If you haven’t heard, there’s a lot of wonderful hype going around about a little independent film called Doonby. What’s it about? Who is Sam Doonby?
The easy answer to that question is that Doonby is a film written and directed by Peter Mackenzie starring John Schneider as mysterious drifter Sam Doonby. The film also stars Jenn Gotzon who plays Laura Reaper, Sam’s love interest, and Ernie Hudson as Leroy Jackson, the owner of the local blues bar where the two meet. The film is described by "pre-screeners" as a sexy, action-packed, psychological thriller that makes you think and feel. The acting debut of Norma McCorvey, otherwise known as the Jane Roe in Roe v. Wade, may add to the films controversy but hasn’t appeared to diminish its appeal. This film seems to be about life and what we choose to do with it. When asked about the film's political nature on their Facebook page, filmmakers said, "There are messages in every movie, but the primary question is always 'is it entertaining?' We think Doonby is a great story that will definitely be entertaining." As a cinephile, I can honestly say that my main goal when seeing a film is just that—to be entertained. These filmmakers seem to get that.
The official trailer for the film, released yesterday, is both more coherent and mysterious than previous incarnations.
This new trailer promises a story that will take us, along with its small town, on a trip down the rabbit hole as we search for a truth, which isn't what we expect it to be.
I’ll admit that John Schneider, in any role, is more than enough to get me to the theater and hand over my $12.50. I have watched his career develop over the years and he’s finally grown from the platinum blond, boy driver into a mature, silver screen, leading man the likes of which don’t seem to grace films anymore (Don’t get me started on that subject.) John Schneider has shown that he can be a truly great actor and it's time to start taking him seriously. Doonby could be the start of something in his acting career that I could get used to—John get your paste wax ready.
The Doonby filmmakers have said on their FB page that they chose their cast by looking for the best actors to connect with the audience. The aforementioned sexy, blond duo of John Schneider and Jenn Gotzon, the handsome Ernie Hudson and other stars Robert Davi, Jennifer O’Neill, Joe Estevez and Will Wallace along with an exciting, thought-provoking script, seem to be what is needed to fit that bill. I can honestly say that I can’t wait to see this film and find out who Sam Doonby really is.
