Wilby Wonderful (2004)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Daniel MacIvor

Writer:

Daniel MacIvor (writer)

Release Date:

9 September 2005 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Everybody gets a second chance.

Plot:

A day-in-the-life dark comedy concerning a group of islanders, their respective secrets, and one man's plan to kill himself quietly.

Plot Keywords:

Dark Comedy | Suicide Attempt | Corrupt Cop | Infidelity | Conspiracy

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

James Allodi	...	Dan Jarvis
Maury Chaykin	...	Mayor Brent Fisher
Paul Gross	...	Buddy French
Rebecca Jenkins	...	Sandra Anderson
Sandra Oh	...	Carol French
Ellen Page	...	Emily Anderson
Callum Keith Rennie	...	Duck MacDonald
Daniel MacIvor	...	Stan Lastman
Kathryn MacLellan	...	Deena
Mary Ellen MacLean	...	Irene
Susannah Hoffman	...	Elaine Fisher
Marcella Grimaux	...	Mackenzie Fisher
Caleb Langille	...	Taylor
Terri Sanderson	...	Reporter
Chris Saunderson	...	Photographer
Patrick Keeler	...	Stuart
Chett Buchanan	...	Golfing Businessman #1
Mike Goodfellow	...	Golfing Businessman #2
Ed Cayer	...	Lotto Man
Devon Chisholm	...	Jennie
Judith Hasen	...	Lotto Woman
Rita Howell	...	Mrs.Corkum
Lauren Ehrenworth	...	Bartender
Deborah Bowles	...	Neighbour
Lorraine Chapman	...	Neighbour
Gillian Anderson	...	Nurse
Allan Hawco	...	Radio Announcer (voice)
Shannon Perreault	...	Radio Announcer (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hannah Gross	...	Girl at Motel (uncredited)
Jack Gross	...	Boy at Motel (uncredited)

Directed by
Daniel MacIvor

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Daniel MacIvor		writer

Produced by
Geneviève Appleton	....	associate producer
Camelia Frieberg	....	producer
Joe Frieberg	....	executive producer
Sherrie Johnson	....	co-producer
Stephen J. Turnbull	....	line producer

Original Music by
Michael Timmins

Cinematography by
Rudolf Blahacek

Film Editing by
Mike Munn

Production Design by
Emanuel Jannasch

Art Direction by
Ann Bromley

Set Decoration by
Ian Greig

Costume Design by
Lin Chapman

Makeup Department
Paulette Cable	....	hair supervisor
Paulette Cable	....	makeup supervisor
Evan Hyisky	....	assistant hair/makeup
Jim Macdonald	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Geneviève Appleton	....	post-production manager
Stephen J. Turnbull	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sarah Campbell	....	second assistant director
Lisa Fennell	....	third assistant director
Mary Reynolds	....	first assistant director
Nicole Trask	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Mike Balish	....	carpenter
Lance Barney	....	lead dresser
Joseph Bower	....	key scenic painter (as Joe Bower)
Jamie Clarke	....	third assistant art director
Keith Currie	....	property master
Jody Davis	....	art department dailies
Bernard Faye	....	painter (as Brenard Faye)
Andre Fiske	....	head carpenter
Harry Goodick	....	construction coordinator
Peter Haegart	....	carpenter
Robert Hardiman	....	art department dailies
Michael Hupman	....	painter
Hugh Jones	....	set dresser
Karl McNutt	....	art department dailies
Colin Paul	....	set decoration buyer
Terry Reashore	....	carpenter
Suzanne Richard	....	assistant property master
Teresa Stevens	....	art department dailies
Todd Tudball	....	art department dailies

Sound Department
Fred Brennan	....	dialogue editor
Steph Carrier	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Stephan Carrier)
Kathy Choi	....	assistant sound editor
Martin Gwynn Jones	....	assistant sound editor
Frank Kavanagh	....	boom operator
Garrett Kerr	....	dialogue editor
Sid Lieberman	....	foley artist
John MacDonald	....	assistant foley artist
Brent MacLean	....	second assistant sound editor
Jim Rillie	....	production sound mixer
David Rose	....	sound effects editor
Lou Solakofski	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jane Tattersall	....	sound effects editor
Jane Tattersall	....	supervising sound editor
Randy Wilson	....	foley recordist

Stunts
Randy Boliver	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Nance Ackerman	....	still photographer
Brian A. Adams	....	best boy grip (as Brian Adams)
Billy Buttery	....	second unit director of photography
Eve Court	....	camera trainee
Jody Davis	....	electric: dailies
Rob Eshelby	....	generator operator
Chris Fiendel	....	grip
Jason Jackson	....	electric: dailies (as Jason A. Jackson)
Hugh Jones	....	grip
Roddy Kosub	....	gaffer (as Rod Kosub)
Ruth Leggett	....	electric: dailies
Carl Nigi	....	electrician
Becky Parsons	....	second assistant camera
Demetri Portelli	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Gareth Roberts	....	first assistant camera
Gary Sandover	....	dolly grip
Gary Sandover	....	key grip
Kelsey Smith	....	epk camera operator (as Kelsey W. Smith)
Kelsey Smith	....	steadicam operator (as Kelsey W. Smith)
Todd Voogt	....	grip
David Wishart	....	best boy electric

Casting Department
Simone Chia	....	extras casting
Peter Oliver	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kirin Jordan	....	costume set supervisor
Diana Redmond	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Chris Hinton	....	color timer
Mila Patriki	....	colorist
Shannon Perreault	....	assistant editor
Catherine Rankin	....	negative cutter
Lyn Anne Sparrow	....	post-production coordinator (as Lynanne Sparrow)

Music Department
Richard Bell	....	musician: piano
Jeff Bird	....	musician: harmonica, mandolin
Jaro Czerwynec	....	musician: accordian
Peter J. Moore	....	music editor
Ron Proulx	....	music clearance
Jane Tattersall	....	music editor
Michael Timmins	....	music engineer
Michael Timmins	....	music producer
Michael Timmins	....	musician: guitar, percussion, xylonphone

Transportation Department
Tom Carew	....	transportation dailies
Mervin Geddes	....	driver (as Melvin Geddes)
Robert Meade	....	driver
John Sampson	....	driver (as John Chas Sampson)
Philip H. Scott	....	driver
Michael Sullivan	....	transportation coordinator
Emmanuel 'Manny' Taylor	....	transportation captain (as Emmanuel Taylor)
Helen Taylor	....	transportation dailies

Other crew
Frank Anderson	....	for Shelburne Film Production Centre
Jackie Annesty	....	for Shelburne Film Production Centre
Robert Aske	....	legal services
William Bower	....	for Shelburne Film Production Centre
Darlene Bursell	....	location pa/security
Daphne Butler	....	cleaner
William Cameron	....	title designer
Simone Chia	....	asssiatnt to Ms. Frieberg
Andy Clark	....	legal services
Lorraine Clark	....	electronic press kit supervisor
Jeff Corkum	....	production accountant
Christine Crawford	....	stand-in
Hugh Davidson	....	auditor
Michell Desnoyers	....	assistant location manager (as Michelle Desnoyers)
Kevin Forbes	....	stand-in
Gordon D. Fyvie	....	legal services
Peter Gibson	....	business manager: Tattersall (as Peter 'Smokey' Gibson)
Pauline Goodick	....	cleaner
Jack Gross	....	assistant to Mr. Hawco
J. Paul Halferty	....	assistant to Ms. Johnson
Shauna Hatt	....	production coordinator
Allan Hawco	....	assistant to Mr. MacIvor
Victoria M. Healy	....	daily security
Skippy Johnson	....	head of security
Wynne Jordan	....	assistant accountant
Suzanne Kerr	....	chaperone
Martyn Krys	....	legal services
Kim Livingston	....	insurance
Allison MacDonald	....	chef assistant
Katharina Mayer	....	chef assistant
Lothar Mayer	....	chef
Margo Mosher	....	location manager
Harry O'Conner	....	for Shelburne Film Production Centre
Nicky Pemberton	....	for Shelburne Film Production Centre
Rodger Pike	....	key craft service
Kimberly Purtell	....	assistant to Ms. Johnson
Alicia Rei Rolfe	....	post-production accountant
Brian R. Shaw	....	location security
Don Sinclair	....	insurance
Lyn Anne Sparrow	....	assistant to Ms. Johnson (as Lynanne Sparrow)
Teresa Stevens	....	office production assistant
Todd Stevens	....	office production assistant
Tyler Stevens	....	assistant craft service
Fay Sullivan	....	assistant production coordinator
Bill Suttle	....	for Shelburne Film Production Centre
Jim Swansburg	....	electronic press kit field producer (as Jim Swansberg)
Dale Thomas	....	for Shelburne Film Production Centre
Maggie Thomas	....	script supervisor
Mark Townsend	....	for Shelburne Film Production Centre
Beverly Warren	....	unit publicist

Thanks
Brent Barclay	....	thanks
Richard Blonski	....	thanks
Amnon Buchbinder	....	thanks
William Cameron	....	thanks
Ed Carter	....	thanks
Sue Conley	....	thanks
Damhnait Doyle	....	thanks
Richard Feren	....	thanks
Jill Franklin	....	thanks
John Furniotis	....	thanks
Susan Furniotis	....	thanks
Peter Gibson	....	thanks
Linda Grey	....	thanks
Serge Grimaux	....	thanks
Emm Gryner	....	thanks
Moira Holmes	....	thanks
Pam Irwin	....	thanks
Heather Kinkaid	....	thanks
Sue LeBlanc	....	thanks
Rich Lim	....	thanks
Hugh Marsh	....	thanks
Shandi Mitchell	....	thanks
Linda Moore	....	thanks
Erin Nichols	....	thanks
Martin Pink	....	thanks
Jeremy Podeswa	....	thanks
Andrew Power	....	thanks
Bob Redding	....	thanks
Willie Stevenson	....	thanks
Gordon Swansburg	....	thanks
Chaz Thorne	....	thanks
Greta Varna	....	thanks
Reg Vermue	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Palpable Productions
• Da Da Kamera

Distributors

• Film Movement (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Divisa Home Video (2007) (Spain) (DVD)
• Optimale (2007) (France) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Toybox (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Arpix Media  music clearance
• Bargain Diner  thanks
• Catherine Rankin Productions Ltd.  negative cutting
• Christ Church  thanks
• Chubb Insurance Company of Canada  insurance provided by
• Clubhouse, The  original score recorded at
• Continental Seafoods  thanks
• Dancing Lady Farm  thanks
• E Room, The  music editing
• EP Canada  payroll services
• FILM Archives  stock footage
• Fearless Films  post-production facilities
• Fearless Films  thanks
• Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Film Finances Canada  completion guarantee
• Film Movement  thanks
• Fraser & Hoyt Insurance Ltd.  insurance arranger
• Gamma Studios  titles
• Loyalist Restaurant  thanks
• Mongrel Media  thanks
• Municipality of Shelburne, Nova Scotia  thanks
• PS Production Services  production equipment
• Quinte Loyalist Ferry  thanks
• Shelburne Mall  thanks
• Shelburne Pro Hardware  thanks
• Sienna Films  thanks
• Sophia's Diner  thanks
• Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales  legal services
• TTG Music Lab  thanks
• Tattersall Casablanca  post-production facilities (as Tattersall Sound and Picture Casablanca)
• Tattersall Casablanca  thanks
• Trinity United Church  thanks
• United Baptist Church  thanks

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Picton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Palpable Productions

Trivia:

Paul Gross' two children Hannah and Jack Gross appear in the background of the movie.

Quotes:

Buddy French: I like Mark Twain. You know what else he said? "Faith is believing something you know isn't true."

Soundtrack:

Give Me The Chance To Fall

Underwritten

The best thing this has going for it is the mood. The quiet evocation of a small island/town is pretty much dead on, with the slightly shabby businesses, people with small-scale ambitions, and hidden strings connecting everyone and everything. There are also some excellent performances, especially Sandra Oh, Rebecca Jenkins, and Callum Keith Rennie (for once showing his awkward, charming side rather than playing another psychopath).

There's both too much and too little going on, if that's possible. The various plot threads wander around before finally getting to what turns out to be the main plot. By that time, there have been a few too many scenes of people walking around while the soundtrack music plays. Some of the characters take too long to register, as well. The one who might be the most important, Dan Jarvis (the suicidal, soon-to-be-outed video store owner), never really registers at all--he never amounts to much of anything besides vague melancholy.

I don't blame the actors, really.....the ones we don't know well enough simply haven't had enough dialogue to let us know them. Fewer subplots and a little less wistful scenery montage would have helped the through-line considerably.

Put most simply, this has too much atmosphere to be a Plot Film and too much plot to be an Atmosphere Film. Not that it would ever have a chance to happen, but I think Wilby would have worked much better as a series.