Cheap Thrills: Interview Writer David Chirchirillo

SXSW, Tuesday night the 12th: film wrap party, a folk band at a backyard bar, food truck steak burrito and about twelve whiskeys all around…what was our next move? I was out with a tribe of publicists and writers, and we were ready to continue the fun. What’s the first suggestion? Not an insane after party, not a dope concert…Cheap-fucking-Thrills.

No, that is not in fact a dive bar in Austin, It’s a movie, a movie you want to see drunk with your friends because it will be awesome. It centers on an unemployed man, Craig (Pat Healy), and his long time buddy Vince (Ethan Embry) who meet a strange wealthy couple in a bar. Colin  (David Koechner) and his wife Violet (Sara Paxton) have schemed a debaucherous night for the two broke strangers and will seriously challenge, what would you do for a buck? Cheap Thrills wasn’t the first sell of the fest for no reason (it went to Drafthouse; which might I add is perfect). 

Back in LA, I had the chance to talk to writer David Chirchirillo. Only out of school a few years, he’s already penned his first successful screenplay with Trent Haaga, who co-wrote Cheap Thrills, and sold it at a major festival. I asked David over a few Coronas at Birds in Hollywood: How did you do it?

ATW: So how did you meet Trent?

C: I went to Columbia College in Chicago and was taking a horror screenwriting class. I’ve always been a big fan of Troma movies and low-grade Z horror movies, and we ended up reading this script called Dead Girl by Trent Haaga. He’s a Troma veteran, so I had heard of him. My professor was actually friends with Trent when they both went to Columbia. The last semester of my senior year, I knew I was moving to LA with no connections, so I emailed Trent.

ATW: This is turning into a Cinderella story.

C: He ended up taking me to lunch, and we just got along really well. He basically let me be his assistant. I think he just saw a lot of himself in me. One thing that I’ve found working in production is that you’re working with the same group of people 12 hours a day; what people want is a hard worker but also someone they can stand to be around! I’m an affable guy, and I feel like I try to be myself, not be scared of cracking a joke.

ATW: How did the script come about?

C: Trent wrote the first draft about three or four years ago and Evan [Katz], the director of the movie, had read it. Evan saw some sort of potential in me as well and was like Hey I’ll get a drink with you. That’s almost more important, if you’ve got the talent, you’ve got the talent, what you really need to do is make the connections. Evan wanted a fresh take on the script and someone who’d be willing to work for little money for a long time. I was like, ‘I know a guy! His name’s me!’ I wrote a treatment of my take. The original script needed a much bigger budget, and it was a straightforward thriller, leaning more towards Saw. My take was that we needed to make it a crazy, satirical, dark comedy that will be a crowd-pleasing wild movie.

ATW: People are also picking up on this vein of bigger issues running through the story; messages about capitalism. Were these intentional or an after-effect?

C: I didn’t write it, and I don’t think Evan directed it with any kind of overt agenda. Trent’s idea was so strong already; what would you be willing to do for a buck? Trent’s trying to support a family, and I’m just trying to support myself, which in this economy is fucking crazy! Vince (Ethan Embry) is sort of the voice of the audience. He’s the guy that is constantly going what the fuck? I think that you need that in the movie to clue the audience in that yes, they’re supposed to be perplexed by the madness on screen. At the first midnight screening, you could feel people easing into it like a warm bath. Evan prefaced the screenings by saying, ‘Don’t be afraid to laugh.’

ATW: I think this helps by casting well-known comedy actors like David Koechner. Some people have wondered why you didn’t cast someone darker.

C: The character of Colin came from two people I knew. I grew up in St. Louis in a pretty affluent suburb and there was a lot of old money. Another guy I knew in college, I hope he doesn’t read this, he wasn’t a sociopath, but he was somebody who used his money to make friends with people. For me, it felt like the gravitas of Colin would come from what he’s making these people do; he didn’t have to play it dark. Koechner has always had a bit of a dark side in his comedy anyway, this pathetic undertone of want and need and sorrow. I think that works very well for Colin. The only power he ultimately holds is that he’s got more money than you do. People constantly mistake money for power.

ATW: How concrete were the characters’ back-stories? In the actual film they’re very vague. We’re all wondering where exactly Colin gets his cash!

C: In one of the earlier drafts, you see Colin cheering and celebrating because his dad made it into the Forbes top 20 richest people list. He didn’t work for his money. Colin is entitled, and I wanted to make sure this guy never had to work a day in his life.

ATW: What’s the deal with Violet (Sarah Paxton) and Colin’s relationship?

C: Let me flip it! Let me ask you a question. Did you feel there was ever a real loving relationship between them?

ATW: I thought she married for money. She may have even been in love with Craig.

C: Initially when I wrote [the script], I wanted to make it legitimately seem like these people are in love. These are two sociopaths who found each other. One of the things that worked so well with this movie is that it’s taking on a life of its own. Sometimes I get bogged down in subtext. You have to focus on the text and let the subtext be what it is. If I’m doing my job right and creating yhree dimensional characters, then it’s there.

ATW: What are some of the crazy things the characters had to do for money that didn’t make the cut?

C: It was a 14-day shoot, and you don’t really have time to shoot more than you need. There was one scene they asked me to turn down (SPOILER!!!) the dog scene. It was initially a lot more graphic. [He clears his throat] Originally, the dog comes out and looks like a dog, it’s all boiled and gross. Colin chops the head off the dog and throws the head into the sink. They both eat this dog and the tie-breaker isn’t to eat Craig’s finger, it’s to eat the dog’s head. They start fighting and eventually Craig beats Vince with the skull of the dead dog.

ATW: Lovely. And they thought that was too much? Do you feel like Craig is an exception to the masses or that if we were put into his position we would have the same capacity?

C: Craig was just a person who was willing to go to these dark depths. To me, it’s not necessarily the money that corrupts; it’s the person that’s corruptible. Universally, not everyone will do something for a stack of cash. It’s not like kryptonite or the ring in The Lord of the Rings; you’re not overcome by the power. In every step of the way these characters can leave. I think audiences are latching on to the fact that they’re always given a choice.

ATW: When you’re writing, what’s the environment that fosters your best creativity? Your writing nest?

C: If my family ever reads this, they won’t be pleased. Basically, I’ll just be honest with you, I drink a lot of coffee, and I smoke a lot of weed, and I usually watch a movie or something that will inspire me. By the time the movie is over, I hit a weird equilibrium where my brain is wired, but I’m relaxed, and I can write for 6 hours. It’s a slow process to start, and then I can just go. And sometimes I listen to music.

ATW: What music for Cheap Thrills?

C: I’m going to be ridiculed for this, I listened to 808 and Heartbreak on repeat. It’s a Kanye West album. It encapsulated who Colin was and the general vibe ofhere’s an artist who’s kind of a prick and his whole album is about how sad he is to be so rich and so loved and so famous. God, it’s so hard! There are people out there who are struggling and doing anything they can! There are people like Craig and Vince who are willing to [to do extreme things for money…I don’t want to spoil it for you guys!]

ATW: So what are your hopes for Cheap Thrills?

C: My hopes have been answered! It’s the most amazing thing in the world that these critics are saying these amazing things about the movie. But when Drew McWeeny says, ‘It’s a masterpiece of dark comedy,’ it’s the greatest thing someone can say, but on the other hand there’s this pressure of where do I go from there? When we were working on Cheap Thrills, we were just having a good time and it was liberating!

And it shows. We have as much fun watching the film as they apparently had making it. Don’t worry David, no pressure. Drafthouse will release Cheap Thrills theatrically and on VOD with a TBA release date.