It’s a story about hope, redemption, forgiveness.
I’ll tell you a little backstory about it.
He’s been working on the production side.
He’s one of the producers.
Oh my god, two years later.
Yeah, two years later.
I jumped at the opportunity.
One of the things I love about [golf] is it really resembles life in many ways.
A lot of the things that happen in the game, it’s like life.
You may hit a really good shot and then ending up in a bad spot.
You could be living a pretty good life and bad things can happen, or vice versa.
That’s a great observation, the way you said that.
It’s an incredibly frustrating game, but so is life, and you’re right.
I’m not a professional golfer.
I play it for fun, and so when I lightened up, then I really enjoyed the game.
Paul discovered that, amongst the many things he discovers in the film.
It can be a frustrating sport, no question.
Yeah, I can imagine.
Well, I think none of us are perfect.
I’m no good," or, “I blew it too many times.”
Humans, you’re able to’t put your trust in people because we fail each other.
I know my own life.
If you go around thinking you don’t do anything wrong, then you should probably check yourself …
He’s trying to live a decent life.
I saw this thing online yesterday.
I’ll be the first to tell you, I don’t have it all figured out.
Even then, if you survive it, there’s a chance to make it right.
How long were you filming for?
Give me a little trip through the production experience.
Yeah, that’s a great question.
When I was on set, I had a mask on.
That was an experience all in itself.
Everybody’s on board, everybody’s doing their best, they’re trying to make it work.
It’s really difficult.
On this particular movie …
I got to meet them all and hang out with them, and … [A] couple of things.
Every morning before we started production, everybody would gather on set and someone would lead a prayer.
Everybody got along great.
Everybody treated each other with kindness.
No one got really upset about anything.
If they did, it was like, everybody’s chilled out.
It was a great way to start the day.
I think they rolled that camera for probably half an hour and I kept messing up.
I was choking the ground.
I was so embarrassed.
I remember thinking, “What is going on?
I’ve been playing some pretty good…” It was really embarrassing.
That was a great moment.
What does Eric Close want viewers of The Mulligan to take with them?
What are you really hoping viewers will take away from the film?
They can go see it in the theaters.
Is it a big screen experience?
Can it be watched from the living room?
What are you really hoping people will gather from it, from both tweaks?
I love seeing a movie that is meant to be on the big screen.
I hope that, one, people are entertained.
There’s a couple of really cool cameos in the movie.
I really do hope that if people see this movie …
They may be questioning in their life, do I really deserve a second chance?
And this movie will say to them, “You do, it’s there for you.”
It’s been hard on a lot of people.
I’ve seen more hardship during this last two years, and loss.
There’s been a lot of loss.
I mean, I lost my brother four months ago.
It may not because you did anything wrong.
It may be where you are right now.
A lot of people have been isolated.
Eric Close gives insight into his pandemic experience
It’s such a collective grief as well.
I think a lot of us are starting to really feel it two years in.
It’s a unique experience that none of us really could have predicted.
That’s the only place you’re going to really find true peace.
Is it my relationship with my family, my friends, my health?
What’s important, my relationship with God?"
That’s really important.
What would you say your biggest takeaway from the project would be?
That I can still act [laughs].
I love coming off of a project and knowing that I’ve made some lifelong friends …
I’ll tell you something really cool.
The guy who co-wrote this book, Wally Armstrong…
He wrote it with Ken Blanchard.
It’s like a big men’s Bible study, I guess.
It’s a crossover.
Yeah, it’s cool and it’s fun.
They call it the Midwest Fellowship.
Anyway, I met Wally, [a] really fun, super charismatic, loves life guy.
Well, several years after I met him, I was in England …
I went around twice.
I played 36 holes of golf.
I said, “I already played 36.”
He says, “You’ve got to be kidding.
What time did you get here?”
I said, “4:30.”
We strike up a conversation.
He goes, “Yes, a guy named Wally Armstrong.”
I go, “You got to be kidding me.”
I’d love to know a little bit more about your career outside of the film.
I know you’ve had arcs on “Nashville,” you’ve been in feature films.
If you have goals, tell people about them.
I got onto “Without a Trace.”
[No] actors are going to direct."
I was terrified once they said, “Okay, here’s the reins.”
That was another lesson I learned what seems to be so scary, really isn’t.
You got to go for it.
The big lesson was, “If you have a goal, tell people.”
Don’t stay quiet and stay in this job that you’re miserable in.
If you tell them, they go, “Oh, hey.”
It’s not cool.
That was a great lesson.
You’ll hear about these directors that’ll do 80 or 90 takes of something.
I have a friend who worked with a very famous person and actor and then director.
This director had this friend of mine, who’s a well-known actor, do one line 88 times.
I worked with Clint Eastwood, and Clint does maybe two takes.
Clint, he’ll shoot the rehearsal.
There’s no rehearsals.
I mean, people end up overworking themselves and these long, long hours.
That, I think, is irresponsible as well.
Anyway, I get it.
As a producer, I know you’ve got your budget and everything.
Those are a couple of lessons, but the biggest one is, just ask.
How did you get your foot in the door?
What was your big break?"
“Yeah, actually, I do.”
Does Eric Close prefer acting or directing?
You’ve mentioned the directing was what you initially wanted to do.
I’m glad to do both.
I would go into the editing room and work with the cutting and splicing of film.
I love every aspect of the business.
Directing is less performance anxiety.
I love the collaboration.
That, I love.
You have to somehow get to that same place emotionally and physically.
It’s incredibly taxing, but that’s what we’re expected to do as an actor.
It’s important to get your rest.
It’s important to take care of that yourself.
Another one came to mind.
That was the late JT Walsh.
He was in “A Few Good Men” and he was a great character actor.
He and I did a TV series together.
He’s goofing off in the car and laughing and getting on the walkie, talking and messing around.
I’m all focused …
He says, “Look.”
He says, “Eric.”
I started late in my career.
I really took off at around age 36, and he said, “I was the same way.
Granted, there are times you better be focused.
I’ve had PAs say to me, “I don’t want to overstep my bounds here.”
I’m like, “No, no.
Joey came up with a really cool idea.
Let’s do that.”
“The Mulligan” will premiere in cinemas nationwide for two nights only on April 18 and 19.
For more information on getting tickets, visitthemulliganmovie.com.
