Sydney Sweeney’s Americana director defends flop after box office crash

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In simpler terms, Tony Tost, the director of Sydney Sweeney’s film “Americana,” stated that the movie seemed to be overwhelmed by the current cultural trends (zeitgeist), given its lack of success commercially.

Last month, Sydney was the leading figure in an advertisement by American Eagle that went viral, causing a storm on social media when overzealous commentators likened it to ‘Nazi propaganda’. The controversy stemmed from the use of the phrase ‘good genes’ alongside a fair-haired, blue-eyed actress.

On August 15, the film labeled as Americana premiered in theaters, however, it managed to earn just $500,000 during its first weekend, which was significantly less than its production budget of $9 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film unfortunately didn’t perform well at the box office. However, Sydney’s fellow actor Halsey encouraged viewers to watch it despite the “24-hour celebrity gossip denim nonsense” that some tabloids may be spreading about it.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I must admit that I was thoroughly impressed by this crime comedy. Critics have hailed it as a standout debut, with The New York Times referring to it as ‘a sleek and masterful first feature’. Variety even went so far as to say that Tony’s first film is more polished than what you would typically expect from seasoned filmmakers at their third or fourth attempt. In other words, this movie is definitely worth checking out!

Instead of describing it as a blockbuster, Tony, the director of Americana, prefers to refer to it as a lesser-known cinematic treasure or a hidden gem.

He noted that a wonderful aspect of movies is their ability to survive beyond the cultural moment they were initially released.

Being an artist who saw my initial work swiftly embraced by the cultural era, I am eager to revisit its relevance once the current moment passes. I hope it maintains a considerable level of endurance.

Last year, in 2022, as he chronicled the post-production phase of Americana on Letterboxd, he recognized that he was crafting a film that resembled a ‘well-concealed gem,’ rather than a typical blockbuster or an auteur’s grand masterpiece.

In March of 2023, Americana made its debut at SXSW. However, nearly four months prior to this, the production company, Bron Studios, had filed for bankruptcy. Eventually, Americana hit theaters on over a thousand screens in August, more than two years later.

This week, Tony shared that he had expressed from the start of his career in Americana that his dream as a director was to create a sequence of small yet impactful movies. He wrote, ‘My aim is simply to produce numerous Sugarland Express and American Graffiti-like films, without being preoccupied with creating a Jaws or Star Wars.’

He pondered, “It’s uncertain if a minor career in visual arts is viable these days. I believe I need to aim for either larger or more niche opportunities. Eagerly anticipating people discovering my work, which embodies AMERICANA, in the near future. At the same time, reflecting on the numerous lessons gleaned from my first attempt.

The film centers around a character named Sydney, a waitress with a stutter who dreams of being a country singer. This aspirational role is accompanied by an ensemble cast featuring Paul Walter Hauser, known for his breakout performance in I, Tonya, Eric Dane from Grey’s Anatomy, Simon Rex, the lead from Red Rocket, and Halsey.

On Thursday, both Tony and Halsey shared their content – Tony tweeted and Halsey started her Instagram Stories – simultaneously promoting the exceptional movie they had collaborated on, encouraging fans to watch it.

She praised Tony as a ‘remarkable artist’ whose ‘creativity and perspective outshine the fleeting sensationalism of 24-hour celebrity gossip magazines,’ firmly stating: ‘If you are truly a film enthusiast, then you should recognize that the art of cinema always comes before such superficial distractions. This is about cinema.’

In this advertisement for American Eagle, titled “Sydney Sweeney’s Terrific Jeans,” the actress is depicted casually fastening a pair of denim pants. There, she cleverly plays with the term ‘genes,’ adding a fun and humorous twist to the scene.

In simpler terms, Sydney states that characteristics such as hair color, personality, and even eye color are usually inherited from parents to their children through genes, and for her, her genes are ‘blue.’

The campaign sparked a great deal of heated debate, with many people on social media claiming that the advertisement was offensive due to its portrayal of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed character, suggesting racial bias and a hint of eugenics.

Other spectators came to the defense of the curvaceous charmer, labeling the backlash as “excessively irrational” and suggesting that critics were overanalyzing the situation.

According to TMZ’s report, around 70% of people who participated in an independent survey expressed a favorable response towards the promotion when asked by American Eagle insiders later on.

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2025-08-23 20:05