GravyTrain
| GravyTrain | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | April Mullen |
| Produced by |
Tim Doiron April Mullen |
| Written by | Tim Doiron |
| Starring |
Tim Doiron April Mullen Jennifer Dale Colin Mochrie |
| Music by | Daniel Lanois |
| Distributed by | Alliance Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 85 minutes[1] |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
GravyTrain is a 2010 Canadian comedy film directed by April Mullen who also produced the feature with Tim Doiron under the company name G-Train Productions.
Plot
Charles Gravytrain (Tim Doiron) is a policeman in the community of Gypsy Creek, a present-day community whose appearance resembles the 1970s.[2] He and his partner Uma Booma (April Mullen) are attempting to arrest Jimmy Fish Eyes, blamed for the murder of several people including Gravytrain's father. During their quest for justice, Gravytrain and Booma are themselves blamed for the murders and are forced underground until they can escape their frameup. During this time, they become actors in a snuff film produced by Hansel Suppledick (Ryan Tilley).[3][4][5]
Cast
- Tim Doiron - Charles Gravytrain
- April Mullen - Uma Booma
- Jennifer Dale - Harriette Handlescock
- Tim Meadows - Full Serve
- Colin Mochrie - Mayor Chester Chubbins
- Kyle Schmid - Lance Dancaster
- Ryan Tilley - Hansel Suppledick
- A. C. Peterson - Sgt. Leroy Fatts
- Peter Keleghan - Houston Gravytrain, Senior
- Chris Baker - Willy Cheddars
- Alan Frew - Ewan McCauley
Production
The film's 15-day shoot at Niagara Falls, Ontario used Red One camera technology.[3] Many scenes were filmed at the Olde Country Antiques facility whose interiors were suitable for a 1970s-styled set.[2]
The cast includes Alan Frew of the rock band Glass Tiger in his first feature film appearance.[4][6]
Release
The film is distributed by Alliance Films.[2] It premiered in Toronto on 23 April 2010 and has a limited release schedule in Montreal and Ottawa the following month.[3]
Reception
Initial reviews were mostly negative. Liz Braun of the Toronto Sun declared the production "a cute idea, but it should never have been a movie."[5] The Toronto Star's Bruce DeMara also considered the film a bomb, blasting the production as "wretchedly and resolutely not amusing."[4] The Globe and Mail's Liam Lacey also panned the film, deeming the work "at best, a distended TV sketch and at worst like something improvised by middle-school kids with cameras."[7] Norman Wilner of Now considered GravyTrain to be an "empty husk of frantic mugging, pointless 1970s movie references and unearned self-regard."[8] Eye Weekly took a somewhat favourable view, noting among other elements the "unexpectedly gorgeous cinematography."[9]
References
- ↑ "GravyTrain". Ontario Film Review Board. 16 March 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Law, John (22 April 2010). "April Mullen on the move with GravyTrain". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 McKechnie, Brian (22 April 2010). "Is 'GravyTrain' The Next Great Canadian Cult Comedy?". Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 DeMara, Bruce (22 April 2010). "Gravytrain: Don’t feel bad about missing this one". Toronto Star.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Braun, Liz (23 April 2010). "'GravyTrain' not feature-worthy". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ↑ Stone, Jay (21 April 2010). "The Life of the Canadian Filmmaker". CanWest. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ↑ Lacey, Liam (25 April 2010). "Don't get on this gravy train". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ↑ Wilner, Norman (22 April 2009). "GravyTrain". Now. Retrieved 2010-04-28.
- ↑ Levack, Chandler (21 April 2010). "GravyTrain". Eye Weekly. Retrieved 2010-04-27.