A Beginner's Guide to Endings (2010)

Upon learning they only have a few days left to live, three brothers set off to reverse a lifetime of mistakes.

Director:

Jonathan Sobol

Writers:

Heidi Sobol (story consultant), Jonathan Sobol

Stars:

Tricia Helfer, J.K. Simmons, Harvey Keitel

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Tricia Helfer	...	Miranda
J.K. Simmons	...	Uncle Pal
Harvey Keitel	...	Duke White
Scott Caan	...	Cal White
Wendy Crewson	...	Goldie White
Paulo Costanzo	...	Jacob 'Cob' White
Stephen McHattie	...	Fitz
Jason Jones	...	Edward 'Nuts' White Jr.
James Preston Rogers	...	Big Mitch
Jared Keeso	...	Juicebox
Gavin Fox	...	Rahm the Baptist
Jesse Bostick	...	Tourist
Allison Graham	...	Waitress
Alex Appel	...	Mindy
Thomas Michael	...	Ivan

Storyline

Upon learning they only have a few days left to live, three brothers set off to reverse a lifetime of mistakes.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language including some sexual references

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

April 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Born After Dying

Filming Locations:

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

Darius Films, Harold Greenberg Fund, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Whites are so named in reference to Harvey Keitel's Reservoir Dogs (1992) character "Mr. White".

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Quotes

[Nuts laments to his brother Cal after recently finding out he and two of his brothers will soon die due to their father Duke's poor parenting choices]
Cal White: Duke dealt us a bad hand, bro.
Edward 'Nuts' White Jr.: A bad hand? I didn't even get cards, okay? I got like a bus transfer and fucking coupon for tampons.

User Reviews

all quirky all the time

Duke White (Harvey Keitel) decides to end his crazy gambling life by hanging himself. When that fails, he jumps into Niagara Falls. He has 5 sons. He has three sons with Goldie (Wendy Crewson). Then came Juicebox (Jared Keeso) from showgirl Champaigne. There is Todd (Siam Yu) from the Siagon Incident and Goldie finally left him. Nevertheless she remained the boys' mother.

In his will, Duke tells the three oldest that they are doom to die from drugs that they took for money along with him. The pharmaceutical company had paid each brother $100k as compensation for their impending death but Duke had lost it all betting on horses. The three brothers are sent into a spiral to find some kind of meaning in it all. Uncle Pal (J.K. Simmons) tries to help each one in his own way.

Eddie 'Nuts' White (Jason Jones) is a failed undefeated boxer who wins only because everybody keeps punching him in the junk. Cal (Scott Caan) is a womanizer who wants his teenage love Miranda (Tricia Helfer) back after sleeping with a waitress who also slept with dad. Jacob (Paulo Costanzo) is the responsible one and completely unhappy. He makes a bucket list to do.

Jason Jones is so ill-fitting as a boxer. If anybody should be the boxer, it should be Scott Caan. The three guys don't look anything like brothers. They don't fit together and have no brotherly chemistry. Paulo Costanzo and Jason Jones could be brothers but there is no chance for Scott Caan. The movie is so quirky that it makes it hard to follow and lacking in flow. Newcomer Jonathan Sobol is the writer/director. I think he has a lot to say and a lot of style. He just needs to rein it in and control it better. The other problem is that the three brothers go off on their own. It would help with the brotherly chemistry if they face their challenges together. I'm all for quirky comedies. It would help if the family is more together.