the personality. Did they have the same passion? Did I like a small crew and can they be run-and-gun and fast? You have to be able to be on your feet and not be precious in any way.
What have you learned as a director since “Just Before I Go”? Because I saw it when it came out, I think it was at Tribeca Film Festival? Am I remembering this correctly?
That’s right.
I know it didn’t get very good reviews. I’m always hesitant to say something like this because I don’t want you to think I’m shitting on “Just Before I Go,” but watching “Evil Genius,” it was night and day. Some of the decisions made in this, the pacing, it’s just I feel like you’re doing something a lot different here than the last time around.
That’s a good question. First of all, it was $2 million. It was 19 days. It was a ton of actors. The script, I thought it was funny. It was inappropriate. I’d totally be canceled if I put that out today…
Yeah, I re-watched it. That might be true.
Oh, yeah. There’s a great soundtrack that my friend Philly Vance gave me all the songs for free.
If I could go back there and tighten that movie up in the editing room, turn up the sound, I can make that so much better right now if they gave me just one week, if I could even find the roll of film to do it with.
When I re-watched it, that’s what I was thinking. There are scenes that just go on a little bit too long.
To me, I have to have snap and taste. If the moment’s over, you have got to move on. Also, the DP and I didn’t have the connection. I know that was such a character piece. It was about drama and accepting people and people actually having an epiphany and turning around and it was just a different thing. The cast, I had really good cast, but not everyone was exactly right. But I didn’t have the time, the money, the anything for that.
Now, this many years later, I have an incredible script and I went, “I know what I’m doing. I know what I need.” I was very specific. I knew the colors I wanted it to be. I didn’t want it to be a blue tint over this dark story of green where it’s affected look. I wanted you to almost know what the room smelled like, the textures. I was very specific. I wanted it to be real. I didn’t want it to play on the heinous crime. I wanted to say these are real people and I wanted it to feel them. So being handheld without the whole shaky thing, I’m not big into that ever. But I wanted to feel intimate, so I knew I wanted handheld when we can. I don’t know. I think I just had a really clear point of view and I knew how I wanted the music to be, and it was a period piece. I think I’ll approach everything from now on with such a strong sense of need, knowing what I want and execution.
Yeah, when I was watching this it was very clear you had a vision for it.
But now you make me want to go in and fix “Just Before I Go.” I swear that would be a good movie.
Maybe you’ll get to do the director’s cut…
That would be hysterical. I honestly wouldn’t know where to find the movie. They probably burned it.
Jason Bateman is a producer on this. He worked with David Harbour on “DTF St. Louis.” Did he introduce you to David Harbour or did you know him already?
He did not introduce me to David Harbor. I met him. My manager recommended him because she’s just a huge fan. I’ve been with my manager for 35 years, so we talk about this a lot. She introduced me to Garret Dillahunt. So she’s got a great eye. And then I really did a deep dive on David. Of course, I talked to Jason about how he likes to work and that kind of thing. I’m a huge fan of his, though.
Patricia Arquette, obviously you two have known each other a really long time. How does that work when you’re directing her?
Well, I think it’s got a lot of faith and the fact that she said yes was so incredible that I was like, “Wow, that was easy.” She read it. Of course, it’s a great script and she believed in me. But also the humorous part, she put a lot of faith in me over that stuff because obviously I think that my timing is pretty good. And that’s why the movie does have a quick. I think I have good timing, not just because I play the drums. No, I’m kidding! I think music is important as far as timing and comedy and all that stuff.
So I think that it wasn’t like we were old pals doing a movie. She was really prepared. She had so much dialogue and so much to carry. There was no relaxing and just hanging out. We went to work and we worked all day. She believed in me and she trusted me and she’s also so good. There’s no reason to give notes just to be heard. I know when to give a note when I’m looking for something different, because I know the way I like to be spoken to as an actor. And as a director, I can go back to what I needed. I don’t know. I don’t want to sound cocky, but I just really felt prepared.
Tom McCarthy plays Brian Wells. Are you ever giving him direction and think, “Oh, yeah, he directed ‘Spotlight.’”
I know. I mean, luckily he’s not that kind of person that has an air about him. I would’ve forgotten had I not went, “Oh, yeah, ‘Spotlight.’” He doesn’t come across as someone who’s a know-it-all. He’s the most genuine. He brought so much heart to Brian Wells, and it’s what you need. You need to feel for this real person that got caught up in such a terrible situation. But yeah, I mean, that was incredible. And for him to give me any sort of compliment. I’m very personable with people, and I think that he had said something about that.
But if you look at everyone’s thing, it reminds me of “Friends.” Because I think we were also lucky to be on a show where we were all so distinct, our lines were not interchangeable. Having these characters all have a very distinct way to react to a line. And you just see these actors and they worked so well together.
I remember when this story actually happened. I felt so bad for that guy with a bomb locked on him. But I didn’t ever know much about the story behind all this, and how insane this story really is.
Absolutely. That was what I was trying to show the human side of these people. We weren’t laughing at them. That’s their life. They were not miserable people.
They are so confident. David Harbour as Bill Rothstein is so confident this extremely convoluted plan is going to work.
He’s going to do anything he can for Marge because he needed her respect and love and he didn’t want to let her down. It is tragic, but you can have two things happen at once. You can think something’s really funny and the next second you’re screaming. Riding that tension between reality and interesting or kooky or eccentric or weird characters, that was the goal. I think the music, the acting, the pacing, that all helps keep the tone. It’s not identifiable as a certain genre.
When you watch “I, Tonya” or you watch “To Die for,” these are true stories, but the characters… I could stare at Joaquin Phoenix looking at Nicole Kidman’s character all day. He’s so interesting. I think I’m really lucky to have that kind of cast where you just want to stare at him. Everything they do is interesting.
You just mentioned Gus Van Sant and Craig Gillespie movies. I am curious who your directing influences are? I know people bring up that you are in Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” video, but you were directed by Brian De Palma in that. I’m curious what that was like and if you could even take anything away from that experience?
Well, that’s so interesting because I did dance twice and I was only there one day, I think. Maybe. Yeah, it was funny because Brian De Palma wasn’t feeling well and neither was Bruce Springsteen. And it was the first day of the tour…
Yeah, in St. Paul…
Yeah! I get really embarrassed. There were three of us and I said, “I don’t need to go on stage. I’m just letting you know.” Of course they wanted the most shy person to do it. I’m a huge fan of Brian De Palma. I love his movies. I love character pieces, emotional pieces. I love Paul Thomas Anderson. He’s one of my very favorites. I mean, David Fincher is a friend, but I think he’s my all-time favorite director. He’s so smart. He’s so detailed and he’s so thoughtful as a person and as a filmmaker. Who else? Who did “Silver Linings Playbook”?
David O. Russell.
David O. Russell. I loved that movie. I love a lot of his films. I think all of his films I love. Who did The Fighter? Was that David O. Russell, too?
Yes, that does confirm your love for David O. Russell.
Paul Thomas Anderson, loved “The Master. God,” that’s a gorgeous film, and so many of his films I love. Oh, you know what? He did “Her.” Spike Jonze. Incredible. Yeah, those are my top directors, I would say, offhand. As soon as we hang up, I’m going to think of about five others that I want to tell you.
“Evil Genius” premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. It is currently seeking U.S. distribution.
