Roadkill

Ramona (Valerie Buhagiar) is a meek worker at a Toronto record label. The rock band 'Children of Paradise' has gone off the deep end in Northern Ontario. The record label chief wants to terminate their tour. Ramona insists on going north to find them for her job despite not knowing how to drive. It's a strange odyssey. The lead singer Matthew has disappeared. On the road, she encounters various characters including roadkill filmmaker Bruce Shack (Bruce McDonald) and aspiring serial killer Russell (Don McKellar).

This is a black and white cult Canadian indie rock independent movie. It starts with a compelling guerrilla filming of the Toronto Passion Play. Director Bruce McDonald has a sizable supporting role. He's not a good actor but often, an indie can't find good enough actors. This does have the intriguing Buhagiar and the wonderful McKellar. She is able to hold the center and he has some brilliant turns. I wish he is in more of the movie. There is great indie music from the era and this is utterly memorable.

This is a totally awesome film. I first saw it when I was 17 and I have watched it many times since, each time gaining something new out of it. Surprisingly philosophical, "Roadkill" will make you think about life, purpose and the universe, it will also make you laugh and, yes, it will make you hum along to it's rocking soundtrack too. From the atmospheric black and white cinematography, to the evocative landscapes of Northland Ontario, to the magnificent, likable and witty character realizations, this is a seminal film that takes an original slant to what could have been a dried out and dusty subject; every member of the cast and crew give superb performances and I love them for it. Can you tell that I'm a fan? Don't, however, expect anything of the same high standard from the kinda sequel "Hard Core Logo", which I found to be pretty lame indeed. In sum, "Roadkill" rules and, to be honest, no sequel (no matter how 'kinda') could ever do it justice.

I highly recommend this movie. It will probably not appeal to mainstream audiences, but that is to be expected. It's a brilliantly done low budget indie that may remind you of Tarantino, even though it was years before Reservoir Dogs. In fact, I'm surprised Tarantino hasn't acquired for Rolling Thunder(his distribution company). I know he's familiar with the director because he reportedly has the rights to one of his other films. You will have difficultly finding it in America. I recommend checking the internet auctions regularly. I assure you it is worth buying to see it, even if you only watch it once. Since it's so unknown in America, you can probably get it cheap as well. You may have noticed I haven't said anything yet about the plot. I think if I tell you plotlines you won't believe me. That's how "out-there" it is. And worth your time and money. Get this video.

Rough and raw in the best sense. Delightfully quirky, damned funny, with the odd, faintly haunting moment worked in. My thought a few years ago, seeing it in a video store was, okay, I remember it got my attention first time round in the theatre, but this was ten years ago; what happens if I rent it and see it again?

Answer: it holds up quite well. Yes, the very raw (read 'cheap') production values shine through everywhere; this is part of the fun, after a while. The rough black and white footage makes rural Northern Ontario look properly bleak (and occasionally sinister -- hey, I grew up there; and trust me -- it's appropriate), and, at times, coldly beautiful. Buhagiar is deliciously bemused throughout as the stranger in a (very) strange land, and McKellar's wannabe serial killer is an absolute scream (listen for the line about upward mobility, hockey, crime, and weak ankles; I'll avoid spoiling it for you).

It's probably blasphemy to some fans' ears to say it (it's McDonald, it's rock 'n roll, and you're not really supposed to take any of these things too seriously), but on some levels, this is almost a film of substance despite itself, if you go looking for it. Again, it's partly the atmosphere: the melancholy question -- "whatinhell are we all doing here anyway, and exactly why are we bothering, again?" -- a question naturally posed by the area -- works its way in at the edges of the frame. The response of the lead singer of the fictional "Children of Paradise" -- to shut up entirely, and suffer the absurdity of it all without comment, from behind haunted, hollow eyes -- actually makes a fair bit of sense, given the environment.

The dialogue is weak through much of it, and not always much helped by the sometimes amateurish delivery, but there are some brilliant moments. Co-writer McKellar, who, in my view, hit his stride with the quietly apocalyptic (see it; I'm not explaining here) *Last Night*, was still working on his game here (and McDonald, honestly, I've always found a little lean this way). But there are definite flashes of great things to come.

The soundtrack's got an eclectic thing going for it. As with all three films in the loose 'trilogy' this one started (see also Highway 61, Hard Core Logo), this is a film about rock 'n roll, and is something of a document in this respect -- it features songs by the Cowboy Junkies, the Ramones, and Nash the Slash, to name a prominent few.

Overall, a strange sort of Northern Ontario travelogue -- but not exactly the Chamber of Commerce version. More the "come here if you like cold bleak scenery, and consider running over animals a sport" version. Highly recommended, if you're looking for something distinctive, memorable, and frequently, amusingly quirky.

Roadkill is the first feature film from Canadian director Bruce McDonald. I can't profess to know much about him; but his directorial style reminded me of Jim Jarmusch, though this film is more low-key than most of Jarmusch's oeuvre. This film is shot in black and white, and it's clear that the director had only a shoestring budget to work with. The film triumphs over its budget, however, and that's thanks to a constantly interesting script, a rather strange atmosphere and a handful of good ideas. The film takes place in the world of rock and roll and focuses on a young woman named Ramona. Ramona has been sent by her boss, who owns a record company, to track down a lost band named Children of Paradise. Because Ramona can't drive (despite claiming to her boss that she could), she is forced to hire a taxi to drive across the country in search of the missing band. Along the way, she meets a variety of weird and wonderful characters.

The film is very free flowing and it's never obvious where it's going to go next. This is a big asset to the film as it means it stays fresh and interesting for most of the duration. It does feel very raw, mostly owing to the lack of budget and the amateurish feel of the film is complimented by some rather casual performances. The lead role is taken by Valerie Buhagiar, who is not exactly the best actress you're ever likely to see; but actually fits the role well and her performance typifies the film. The film is about rock and roll and as such there's plenty of it featured. I've got to say that most of the songs featured in the film are not my type of music; though a number titled "We Will be the Leaders" by Nash the Slash is rather good. The film has a number of standout scenes that are likely to be remembered once it's finished; and a sequence with an aspiring serial killer is by far the best of them. Overall, this is a rather strange film and surely wont to everyone's tastes; but it's worth a look and I'd recommend it.