Don McKay (2009)

Director:

Jake Goldberger

Writer (WGA):

Jake Goldberger (written by)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Some secrets are better left buried.

Plot:

Don McKay, a high school janitor who leaves his hometown after a tragedy, returns 25 years later to rekindle a romance with his old flame, who is dying, but this homecoming brings McKay more than he bargained for.

Plot Keywords:

School Janitor | Old Friend | Corpse | Axe | Toilet

Cast

Thomas Haden Church	...	Don McKay
Rachel Harker	...	School Secretary
Stephen Benson	...	Principal Edwards
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Samuel
Melissa Leo	...	Marie (as Melissa Chessington Leo)
Elisabeth Shue	...	Sonny
Amanda George	...	Clerk (as Amanda Donaghey)
James Rebhorn	...	Dr. Lance Pryce
Bates Wilder	...	Officer Tierney
Keith David	...	Otis Kent
Melissa Rosal	...	Hostess
Meagan Hawkes	...	Colleen Simmons
Dossy Peabody	...	Cafeteria Worker
Robert Wahlberg	...	Alfred
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Mel
Ted Arcidi	...	Officer Randall
Lewis D. Wheeler	...	Officer #1
Charlie Peabody	...	Officer #2 (as Charles Peabody)
Harley Harrison	...	Ambulance Driver (as Harley Yanoff)
Lonnie Farmer	...	Detective Ed Movitz
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Burke	...	Student (uncredited)
Mark Hemphill	...	High School Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Jake Goldberger

Writing credits (WGA)
Jake Goldberger		(written by)

Produced by
Thomas Haden Church	....	executive producer
David Denney	....	co-producer
William Earon	....	executive producer
Chris Stinson	....	line producer
Jim Young	....	executive producer
Jim Young	....	producer

Original Music by
Brett Boyett		(trailer score by)
Steven Bramson

Cinematography by
Phil Parmet		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Andrew Dickler

Casting by
Eyde Belasco

Production Design by
Aleta Shaffer

Set Decoration by
Amy R. Strong

Costume Design by
Andrew Poleszak

Makeup Department
Mark Schmidt	....	hair department head
Sherryn Smith	....	makeup department head

Production Management
T. Scott Keiner	....	unit production manager
Daniel Voltz	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matthew Vose Campbell	....	first assistant director
T. Scott Keiner	....	second unit director
J.P. Ouellette	....	second second assistant director
Allan Rafael	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Beth Anderson	....	assistant property master
Zack Gorman	....	leadman
Eric Jerman	....	picture car coordinator
Jacob Kane	....	art department production assistant
Jess Kraby	....	art department intern
Dave Major	....	property master
Jason Mayoh	....	storyboard artist
P.H. O'Brien	....	picture car coordinator
Katie Packard	....	art department coordinator
Christopher Plummer	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Jason Abell	....	dialogue editor
Ryan Baker	....	boom operator
Miriam Cole	....	audio post coordinator
Leobardo Ledon	....	adr recordist
Leobardo Ledon	....	foley recordist
Dana McCommon	....	additional adr mixer
Michael Mcdonald	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Mcdonald	....	supervising sound editor
John W. Rampey	....	sound effects editor
Todd Smith	....	dialogue editor
Alex Ullrich	....	foley artist
Tom Williams	....	sound mixer
Michael Woodward	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Ben Bornstein	....	special effects makeup

Camera and Electrical Department
Adam D. Bouchard	....	lighting technician
Arnold F. Brown	....	generator operator
Al Bruce	....	daily grip
Darryl Byrne	....	assistant camera: 2nd unit
Darryl Byrne	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Joshua Dreyfus	....	gaffer
Claire Folger	....	still photographer
Sean Hadley	....	best boy grip
Mark Killian	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Robert Knowles	....	grip
Christopher G. Kurose	....	camera trainee
Frank La Frazia	....	electrician
Kate Larose	....	first assistant camera
David Larue	....	key grip
Nathan McGarigal	....	electrician
Saade Mustafa	....	a cam/steadicam operator
Georgia Pantazopoulos	....	grip
Dave Scranton	....	grip
Zack Shultz	....	camera loader
Aaron Tyburski	....	best boy electric
Fred Young	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tim Baum	....	set costumer
Lara Quinlan	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Prince Bagdasarian	....	high definition coordinator
Julius Friede	....	digital intermediate colorist
David Graubard	....	digital intermediate senior systems engineer
Knar Kitabjian	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Gabe Hilfer	....	music supervisor
Christine H. Luethje	....	music editor
John Rodd	....	music scoring mixer

Other crew
Nicole Anderson	....	key craft service
Michael Bowes	....	production coordinator
Francine DiChiara	....	assistant production coordinator
Paul Elicone	....	production assistant
Ilyse Frisch	....	cast liaison
Benjamin Gamer	....	location assistant
Chad Goyette	....	key set production assistant
Max Grigoryan	....	production assistant
Briana C. Hill	....	production counsel
Genie Jose-Nguyen	....	production finance counsel
Jacob Kane	....	production assistant
Todd Korody	....	systems engineer
Rachel Lax	....	production accountant
Angela S. Lee	....	accounting assistant
David Morrison	....	production counsel
Crystal Marie Perry	....	production assistant
David Albert Pierce	....	production & finance counsel
Melissa Rosal	....	production assistant
Rich Skinner	....	photo double
Wednesday Standley	....	additional production coordinator
Sonya Tateosian	....	assistant: producers
John West	....	set production assistant
Peter Wulff	....	location manager

Thanks
Rachel Grady	....	special thanks
Tatiana Kelly	....	special thanks
Linda Phillips-Palo	....	special thanks
David Lane Seltzer	....	special thanks (as David Seltzer)
Jen Turner	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Animus Films

Distributors

• Image Entertainment (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• DLN Films (2013) (UK) (all media)
• Eagle Films (2009) (Non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• Image Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2010) (Argentina) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Fairfield Studios  sound post-production (additional adr recording)
• High Output  grip and lighting equipment
• Hollywood-DI  HD Screening Services
• Pierce Law Group  production legal services
• Private Island Audio  sound post-production
• Transportation Resources  transportation equipment

Also Known As:

"Moment of Truth" - USA (alternative title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some violence

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45841) | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Andover, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Animus Films

Trivia:

Director Jake Goldberger mentions in the DVD commentary that he had an extensive conversation with Sissy Spacek about her playing the role of Marie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the taxi comes to pick Don up at Sonny's house the last time, it's obviously a different (younger) driver behind the wheel. When it cuts to the interior of the cab in the next scene, it's old Samuel driving the cab.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Cop Out/The Crazies/A Prophet (#2.8)" (2010)

Surreal, yet rather fascinating dark/comedy, film-noir.

(Credit IMDb) Don McKay, a high school janitor who leaves his hometown after a tragedy, returns 25 years later to rekindle a romance with his old flame, who is dying, but this homecoming brings McKay more than he bargained for.

Don McKay was a peculiar little movie but one I heavily enjoyed. I was wrapped up in its strange aura at the very beginning all the way until the very end when it knocked me on my ass with its twists. For starters let me just state, this movie will not be to everyone's taste. Some will be very much be put off by it, but if you're willing to groove to it like I did, you're certainly in for a wild ride. What really helped Don McKay are the fantastic performances, and the smart script that goes along with it. We know that Elisabeth Shue's character is as wacky as sin when we first encounter her character, but the filmmakers did a terrific job of keeping us in suspense. My only real complaint is the abrupt ending. I would have liked to seen the conclusion go a bit further.

Performances. Thomas Haden Church is magnificent as the lead. He's sympathetic, likable, and even carries a big sense of vulnerability to him. Without him in the movie, I really don't think it would have been as enjoyable as it was. Elisabeth Shue continues to age gracefully by looking beautiful as ever, and she shines in her role. Her kooky, yet likable show was a hoot to watch. Her chemistry with Church was also on the ball. M Emmet. Walsh is a great character actor and he's proved that, seemingly over decades now. I loved him as the mysterious Taxi-Driver. Melissa Leo is great in her role. We never know what to truly think of her, and I loved it. Keith David is good in his short role.

Bottom line. I didn't expect to enjoy this nearly as much as I did. Don McKay is full of neat surprises, and a film I would gladly see again if given the chance. Small suggestion, two straight watches may help increase your viewing pleasure to fully get it. Recommended

7 ½ /10