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BACKSEAT
Directed by Bruce Van Dusen
Produced by Josh Alexander & Terry Leonard
Written by Josh Alexander
Released by Truly Indie
USA. 84 min. Not Rated
With Josh Alexander, Rob Bogue & Starla Benford

The road movie has become something of a cinema staple and almost every year someone tries to create his/her own version. These films, striving to be the voice of a generation or delving into the issues that are facing the current crop of twenty- or thirty-somethings, mostly tend to fail (like the overwrought Around the Bend with Josh Lucas). This indie clearly does not aspire to be anything other than a simple road/buddy movie. Ben and Colton are thirty-something friends who decide to go to Montreal. The reason for this trip seems to be nothing more than the desire of Colton (Josh Alexander), a struggling and very bad actor, to meet his idol, Donald Sutherland, who frequents a particular restaurant there. Ben (Rob Bogue) is having problems with his nympho girlfriend (against type, he is the romantic one who longs for monogamy while she wants to see, I mean sleep, with other people), so this trip is a chance for him to clear his head. Oh, and Colton happens to have agreed to take a few pounds of cocaine across the Canadian border for a friend. Along the way the duo meet colorful characters, get into some trouble, and end up discovering themselves. As the films hits one plot point after another, it’s as if the screenwriter was working from a “how to” manual. There are moments of humor, but they are few and far between. And the climactic meeting with Donald Sutherland is such an amazing non-event that it completely stops the movie short before it really does end without really wrapping anything up. My advice – give a backseat to Backseat, and take your own road trip. It will surely be more memorable. Danielle Hughes
March 28, 2008