Ill Fated (2004)

Mark A. Lewis's tragic-comic adventure ILL FATED plunges the viewer into the boxed-in world of Jimmy, a small-town teen who seeks a better life but who sees dead-end signs at every turn out... See full summary »

Director:

Mark A. Lewis

Writers:

Mark A. Lewis, John Callander

Stars:

Peter Outerbridge, Paul Campbell, John Callander

4 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Outerbridge	...	Earl
Paul Campbell	...	Jimmy
John Callander	...	Bobby
Nicki Clyne	...	Barb
John F. Parker	...	Grampy
Chris Gauthier	...	Clayton
Bill Croft	...	Barry
Kurt Evans	...	Tom
Brian Leslie	...	Bud
Jane Sowerby	...	Jan
Howard Siegel	...	Stan
Jennifer Copping	...	Jennifer
Joely Collins	...	Beth
Alejandro Rae	...	Colt (as Alex Rae)
Bill Mackenzie	...	Chuck

Storyline

Mark A. Lewis's tragic-comic adventure ILL FATED plunges the viewer into the boxed-in world of Jimmy, a small-town teen who seeks a better life but who sees dead-end signs at every turn out of town. His vague plan to leave and "look into college" is complicated by a revolving door of small-town complications - the demands of his lumpen best friends, his troubled girlfriend, his promiscuous stepmother and cuckolded stepfather. But the biggest complication of all is the return of his womanizing biological dad Earl, who'd fled in Jimmy's infancy after impregnating the wife of a violent convict (also his best friend). Earl's return is a catalyst to disaster, and a palette for director Lewis to paint a hyper-realist picture of small-town dystopia.ul.

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Plot Keywords:

chicken and egg dilemma | small town | low budget film | father son estrangement | violence | 

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Taglines:

Somewhere.... anywhere... is better than the middle of nowhere

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

User Reviews

backwater fellini

I've read a couple reviews. One was good and seemed to get it but the other was terrible - and in my mind way off base. The reviewer took the drama way too seriously instead of enjoying the vibrancy of the film and how *beeped* up this guy's situation is. I thought the film was hilarious. And refreshing in how the filmmakers broke the mold of a typical Canadian film. I like Canadian films but this one was ballsy; took a hyper-real approach... which I think is great. Think Fellini in backwater Canada. Historically, critics have always had trouble appreciating films that deviate from realism. The reason for this I think is that they're... critiquing. When a film is expressed through impressions of ideas or feelings (from surrealism to absurdism), the aesthetic can only be experienced through, for lack of a better word, feeling. The greatest filmmakers have fallen victim to this pitfall (from Fellini to Powell/Pressburger, to Kubrick and Wes Anderson). But regardless, it's the test of time that proves the worth of little films like this. We'll have to wait and see.

Details

Official Sites:

Artifact Films

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 September 2004 (Canada)

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Prehumous Productions Inc., Artifact Films

Technical Specs

Color:

Color