| Good Neighbors | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Jacob Tierney |
| Produced by | Kevin Tierney |
| Written by | Jacob Tierney |
| Based on | Chère Voisine by Chrystine Brouillet |
| Starring | Jay Baruchel Emily Hampshire Scott Speedman Xavier Dolan |
| Music by | Claude Hazanavicius |
| Cinematography | Guy Dufaux |
| Editing by | Arthur Tarnowski |
| Studio | Park Ex Pictures |
| Distributed by | Alliance Myriad Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 14 September 2010 (TIFF) July 29, 2011 (UK & USA) |
| Running time | 98 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Good Neighbors is a 2010 Canadian black comedy-drama/thriller film which was written and directed by Jacob Tierney.[1] It is based on the book by Chrystine Brouillet.
Contents |
Louise (Emily Hampshire) works as a waitress in a Chinese restaurant in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighborhood of Montreal where she lives, has become obsessed with the story of a recent spate of serial murders committed in the NDG area, and scours Montreal newspapers for stories about each victim. The latest victim is a co-worker who last spoke of a blond, musuclar man she meet at the bar, and with whom she had a drink after she got off work at midnight.
Louise's wheelchair-bound downstairs neighbor Spencer (Scott Speedman) shares her predilection up to a point, but mostly likes to keep to himself. Then a young elementary school teacher, Victor (Jay Baruchel), moves into the building, having recently returned to the city from a sojourn in China. The three live on separate floors.
Victor eagerly wants to make friends with Louise and Spencer, who are reluctant to form a friendship with him as they find him only slightly more agreeable than the drunken, foul-mouthed tenant Valérie (Anne-Marie Cadieux), who hates Louise’s cats. As the trio’s relationships develop, it becomes apparent that each is a troubled character. Louise’s life is focused more on her cats, Mozart and Tia Maria, than to humans. Victor is almost a benign stalker, keen to ingratiate himself with the other tenants, especially Louise, upon whom he appears to develop a crush, inventing an imaginary love life; Victor also talks to his mirror. Spencer appears the most well-adjusted of the three, despite his handicap. As the walls are paper-thin, it is hard to keep secrets in this apartment complex. However its manager, Madame Gauthier (Micheline Lanctôt), finds herself completely in the dark when a murder takes place in the building.
Tierney filmed it under the working title "Notre Dame de Grâce" in and around Montreal, Quebec, Canada.[2][3]
The film had its world premiere as part of the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival on 15 September 2010.[4] Magnolia Pictures [5] released it for the Whistler Film Festival.[6]