Rustin

Rustin the movie touched my heart in many different ways..Rick Johnson is charming as an actor ...he commands the screen with grace.I was most impressed with his direction of the film..Rick wields the camera like a maestro conducts an orchestra.In a day where most indie films are dark and edgy for no reason at all..taking hope away from people..I am thankful for Rick Johnson and the cast and crew of Rustin..for bringing real life issues with hope..Thank you Rick..Mary

I rented this movie thinking it was about high school football plus the fact it was mostly (if not all) filmed in Alabama. I was pleasantly surprised - so much in fact, I will probably wind up buying my own copy on DVD. I don't know who Rick Johnson is (or was) and I presume that Ashley is his real-life daughter playing the part of "Lee". I didn't even recognize "Meatloaf" as the Coach until I saw the closing credits and the kid from TVs "Home Improvement", Zachery Ty Bryan, played a spoiled, rich football "star" player. Having lived in Birmingham, I kept looking for locales and familiar faces. Two radio personalities (Rick & Bubba) had small parts as bartenders and Michael Papajohn (makes me think of the pizza chain) played a redneck character named Trent that loved to drink and party with the students, most of whom didn't look old enough to drink. Still, the script is good even though probably unseen by many since it was independently produced.

I really liked this movie, Rick Johnson is absolutely gorgeous..This is a great movie about a ex-football player and hero, but now the sheriff of this small town that the whole town takes advantage of, he finally wises up after some tragic events that happen. It was strange to see the oldest boy from Home Improvement play the character of a spoiled rich kid that thought he was above the law because of his football status. If you know who Meatloaf is the singer, you are gonna be surprised to see him as the coach, he looks nothing like I remember him, Meatloaf does very well in this movie too. This is a movie to add to your DVD collection. I have seen Rick Johnson only in a few movies, but I would love to know more about this actor, director. Where did he come from? why hasn't he got the attention he deserves.....

This was the worst movie I've seen in YEARS! The trite plot that is an obvious copy/combo of "Varsity Blues" and any given Lifetime movie made me get up and leave the theater an hour and fifteen minutes into the movie. That was the first time I've left a movie in seven years. This movie isn't even worthy of straight-to-video. I could understand a deal with UPN, PAX, ABCFamily, or the aformentioned Lifetime. As a southerner I would like to tell the Chicago native who starred in and directed this movie that not all small southern towns treat there high school football coaches like gods. I'm so sick of seeing northern filmmakers stereotype southerners as revoltingly racist, sports-obsessed, ignorant trogs. As I write this invective "Rustin" has not been given a nation wide release and I hope that it never does.

Rustin is an incredibly touching film and a standout among indie films. Rick Johnson's direction is fluid and graceful as he tells the story of an athlete spinning out of control and the daughter he discovers. There is such compassion in the story -- not something you see a lot in indie films. I loved Ashley Johnson -- she's heartbreakingly real as the daughter and several of the supporting roles are sharply drawn. I look forward to more films by Rick Johnson.