Johnny's Girl (1995) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

John Kent Harrison

Writers (WGA):

Kim Rich (book)
John Kent Harrison (teleplay)

Release Date:

27 May 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Based On Book | Independent Film

Cast

Myriam Sirois	...	Nancy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Trish Allen	...	Female Reviewer
Forbes Angus	...	Male Reviewer
Scott Bellis	...	Hippie Vendor
Ian Black	...	Gas Station Owner
Jay Brazeau	...	Tony Cozart
Frank Cassini	...	George
Diane Debassige	...	Francis
John B. Destry	...	Doorman
Alex Diakun	...	Joe Gimble
Michael Dobson	...	Trooper
Shirley Douglas	...	Mrs. Hardwick
Mikal Duchi	...	Mavis Thompson
Victor Formosa	...	Guy in bar
Jody Franklin	...	Gambler
Josh Holmes	...	John Higgins
Mia Kirshner	...	Amy
Lalainia Lindbjerg	...	Debbie Tesky
Janne Mortil	...	Angie
Barry Pepper	...	Jimmy Zee
Gloria Reuben	...	Monica
Kelly Sheridan	...	Gwen
Lisa Stevens	...	Go-Go Girl
Michael Tayles	...	Floyd
Robert Thurston	...	Auctioneer
Frank C. Turner	...	Bear
Dave 'Squatch' Ward	...	T-Bone
Ron White	...	Lt. Persky
Treat Williams	...	Johnny
Robyn Wosk	...	Another Girl

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

RHI Entertainment

Trivia:

Filmed in 1993 but not broadcast until 1995.

Masterful Performances from the Two Stars

Another of those well-made small Canadian films that nobody has seen. Where the technical production and the performances transform a rather ordinary story into a nice little feature. There is a relatively complex background story and I've never seen a better job of bringing a viewer up to speed in the first 20 minutes of a film. By that point you are aware of all the issues and have already started to strongly identify with the heroine.

"Johnny's Girl" is amazingly like Allen Moyle's 1999 masterpiece "New Waterford Girl"; both in subject and in style. Each involve the new girl in Canadian/Alaskan towns where the theme song is The Animal's "We Got To Get Out of This Place" (in this case literally as that song is part of the film's soundtrack. In "Johnny's Girl", set in the late 1960's, the new arrival (Mia Kirshner) leaves her divorced mother in a mental hospital and comes to the new town to live with her father (Treat Williams). As in "New Waterford Girl" the heroine spends the movie talking about getting out of the little town and heading for the big city, then has second thoughts when given the opportunity.

The story is a little too obvious and compressed. No sooner have things finally worked out between father and daughter than utterly predictable tragedy strikes. It would have benefited from a little misdirection.

But the upside of a poor screenplay is something very special as the actors rise to the occasion and pull something out of nothing. Kirshner and Williams (consistently excellent in their other films) give wonderful performances here, quite possibly their best as they seem to inspire each other. This is simply the best father-daughter film portrayal out there. Making this little film a must see for their fans and a good choice for anyone who likes quirky little character studies. Highly recommended.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.