The Go-Getter (2007)

When his mother dies, a teenager takes a road-trip in a stolen car to find his long-lost brother. Along the way he discovers a profound connection with the car-owner and with himself as well.

Director:

Martin Hynes

Writer:

Martin Hynes

Stars:

Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel, Jena Malone

Cast

Credited cast:
Lou Taylor Pucci	...	Mercer
Zooey Deschanel	...	Kate
Jena Malone	...	Joely
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Giuseppe Andrews	...	Stock Boy
Jon 'Corn Mo' Cunningham	...	Drummer
Kathleen M. Darcy	...	J's Mom
John Anthony Delgado	...	Helpful Guy
Bill Duke	...	Liquor Supply
Colin Fickes	...	Cousin Buddy
Allison Flashman	...	Stand-in
Jsu Garcia	...	Arlen
Judy Greer	...	Better Than Toast
Saul Huezo	...	Valet (as Saúl Huezo)
Marissa Ingrasci	...	Laurel
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Sergio Leone

Storyline

In Eugene, Oregon, Mercer, 19, wants to tell his wayward half-brother, 18 years older than he, that their mother has died. He has an address in Shelter Cove, so he steals a car from a car wash and heads south. Nothing is simple: his brother is gone, but he left resentment Mercer has to deal with. He gets an address in Reno and stops in Fallon to hook up with a girl he knew in middle school. Reno's a bust, but she promises sex if Mercer will drive her and two friends to Mohave. His plans go awry. From time to time, the car's owner calls him on a cell phone left in the car. Her arch but friendly voice gives Mercer needed empathy. Will he ever find his brother, and if so, what then?

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Plot Keywords:

road trip | stolen car | resentment | half brother | cell phone | 

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Taglines:

Life doesn't come with a roadmap.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexual content and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

MySpace site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

22 January 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

American sunshine

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Et Cetera Films, Fillmore, Two Roads Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The beach scene at California was filmed in Oregon.

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Quotes

Mercer: [Repeated line] I'm looking for Arlen.

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Connections

References Band of Outsiders (1964)

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Soundtracks

"Angel"
Written by Jon Cunningham
Performed by Corn Mo

User Reviews

Mercer steals a car to track down his loser half-brother only to forge a bond with the car's owner.

Mercer steals a car to track down his loser half-brother only to forge an unrealistic "bond" with the car's owner. Along the way he finds his way through a number of "quirky" encounters that help him appreciate his life and grow.

There are some very neat camera tricks and shots, especially how they "show" the phone conversations between Mercer and the woman from whose car is now in his possession. However, much of the film is shot using a poor hand held technique that can dizzy up the audience, something fierce. I too saw this at AFF and walked out due to motion sickness and a general lack of caring about the characters and story.

I found this movie to be awfully trite and derivative of other indie dramedies. The script is dreadful as characters react to in random and pointless ways. It read more like a parody of "quirky indie dramadies" than it actually is one. People do not act and talk the way the characters do in this film, the script limps along from improbable scenario to another, helped by weak performances and characters who are never fully realized. Zooey Deschanel comes across as creepy in her initial conversations with Mercer.

If this is what makes an indie hit, the movement is clearly losing steam.