Road Movie Molls

On a recent blustery February morning, Jessica Lange and Joan Allen sat at a conference table, joking around with each other about the ills of fluorescent lighting. The two women co-star, along with Kathy Bates, in Bonneville, a film about three friends who drive from Utah to Southern California after Ms. Lange’s character’s husband passes away. “I have always wanted to do a road movie,” said Ms. Lange, 59, naming Terrence Malick’s Badlands and Bonnie and Clyde as two of her favorites. And on the road they indeed found themselves, as the women spent the majority of their time on location in a 1966 Bonneville convertible, bonding. “There were no entourages, no cooks or anything like that,” said Ms. Lange. “No one needed a lot of attention.” Instead, the actresses brought the combination of their many years of experience to first-time feature director Christopher N. Rowley’s set. “We’ve all done theater, films—there’s a sameness to our work ethic and discipline that really served us well,” said Ms. Allen, 51. “We three have been around a long time, to be blunt,” she said, looking at Ms. Lange , who nodded before both cracked up. You don’t look it, ladies!

Bonneville opens Friday in select theaters.