Kristen Wiig's Going Dramatic in This One

Kristen Wiig made her name with American audiences through her incandescently weird characters on Saturday Night Live and her follow-up turn as star/co-writer of massive hit Bridesmaids, but — in a long tradition of comedy superstars looking to step out of their comfort zone — she went for drama in the Toronto-premiered Hateship Loveship. And now that some of the industry world has actually seen the film, it's been snatched right up: IFC Films has acquired the U.S. rights to Hateship Loveship , and so its future (and when we'll all actually get to see it) now lies in their hands.

Hateship Loveship stars Wiig as Johanna Perry, a "profoundly shy, unadorned woman who is hired by Mr. McCauley (Nick Nolte) as a housekeeper and a primary caregiver to his granddaughter Sabitha (Hailee Steinfeld)," according to The Hollywood Reporter. "When Sabitha uses technology to foster a pseudo-relationship between her widowed father (Guy Pearce) and Johanna, an unlikely relationship blooms."

The film is directed by Liz Johnson and based on a short story from the collection Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage by Alice Munro. Munro is known for her accessible and moving stories exploring human complexity.

Wiig apparently nailed that latter quality in the film: Sundance Selects/IFC Film President Jonathan Sehring noted that he and the people of IFC "were floored by Kristen Wiig’s extraordinary performance in Hateship Loveship, as well as the strong ensemble cast of outstanding actors."

Wiig has definitely starred as off-beat characters before, but this film sounds like a refreshingly low-key take on that talent of hers. It will also likely feature less scenes involving graphic food poisoning, so there's that,