For the first episode of 2024, Jason and Sam take a break from their chronological survey of Jennifer Jason Leigh's career and discuss what might have been. In the first of several episodes that will cover films that Jennifer was ALMOST in, we look at a somewhat forgotten 80s coming of ager and an iconic rom-com that made a megastar of its lead in 1990.
First up, loose Twelfth Night riff Just One of the Guys, in which Jennifer nearly played the lead role of Terri, a high school senior who disguises herself as a guy when she's not submitted to a journalism competition. We discuss how the film plays now, eventual lead Joyce Hyser's performance, and whether Jennifer could ever have made a convincing dude.
Then, we discuss one of the biggest projects Jennifer has turned down: Pretty Woman. We get into the film, its (waning?) cultural imprint, and the difference between the version that was released and the script JJL turned down.
Jason: Twitter / X / Bluesky / Rotten Tomatoes
Sam: Bluesky / Letterboxd