Twenty-seven is more than just a number. It is a lifetime.Twenty-seven is more than just a number. It is a lifetime.Twenty-seven is more than just a number. It is a lifetime.
- Awards
- 8 wins total
Thunderbird Dinwiddie
- Catherine
- (as Traci Dinwiddie)
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Featured reviews
One advantage (or disadvantage, as the case may be) of attending film festivals is that trends become readily apparent. Within one 24-hour period here at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival I saw three road films -- all involving two guys and a girl. Within that same 24-hour period I also saw three films with suicide as a central plot point -- two in a row, in fact. One was "The 27 Club," and it combines both -- it's a road movie, with two guys and a girl, with suicide at its core. And even that's not totally original. In fact, one of my Top Picks of the past couple of years was Wristcutters: A Love Story, which was -- you guessed it -- a road movie with suicide as a central theme. Yet "The 27 Club" is a moving, poignant film which stands out among the rest.
"The 27 Club" takes its title from a quip by Kurt Cobain's mother after his death in 1994, noting that, in addition to her son, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison, and a host of other musicians had all taken their own lives at the age of 27. The film opens with one half of the fictional band The Finns, 27-year-old Tom Wallace (played admirably by James Forgey, mostly in flashbacks, of course), dying by his own hand. The bandmate he left behind, Elliot Kerrigan (Joe Anderson), sets out on the road with a grocery bag boy as his enlisted driver (David Emrich) along with Irish student Stella (Bono's daughter Eve Hewson) as a travel companion. The purpose of the trip and ultimate goal involve several mysteries, enough to keep the viewer guessing along the way.
While the three are certainly unlikely travel mates, always making for good drama, "The 27 Club" is really a one-man show with lead actor Joe Anderson (Becoming Jane, Across the Universe) carrying the film from start to finish. His tortured soul of a rock star is frighteningly brilliant and totally believable. Still, "The 27 Club" is mainly story-driven and writer/director Erica Dunton has penned a clever script with just enough gallows humor to keep the movie from becoming too depressing. After all, how do you laugh when someone has just offed themselves? Through the use of flashbacks, the film often reverts to a non-linear narrative. Rather than confuse the viewer, though, it actually gives the film a heightened sense of urgency which only deepens the mysteries at the heart of the film.
Cinematographer Stephen Thompson elegantly captures the beauty and lush landscape of the American west, with its sweeping vistas and stunning sunsets. "The 27 Club" has a true indie feel, with copious use of natural lighting and an original rock soundtrack that adds and connects to the film like few others do -- the songs are actually written and performed by The Finns, the fictional band featured in the story itself. This apparent contradiction is resolved when one learns that the movie itself created the musical act, as life truly imitates art.
If "The 27 Club" seems heavy, well, it can be depending on one's own experience. The obvious caveat to anyone who has suffered a loss, especially to suicide: the film may either salt old wounds or be cathartic, depending on the individual. There are messages here but they are muted, not in-your-face with words of wisdom spouting forth from scene to scene. Despite its familiar themes, the story is ultimately unpredictable, with surprising payoffs at every turn. "The 27 Club" has enough originality and heart to make it worth the trip.
"The 27 Club" takes its title from a quip by Kurt Cobain's mother after his death in 1994, noting that, in addition to her son, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, Jim Morrison, and a host of other musicians had all taken their own lives at the age of 27. The film opens with one half of the fictional band The Finns, 27-year-old Tom Wallace (played admirably by James Forgey, mostly in flashbacks, of course), dying by his own hand. The bandmate he left behind, Elliot Kerrigan (Joe Anderson), sets out on the road with a grocery bag boy as his enlisted driver (David Emrich) along with Irish student Stella (Bono's daughter Eve Hewson) as a travel companion. The purpose of the trip and ultimate goal involve several mysteries, enough to keep the viewer guessing along the way.
While the three are certainly unlikely travel mates, always making for good drama, "The 27 Club" is really a one-man show with lead actor Joe Anderson (Becoming Jane, Across the Universe) carrying the film from start to finish. His tortured soul of a rock star is frighteningly brilliant and totally believable. Still, "The 27 Club" is mainly story-driven and writer/director Erica Dunton has penned a clever script with just enough gallows humor to keep the movie from becoming too depressing. After all, how do you laugh when someone has just offed themselves? Through the use of flashbacks, the film often reverts to a non-linear narrative. Rather than confuse the viewer, though, it actually gives the film a heightened sense of urgency which only deepens the mysteries at the heart of the film.
Cinematographer Stephen Thompson elegantly captures the beauty and lush landscape of the American west, with its sweeping vistas and stunning sunsets. "The 27 Club" has a true indie feel, with copious use of natural lighting and an original rock soundtrack that adds and connects to the film like few others do -- the songs are actually written and performed by The Finns, the fictional band featured in the story itself. This apparent contradiction is resolved when one learns that the movie itself created the musical act, as life truly imitates art.
If "The 27 Club" seems heavy, well, it can be depending on one's own experience. The obvious caveat to anyone who has suffered a loss, especially to suicide: the film may either salt old wounds or be cathartic, depending on the individual. There are messages here but they are muted, not in-your-face with words of wisdom spouting forth from scene to scene. Despite its familiar themes, the story is ultimately unpredictable, with surprising payoffs at every turn. "The 27 Club" has enough originality and heart to make it worth the trip.
This movie is really good, perfect for me, is about a rockstar fightning against grief, and its so well representaded, Elliot (Joe Anderson) make a godly acting, but is not for everyone, is kinda trashy and melancolic, 2 genres of movies that are for specific niches, but if you like both this movie will be 10/10 for you just like me, this is one of those movies that or you love it with all your heart, or you hate it with all your guts.
There has been better acting in porn for crying out loud.Eliot cant even speak coherently.There is nothing good about this schlock....t is a movie for born-again Christians and should only be shown at churches....Horrible and very misleading title.You have the main character look like Kurt Cobain,yet his music sounds like the Goo Goo Dolls sappiest number.Don't ever waste your time with this garbage...I want my hour and a half back!Everone involved in this movie should never be allowed to work in the business again.Horrible.I cannot say enough bad things about this piece of crap.They are sullying the names of all the people that are actually in the"27 Club"
I was asked to attend "The 27 Club" at the Tribeca Movie Festival by a friend who was interested in the movie. Honestly, I was not overly excited about what I thought would be another drug-focused rock and roll movie.
I was pleasantly surprised to find myself tied to the characters who were slowly developed through the movie. By the end, I truly was hoping that Eliot would find his purpose in life. I thought Joe Anderson did an amazing job with the character of Eliot.
David Emrich also played the character of "Three Words" very well. The novel concept of only speaking in three words was never annoying as you might think it would be...it was actually intriguing to see how things would be answered in only three words. I did think that Eliot would eventually ask for his real name...but perhaps that would have ruined calling him Three Words.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable movie with some young and talented actors.
I was pleasantly surprised to find myself tied to the characters who were slowly developed through the movie. By the end, I truly was hoping that Eliot would find his purpose in life. I thought Joe Anderson did an amazing job with the character of Eliot.
David Emrich also played the character of "Three Words" very well. The novel concept of only speaking in three words was never annoying as you might think it would be...it was actually intriguing to see how things would be answered in only three words. I did think that Eliot would eventually ask for his real name...but perhaps that would have ruined calling him Three Words.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable movie with some young and talented actors.
Sometimes you just get lost and loose hope. It seems musicians, successful or not are a very complicated group of people. I have known several hundred including my family. There is a lot of truth to this movie ,and humans in general. I get it, when your done, your done. It's the people that love you that have to find understanding and not make it about them. The movie may not be for everyone but it certainly is a good realistic walk down suicides dark road. Life is challenging and people think that fame and fortune is perfect. It's not unless you have been around millionaires and billionaires you will never understand. People demand a lot from musicians and when you have nothing more offer what's left?
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- TriviaEve Hewson's debut.
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- Also known as
- The Twenty Seven Club
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- Runtime
- 1h 34m(94 min)
- Color
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- 2.35 : 1
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