Customer Reviews

Wilby Wonderful

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Featuring an all-star Canadian cast, WILBY WONDERFUL is a warm ensemble comedy written and directed by the talented Daniel MacIvor. The small, island-town of Wilby is populated by islanders and off-islanders alike, but what all the characters share is a desire to love and be loved. Central to Wilby's difficulties is a scandal that threatens to tear the town apart. Details are scarce, but rumors are flying with the threat of public exposure hovering over the lives of two central characters in the film. Dan (James Allodi) repeatedly attempts to take his own life, but is constantly interrupted. Real estate agent Carol French (the delightful Sandra Oh) frantically prepares for a town-wide celebration while her relationship with her husband Buddy, a town cop (Paul Gross) grows stagnant. Buddy flirts with infidelity with Sandra (Rebecca Jenkins) whose attempts to resuscitate a local restaurant depends on her decision to stay or leave the town; a decision Sandra's daughter Emily (Ellen Page) frets about as she grows closer to a local boy whose motives for declaring his love for her grow suspect. WILBY WONDERFUL is a funny movie, filled with moments of gravity. MacIvor, whose first film was the emotional PAST PERFECT, directs with a light touch, allowing the ensemble of very strong performances shine. In this case, WILBY is truly wonderful.

What a little life-affirming gem this is; if it does nothing else, it leaves you with hope. Performances are everything in a film of this nature........and, here, not one of them lets you down. These guys and gals 'put out' what the multi-millionaire, cookie-cutter stars of Hollywood quite often do not. So, just a comment or two concerning them and/or their characterizations:

==Sandra Oh---Gee whiz, where has she dropped out of? If you're a fan of hers from TV's "Grey's Anatomy" and think she's the greatest, you ain't seen nothing yet (til you see her here........can there be any wonder why she won a 2006 Golden Globe award?).

==Paul Gross---Playing the 'almost' disillusioned husband and the oh-so-wise town policeman, he sneaks in under our radar and becomes 1 of the main axles of the town of Wilby. He's one of those types we all know who "keeps things running," someone with a mission to do the right thing.

==Rebecca Jenkins & Ellen Page---Being mother and daughter, they bring us into their skins (what tremendous performances).

==James Allodi---As 'one of life's saddest,' he gives us two instants on film when, in the lifeless eyes of a benumbed man undergoing both marriage breakup and devastating lifestyle change, we see appear a "spark" (the first a scarily breathtaking moment for us; the second a joyous one---you'll easily recognize them both).

==Callum Keith Rennie---If Allodi's Dan is the one begging redemption in this movie (its "life-loss" so to speak), then Rennie is its "life spark." Aside from the town policeman, no other is as sensitive to everyone else and their needs as is Duck MacDonald (to be stable, a vehicle needs at least 2 axles; Duck is this town's other). He is amazing in his perceptiveness, his caring, his persistence in landing who he knows to be the "love of his life." Showing my partiality (and preferences, I guess) I must say I only wish that every film of a lighter, romantic nature (containing gay aspects, or not), had a Callum Keith Rennie.

Lastly, what great and uplifting closing moments we've been given: the depth of feeling and the emotional intensity reached in the final scene's pairing is palpable, almost overwhelming........perfectly capping a little---but monumental---film belonging in every movie lover's collection.

PS: In its release year, if any film would have been worthy of consideration for one of the several "Best Ensemble Acting" awards, this film certainly should have been foremost (I can't believe the multi-cast acting in the recently awarded "Crash" could be of any higher caliber).

"Wilby Wonderful" is a delightful gem I encountered through the Magnolia Arts Center. This Canadian film was directed by Daniel MacIvor who plays the little role of Stan, a cop that keeps trying to plant drug paraphernalia on a pristine beach to further a plot hatched by the mayor to turn it into a golf course. Unfortunately, Stan doesn't know the difference between an unused insulin needle and a heroin addict's discard. James Allodi who starred this year with Carrie-Anne Moss & Signorey Weaver in "Snow Cake" does a great job as the hapless divorcee Dan trying to kill himself rather than come to terms with his attraction to other men. Callum Keith Rennie plays Duck MacDonald, the town workman, who has an attraction to Dan, if he could ever catch him between suicide attempts. MacIvor generates comedy such as in the scene where Sandra Oh happens upon the hanging Dan and we hear the body clunk to the floor as she cuts him down off-camera. We know what's happening and hear it, and laugh harder because we don't see it. Rennie won the Canadian Oscar, the Genie, as best supporting actor for "Last Night" and also appeared in "The Butterfly Effect." Sandra Oh who has become prominent via the hit TV series "Grey's Anatomy" and films like "Under the Tuscan Sun" & "Sideways" turns in a stellar performance as the real estate woman Carol French who'd rather hide a body in an empty house rather than blow a sale. Her husband is Buddy who is the town cop played by Paul Gross who we saw as the Canadian mountie in the "Due South" TV series. Buddy is tempted toward an affair by local restaurant owner Sandra Anderson played by Rebecca Jenkins who was in the "10.5" disaster TV movie. She also received a Genie nomination for Best Original Song for "Wilby Wonderful." Her daughter Emily has to sort out her relationship with a boy. Emily is played by Ellen Page who currently appears in "X-Men 3" and garnered a Best Supporting Actress Genie nomination for "Wilby Wonderful." The little cafe patron who hates gays named Irene played by Mary Ellen MacLean also gives a delightful cameo performance. "Wilby Wonderful" is a film that speaks about tolerance and people's need to be loved and find love. The characterizations are top drawer in this delightful little gem. BRAVO!

This is a marvelous "small" film. I don't mean "small" to denote anything perjorative. It is merely that the film tells a small story very close up and personal with a fairly small ensemble cast. I didn't check the closing credits but there may not have been a special effects coordinator. The film tells in subtle fashion the story of the lives of several residents of the Canadian island Wilby. The town looks peaceful enough, but it opening shots reveal a simmering scandal. The names of individuals who meet at a secluded and undeveloped area of the island -- presumably for homosexual encounters and drug use -- are about to be revealed. Not coincidentally we see a man climbing onto the rail of a bridge, presumably to jump into the river below. We later learn that he and another resident of the island were likely to be among the names released.

Very little beyond this happens in the film. We meet people and witness the small but familiar stresses in their lives. A police officer (played by the wonderful Paul Gross) who is tempted to have an affair with a woman he went to high school with who has returned to the island to run a diner. His marriage with a high strung, highly driven realtor (Sandra Oh) is not going well and his wife forces herself to be oblivious to problems they have. The woman who runs the diner desperately wants to be loved and is concerned her young daughter (played by up and comer Ellen Page, who I loved as Kitty Pryde -- my favorite X-Person -- in THE X-MEN 3) will repeat her mistakes. The daughter, on the other hand, thinks she has found love with a young boy and is contemplating losing her virginity to him. The town handyman (played by Callum Keith Rennie, Gross's former costar in DUE SOUTH and one of those delightful, fun loving Cylons on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) is more or less resigned to his forced outing and is more concerned with reaching out to Dan, his co-conspirator. Dan, on the other hand, seems more determined to end his life.

Thoreau wrote that the mass of men live lives of quiet desperation and that certainly applies to the residents of Wilby. These are not happy people and are generally not admirable people, except perhaps for Duck (Rennie's character) who is not only an apparently kind person but also steps in as a hero in saving the young girl from a sexual assault. But despite all the problems of these decidedly limited souls, the movie ends quite, well, wonderfully.

I liked this movie a great deal. I'll be honest: I think the plethora of 5-star ratings is not quite deserved. To me 5-star ratings should be reserved for unquestionably great films. This is a very, very nice, good, pleasant, unambitious, small film. And there is nothing wrong with that. If you like thoughtful, intelligent films you should definitely see it. If you have attention deficit disorder you should seek out something else entirely.

I stumbled upon this film through an Amazon "listmania," and am very glad I did. There are no car chases, gun fights, supermodels and so forth, just regular people making it through their days; which is the most interesting sort of film imaginable. "Wilby" touches on issues like bad attitudes towards gays, how golf course development can wreck beautiful wild spaces, and how we sometimes lose ourselves in our pursuit of some illusory future or romances.
"Wilby" is about people ending fruitless pursuits, and restoring their integrity.
Filmed in Nova Scotia, it had beautiful scenery and sounds of nature to work with, and implied that a connection to the land can lead to healing ourselves. Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind
It can be hard to find such a nice film, a film that a person wouldn't be horrified to know that their children watched.
The music is quite good as well.
I'm glad "Film Movement" made "Wilby" available, and I'll be looking for other independent movies that they are trying to bring to a larger audience.

I bought this DVD based on multiple recommendations I've seen on the web and from friends with shared interests. Initially, I mostly went for the Callum Keith Rennie factor, and he was terrific in this movie, no questions about it. For CKR fans, this is one of the most enjoyable roles he's played where his talents are not abused by scripts looking for a brilliant and intense villain.

On top of that, I was most pleasantly surprised by how well the ensemble of great actors came together -- everyone else on the film carried their own weight and made the gestalt so much more than I ever could've expected. This is a refreshing treat for those tired of the graphic violence, gloom, or cheesy inanity plaguing the postmodern cinema.

A beautiful, simple, and gently humourous look at the shenanigans and goings-on of a small town in one day, "Wilby Wonderful" is simply that - wonderful. It's a perfect little gem of a film that not only has an all-star Canadian cast, but boasts witty and thoughtful writing, and emotive direction.

Covering such topics as the complicated relationship between a mother and daughter, a marriage on the brink of complete dissolution, and a love that dare not speak its name, "Wilby Wonderful" allows 'normal' people to shine in this curiously poignant and oftentimes hilarious movie - some memorable characters include the typically small-town, brashly outspoken mayor, a sign painter who's dyslexic, and a depressed man whose suicide attempts all seem to be thwarted at the worst times.

Most importantly, this film has something which so many movies lack - heart. The townsfolk of Wilby are easily recognizable, and in a way that seems uniquely Canadian, each person in Wilby seems to have about them a sense of unerring hope, a sort of quiet optimism that keeps them going.

Utterly and completely engrossing and spellbinding from beginning to end, "Wilby Wonderful" is quirky, entertaining, and heartbreakingly beautiful. Don't pass this one up.

A truly enjoyable film that is uniquely Canadian, it contains something which makes itself a diamond in the rough among modern day films - heart. Exploring the intracacies of numerous topics from a failing marriage to the complexities of untold love. This in depth exploration, in conjunction with excellent acting from the all-Canadian cast, makes this film truly wonderful.

I received this DVD as part of a movie of the month club of sorts, and it has been my favorite film so far in the series. Wilby Wonderful is a fantastic Canadian film with an all-Canadian cast, set in a small Canadian island town, called Wilby. The small, seemingly innocent town of Wilby is a hotbed of secrets and lies, that have the potential to destroy people's lives and the very town itself. The story revolves around several characters and their problems with themselves and each other. They go about their daily lives with their personal secrets tearing them apart inside, and it all spills out in the final climax. The most notable performances in a film full of great performances are those of Sandra Oh (Sideways) as Carol French and Callum Keith Rennie (The Butterfly Effect) as Duck MacDonald. Keep an eye out for this film and see it by any means possible. Wilby Wonderful will brighten your day.

A day in the life on Wilby Island, off Nova Scotia, may not sound like a resource for rich storytelling, but in the gifted hands of writer/director Daniel MacIvor and inordinately talented Canadian cast WILBY WONDERFUL penetrates more dark secrets, exposes more astray lives, and addresses more human frailties than almost all of the competition. This is independent filmmaking at its finest, with all of the emphasis on quality and little concern for the big budget special effects that mire so many films today.

On the little island, divided between islanders and mainlanders 'visiting', lives an array of lonely people. We are introduced to a 'cause celebre' that happened on the beach (though the facts are hazy) and investigating the scandal are police officers Buddy French (Paul Gross) and his somewhat loose cannon Stan (portrayed by MacIvor himself). Buddy's wife Carol (Sandra Oh) is a very busy real estate person, assisted by her doofus secretary Deena (Kathryn MacLellan), out to sell a home to the town mayor (Maury Chaykin) and family (Susannah Hoffman and Marcella Grimaux), and while Carol is fretting over details, her meandering husband Buddy is secreting an affair with island returnee wannabe cafe owner Sandra Anderson (Rebecca Jenkins), whose libidinous past negatively influences her young daughter Emily (Ellen Page) in her new physical tryst with young Taylor (Caleb Langille). And while each of these stories unfolds, the town gossip Irene (Mary Ellen MacLean) keeps her evil eye on the soon-to-be-made apparent scandal that video store owner Dan Jarvis (James Allodi), who spends the entire movie attempting variations on suicide, and town painter Duck MacDonald (Callum Keith Rennie) are to be outed as being gay. It is the strange interplay of each of these lonely, needy characters that brings brilliant focus to the tiny bit of reality that is actually heartfelt.

MacIvor and friends pull off this strange little black comedy with ease and aplomb and the film is a charmer in every way - from script to cinematography (Rudolf Blahacek) to musical score (Michael Timmins). This is a splendid little movie that deserves a very wide audience. Grady Harp, October 07