Cas & Dylan

I saw this film at the Glasgow Film Theatre followed by a Q & A with the cast (bar Tatiana) and it made me cry.

It is a road trip film following the relationship between a terminally ill doctor (Richard Dreyfuss) and a young carefree female (Tatiana Maslany). I wasn't sure what to expect from the trailer but the movie is funny and gets funnier as the dynamic between the two characters strengthens, however there are also some very emotional parts in the movie and it's hard not to shed a tear or two. As the film develops you learn a little bit more about each of the characters and how they could learn a thing or to from each other. It's a charming movie with wonderful acting throughout and a strong directorial debut for Jason Priestley.

I love road trip movies, mismatched pairs, and irrepressible young women. this movie has them all plus the old pro, Richard Dreyfuss, perfect as the loner-curmudgeon. Hard to see how any man could resist the looks and charm of his female co-star, also. The movie does not attempt to have Big Meaning, but should be enjoyed on its own terms. Also, some nice scenery on the journey. The story is well-paced with no overly long scenes. it will not appeal to those of the hard-boiled, real life school, although it does have a good measure of that. But it is mixed with the whimsy. You can see the relationship between the two actors develop throughout the trip and that is the heart of the story.

I did a "quick check" on Cas & Dylan on IMDb when I saw it on the TV listings, and was reluctant to watch it for several reasons: Firstly, I saw that it had only been rated by a whopping 635 people, had a rating of 6.6, and lastly…starred Richard Dreyfuss. The truth is, Richard Dreyfuss' films of years ago are seriously among some of my most cherished of all time, including Always and Once Around. But I hadn't seen him do anything in years, and when I did, in Leaves of Grass (small role)…his acting seemed unnatural. I was left thinking that he had lost his acting skill.

Anyway, thought I'd give it a shot anyway. And it only took five minutes into the film before I was taken in, and smiling at both his smooth acting as well as Tatiana Maslany's. After five minutes more, I was further charmed by Mr. Dreyfuss' timing and humor, and pleasantly pleased that considering his age, he was very well cast for the film.

I've read reviews of others who are familiar with Tatiana Maslany, but I've never seen her before this role. So I was struck by this surprisingly talented young actress's personality and presence. She was a big part of what had me so much enjoy this movie. I'm very attracted to films like this, that focus on the characters, the heart of the film itself and the subtleties within it, as the "goal" or the intent of the film.

All in all, this was a quite enjoyable little film, with beautiful scenery, charm, and enough to have me shed a couple tears (the good kind). And any movie that does that has accomplished something special – touching one's heart is a good thing. So bravo to Mr. Dreyfuss for some pretty darn good acting in front of the camera (at ~70 years old!), and bravo to Tatiana Maslany for a perfectly natural and wonderful personality shining through in her acting as well.

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." John Steinbeck The concept of a road movie featuring a mis-matched duo who don't get along, directed by Brandon from Beverly Hills 90210, sounds like a horrendous straight-to-TV movie. The reality is that this might just be this year's Little Miss Sunshine. It is a surprisingly sweet movie, tinged with darkness and light in equal measure. The plot centres around Dr Cas Pepper (Dr Pepper!!!), who at the start of the film is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and decides, rather than spend his few remaining days in a hospital bed hooked up to machines, he is going to go out on his own terms. At the same time Dylan, played by Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany, literally barges her way into the Doctor's life and the unlikely duo begin their journey "out west" where, along the way, Dylan plans to help Cas with his suicide note.

The storyline is nothing new, however, what sets this apart is the two magnificent leads. Richard Dreyfuss delivers his best performance in decades, sidestepping what could have been a clichéd grumpy old man performance into a fully developed character that demands both sympathy and respect. Tatiana Maslany is practically incandescent, bringing Dylan to life with charisma and sadness that contradicts her front of being a fee spirit. Her obvious lies and exaggerations do not convey an irritating Zooey Deschanel level of kooky, but instead make the viewer pity the girl who is obviously inventing a life better than the one she currently occupies.

Jason Priestley seems a bizarre choice for someone who is known primarily as a teen heart throb and has only previously directed television episodes. However, he displays a wonderful eye for both characters and visuals. The scenery, as the duo take their cross country trip through the various landscapes of Canada, is as beautiful as anything a Planet Earth documentary could show. For a film that is primarily just two people in a car talking, he avoids any gimmicky shots and shows a confidence in his two leads to hold the audience's attention. Priestley has shown hidden depth as an actor before in both Tombstone and the criminally underrated Love and Death on Long Island, which was sadly eclipsed by the similar Gods and Monsters. He is just as surprising as a director and one gets the feeling that his accomplishments behind the camera will soon outstrip his achievements in front of it.

The film is laced with wonderful moments of humour and heartbreaking moments of tenderness that never leaves the viewer feeling emotionally manipulated. It is rare that comedy-dramas deliver on both fronts but this one does wonderfully. The unlikely trio of Dreyfuss, Maslany and Priestley has delivered a beautiful film that will hopefully find a deserved audience and, if nothing else, should see a rise in the sale of orange VW Beatles. You may leave the cinema with a tear in your eye but you will have a smile on your face. - See more at:www.followingthenerd.com

Tatiana Maslany and Richard Dreyfuss are basically the only two actors of importance in this movie. One plays the young joyful girl with no worries and a solution for everything and the other plays the old grumpy man that wants to be left alone. Together they go on a big road trip so that's basically what you will get for the entire movie. And of course like in all movies with this theme opposites poles attrack each other so you get an entertaining story, a bit sad at times but also with some happiness. The acting is good, the story very simple without too much action, overall a movie worth watching if you don't need constant action.