Where Hope Grows (2014)

A baseball player whose professional career was cut short due to his personal problems is suddenly awakened and invigorated by a young-man with Down syndrome who works at the local grocery store.

Director:

Chris Dowling

Writer:

Chris Dowling

Stars:

Kristoffer Polaha, David DeSanctis, McKaley Miller

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kristoffer Polaha	...	Calvin
David DeSanctis	...	Produce
McKaley Miller	...	Katie
Michael Grant	...	Colt
William Zabka	...	Milton (as Billy Zabka)
Brooke Burns	...	Amy
Clyde Jones	...	Dexter
Alan Powell	...	Franklin
Danica McKellar	...	Susan
Kerr Smith	...	Officer Minniear
Drew Cash	...	Eric
J. Teddy Garces	...	Doctor Jones
Chase Anderson	...	Jackson
Sonya Thaper	...	Nurse Meera
Michelle J. Fine	...	Nurse Kristen (as Michelle Fine)

Storyline

A baseball player whose professional career was cut short due to his personal problems is suddenly awakened and invigorated by a young-man with Down syndrome who works at the local grocery store.

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Taglines:

An unexpected journey. An unexpected friendship.

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

N: Rated PG-13 for thematic issues involving drinking and teen sexuality, and for brief language and an accident scene

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

April 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Where Hope Grows

Filming Locations:

Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$457,287, 15 May 2015, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,098,544, 31 May 2015

Company Credits

Production Co:

Godspeed Pictures, Stealth Tiger Entertainment, Attic Light Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final title "Where Hope Grows"

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Quotes

Produce: I'm doing good. Even when I'm doing bad, I'm doing good.

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Soundtracks

Whiskey Night
Written by Coffey Anderson
Performed by Coffey Anderson

User Reviews

See this film.

This epitomizes what I think Heartland Film Festival is about. Challenging us to see and act differently. To open our hearts to the possibilities of change from deep community. To see our incredible need for connection and meaning. Calvin needed Produce as much as Produce needed Calvin. They filled a hole for each other. They were iron sharpening iron, each challenging the other to make them stronger.

It would have been easy to fall into cheesy campy film making with this plot...washed up sports hero meets downs syndrome boy at grocery store. But somehow it felt, as a viewer, that you were actually a fly on the wall watching a friendship form in an authentic, organic fashion. The timing of their meeting felt pre-ordained, like something bigger or higher was putting them together at the right time. I loved the religious undertones. Real without shoving it in your face. But faith portrayed as something that provides hope and encouragement, is real and worth having.

As a viewer, I wanted Calvin to find meaning for his life and daughter. And I wanted Produce to have a family and attain work success despite his simplicity. But as the tale was told, it wasn't tied up with a pretty grosgrain ribbon. It allowed pain and suffering and self hatred and pity to resonate in a way that was identifiable. The viewer knows people like Calvin and his daughter. People you can't help but love and pull for, even when you are ticked at their selfish pity party, and bratty teenage ways. We could all use more Produce in our lives.