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Donald Cried

  • 2016
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
Jesse Wakeman in Donald Cried (2016)
With sudden passing of his grandmother, Peter Latang returns to his hometown and encounters his long lost, childhood friend, Donald Treebeck. What begins as a simple favor, turns into a long day's journey into the past.
Play trailer1:44
1 Video
25 Photos
ComedyDrama

With sudden passing of his grandmother, Peter Latang returns to his hometown and encounters his long lost, childhood friend, Donald Treebeck. What begins as a simple favor, turns into a long... Read allWith sudden passing of his grandmother, Peter Latang returns to his hometown and encounters his long lost, childhood friend, Donald Treebeck. What begins as a simple favor, turns into a long day's journey into the past.With sudden passing of his grandmother, Peter Latang returns to his hometown and encounters his long lost, childhood friend, Donald Treebeck. What begins as a simple favor, turns into a long day's journey into the past.

  • Director
    • Kris Avedisian
  • Writers
    • Kris Avedisian
    • Kyle Espeleta
    • Jesse Wakeman
  • Stars
    • Jesse Wakeman
    • Kris Avedisian
    • William Billington
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    1.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kris Avedisian
    • Writers
      • Kris Avedisian
      • Kyle Espeleta
      • Jesse Wakeman
    • Stars
      • Jesse Wakeman
      • Kris Avedisian
      • William Billington
    • 16User reviews
    • 45Critic reviews
    • 72Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 10 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:44
    Official Trailer

    Photos24

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    Top cast33

    Edit
    Jesse Wakeman
    • Peter
    Kris Avedisian
    • Donald
    William Billington
    • Taxi Driver
    • (as William Billington Sr)
    Louisa Krause
    Louisa Krause
    • Kristin
    Alexander Cook
    • Mortician
    Melissa Avedisian
    • Brenda Bradley
    Matthew Anthony Jr.
    • Shaun
    • (as Matthew Anthony)
    Senna Avedisian
    • Baby
    Ted Arcidi
    Ted Arcidi
    • Corey
    Kalayda Barletta
    • Carina
    Nick Riess
    • Dwayne
    Matthew Barletta
    • Dwayne's Buddy
    Jeremy Furtado
    • Brian Touty
    Bridget Holden
    • Touty's Girlfriend
    Kate Fitzgerald
    Kate Fitzgerald
    • Barbara
    Brenda Nordin
    • Nana
    Kyle Espeleta
    Kyle Espeleta
    • Security Guard
    Amy Leonard
    • Raffle Woman
    • Director
      • Kris Avedisian
    • Writers
      • Kris Avedisian
      • Kyle Espeleta
      • Jesse Wakeman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews16

    6.61.3K
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    Featured reviews

    8travisbickle86

    Pure Cinema

    Three friends: Kris Avedisian, Kyle Espeleta and Jesse Wakeman felt the creative urge to expand Donald Cried from a short-film into an 85-minute feature. The whole backstory to the making of Donald, reflects other conscientious film-makers like John Cassavetes, who felt driven to make a film because they truly loved and believed in a project; wanting to share it with everybody, rather than the cynical need to debase cinema for financial gain or status.

    Shot almost entirely hand-held, in a documentary style; the colours and image quality for the video are surprisingly lush given the budget constraints. The framing of the local amenities and spots set in deep snow are also alluring. It may sound facetious, yet as a Brit, I found locations and atmosphere of Warwick, R.I, fascinating, even exotic. The film is reminiscent of other indie classics such as Buffalo '66 and Garden State, in that in makes the everyday and mundane seem architectural and beautiful. The excellent use of non- actors (friends and family) on screen, brings Cassavetes to mind again.

    Admittedly, at times, some of the camera work is shoddy and a bit amateur; yet it doesn't distract from the narrative which is engrossing throughout. What's most astounding about the film, is the 'almost too real' dynamics between the central characters. In 85-mins, we, as the viewer endure many all the tensions and emotions you'd experience between old friends. Its clear that Avedisian and Wakeman have known each other for a long time, and they brilliantly capitialise on their relationship in the film.

    'If the audience knew what they wanted then they wouldn't be the audience, they would be the artist.'

    There is space for the art in-amongst the endless Star Wars and Transformers reboots and sequels; alongside conscientious and personal films like these. It's our job as an audience to remind film cinema chains, film producers and studios executives of this; then we should leave the artists to do theirs.
    8echapman7

    Another great cold weather film

    What this movie is really about is the joy of performing. Wakeman and Avedisian play off each other as beautifully as Peter Falk and Alan Arkin in The In-Laws, Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts in Pope of Greenwich Village and Thomas Haden Church and Paul Giamatti in Sideways. Two polar opposites are forced together for 24 hours, Avedisian presses Wakeman's buttons and the suspense is when Wakeman is going to blow. Wakeman, much like Arkin, is a great slow burner. And Avedisian pulls off the trick of being one of the biggest losers in the history of film but still remain strangely sympathetic. It's amazing to see that they've done so little else because they seem like seasoned pros at acting for the camera. What's also amazing is that they were able to film in such large quantities of snow with no continuity issues. What in the world would they have done if the temps shot up to 50 degrees and all the snow melted? In any event, somehow the snow adds something. The movie has a real lived in feel and made me laugh out loud at least a dozen times. Maybe it's just me but movies set in cold weather always seem to turn out well. Would make a great double feature with the gentler, but no less idiosyncratic or entertaining, indie flick Cold Weather.
    9snow-tim

    So real it hurts.

    I don't think I've ever watched a movie that resonated as much as this one.

    I have a Donald in my life. One of my best friends in high school. Now 10 years out he still lives with his mom, works a dead end job, smokes weed, and hangs out with the same dead beat friends. Snags a girl, only to have it all fall apart.

    I'll come into town once every few years and we catch up. It's just like Donald Cried. Drive around, see old faces that have not gone anywhere, have a few fun moments like the old days. Then by the end of it all, reality returns and I go back to my life and he stay right where he is in his.

    This movie made me laugh,

    It made me smile,

    And it broke my heart.

    Most movies sell "magic". The happy ending. The guy we like bettering himself and his life. The loser/underdog coming out on top. Not this one. No, this movie is as close to reality as it gets. And it hurts. I still feel like there's an arrow in my heart.

    This movie will never be popular. Reality sucks. And people don't go to the movies for "reality", they want magic. Reality is a hard sell. Never the less, I'm glad I saw Donald Cried and I recommend it.

    I don't think I'll ever forget this movie.
    7js-66130

    Squirm.

    Poor Peter. Years after successfully escaping his small-town for the big city, the dapper financier is forced to return to collect his grandmother's ashes. This leads to a very uncomfortable reunion. Peter has obviously moved on, literally and figuratively, but not his old neighbor pal Donald. Nope. Donald is still the same old high school hoser, super keen to rekindle the good old days.

    It's a classic premise, that works well on a cringe, comedic level, as Peter, the desperate, reluctant hostage tries valiantly to escape the eager clutches of the oblivious Donald, who seems to be dealing with some disturbing baggage.

    "Donald Cries" twists that old formula just enough to explore several deeper issues, and the film grows fuller as the characters reveal themselves.

    Writer, director, star Kris Avedisian is quite the talent, and his take on the wide-eyed, gung ho man-child Donald is a character for the ages.
    7paul-allaer

    The uncomfortable return after 20 years

    "Donald" (2016 release; 85 min.) brings the story of two guys who were best friends in high school. As the movie opens, we get to know Peter, who is returning to his home town in Rhode Island after 20 years away to deal with the passing of his grandmother. As it happens, Peter realizes he forgot or lost his wallet on the bus ride up from Manhattan, and in a pinch, decides to look up his high school buddy Donald to hopefully get some help. Donald is absolutely delighted to see Peter again after all these years. At this point we are 10 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

    Couple of comments: this movie is nothing short of a labor of love for Kris Avedisian, as he writes, directs, stars (as Donald) and produces (on a shoe-string budget, and funded in part through Kickstarter). The 2016 feature-length is based on the 2012 short film of the same name, and also starring Avedisian and Jesse Wakeman (as Peter). The subject matter is on the one hand the uncomfortable feeling Peter has returning to the place where he couldn't wait to escape from 20 years ago after high school, and on the other hand the unresolved emotion toll the high school years have taken on Donald (for whom time seemingly has stood still the last 20 years). I must tell you, I was quite uncomfortable myself watching the first half of the movie and almost decided to cut bait, but then an interesting thing happened: I became emotionally invested in these flawed characters, and I needed to find out how all of this would be resolved. The movie reminds in some ways of last year's outstanding "Krisha", from actor-writer-director-producer Trey Edward Shults. Plus anyone that has the guts to place a song from the so-uncool-they're-cool-again-NOT! Milli Vanilli ("Girl I'm Gonna Miss You" plays over the movie's end credits) gets extra brownie point in my book!

    "Donald Cried" showed up this past weekend out of the blue and without any pre-release ads or hype at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The Tuesday evening screening where I saw this at was surprisingly well attended, given to low-to-no profile this movie has gotten. I didn't know much of the film and took a flyer on it. Glad I did. This movie is definitely "off center" and probably not for everyone, but as already mentioned I ultimately found myself invested in it. If you've seen "Krisha" and liked that, I'd readily recommend you seek this out as well, be it in the theater, or eventually on VOD (no idea if this will ever make it to DVD/Blu-ray).

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Actors Ted Arcidi (Corey) and Patrick Languzzi (Barry) had a friendship that dated back to 1986 where they trained at the same gym in Waltham, Mass. Arcidi was training for, and later set the world record for the bench press (reflected in the bowling alley office scene) making him the strongest man in the world. Languzzi was a young bodybuilder climbing the amateur ranks where he won two national amateur titles and earned professional status before going on to finish top three at the professional Mr. Universe and top five at the America.
    • Quotes

      Donald: Do you do social media at all?

      Peter: Not really.

      Donald: No? Because I found a guy, uh, Pete Latang, from Wyoming.

      Peter: Okay.

      Donald: And I thought it was you, so I was following for a while, and he had like a family and stuff. You know, I kept private messaging him, and eventually he told me to, you know, fuck off, 'cause it wasn't who... you know, I wasn't who he thought it was. But I thought maybe it was still you, and you just didn't wanna talk to me.

    • Connections
      References Volte/face (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Journey to Mars
      Written and performed by Jan Terri

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    FAQ17

    • How long is Donald Cried?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 12, 2016 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • official facebook
      • official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Дональд плакал
    • Filming locations
      • Warwick, Rhode Island, USA(Meadowbrook Lanes)
    • Production companies
      • Electric Chinoland
      • How follows what
      • Ramo Law
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $61,406
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $7,977
      • Mar 5, 2017
    • Gross worldwide
      • $61,406
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 25 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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    Jesse Wakeman in Donald Cried (2016)
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