Went To Coney Island On A Mission From God...Be Back By Five

You really have to look at an independent film differently than a mainstream studio movie. For one thing you can’t expect a lot of special effects, stunt double driven action or elaborate sets. Most of these Indies have budgets that would not even cover the catering services for those studio flicks. These Indies have one thing going that is all too often missing from the blockbusters, sheer talent. Another plus side for these smaller films is they can take on quirky stories that few mainstream studios would touch. This allows the Indy film to be refreshingly novel; exploring cinema for the sake of the art. The people involved in these films are not expecting to make a lot of money on them they just want to work on something they love and share that with others. This is obviously the case with one of the latest film festival Indy darling, ‘Went to Coney Island On A Mission From God...Be Back By Five’. Just try selling that title to a studio executive. The best way to describe this movie is to use a word that most likely never is mentioned in a studio pitch, reflective. This is a quite movie with heart and genuine emotion.

With a film like this you are pulled in to the story by the honest humanity of the characters. It does not take a leap of faith or a stretch of the imagination to put you in their shoes. The story was created by a very talented and imaginative partnership; Richard Schenkman and Jon Cryer. Both are native born and raises New Yorkers who have collaborated several times in the past. One of the better was the little cult flick ‘The Pompatus of Love’. For this outing both shared in the writing but Schenkman took the director’s seat while Cryer became one of the leading men. For those like myself who also grew up here in the Big Apple there is a special appeal to this film. Like many others I have been to Coney Island more times than I can count. I have also seen it during the off season, the time of year the story takes place. This movie is as much about the place as it is about the people. This is a moody piece that works on three levels, the intellectual, emotional and visual. The success of the film lies in the way all three are seamlessly combined. At times you will laugh mostly because you know exactly what the characters are going through. Other times the film is so raw in its emotional impact that it is difficult to watch; it brings up your own memories.

The film begins with a montage of shots of Coney Island in the off season. Like many seasonally oriented communities it is almost deserted when the season is over and the tourist have gone back home. The camera pans over the rides and concession stands, bleak against the background of a grey autumnal Brooklyn sky. The roller coast stands silently, the parachute ride still in the chilly air. The scenes shifts to full color as we hear the voice of Daniel (Jon Cryer) talk about his childhood in Brooklyn. He remembers the first time he met his best friend Stan (Rick Stear). Daniel was afraid of the corrective shoe thinking it looked like something from Herman Munster. A friendship formed mostly because they were both not part of the cool, socially acceptable crowd of kids. That friendship would last their whole lives. There was a third kid who hung around with them Richie (Rafael Báez) but over the years they lost touch with him. As it always happens with a group of young boys things change when the first of them notices a girl. In this case it was when Stan first saw Gabrielle (Ione Skye). (Please note the adult actor’s names are given.) As they grew up they did the normal thing that teenage boys do including starting a band to get girls. Of course by this time Stan already had Gabby so it was mostly Richie’s idea. They grew up to adulthood and Stan and Gabby became a long established couple; Daniel started to work at a mundane job at a pawn shop, they lost track of Richie. Then a rumor is heard that Richie is homeless and scrounging around under the boardwalk at Coney Island. Together they decide to search Coney Island to find their lost friend and see what has happened to him. As the ride the subway to Coney Island and while they are searching through the almost empty park they begin a conversation that has more to do with the current state of their lives and how they came to this point in life. They meet a variety of people at the park who are quirky but each one reflects some aspect of life that they have to consider.

If you are not into Indy films this one may seem like all talk. It is refreshing to see film makers that are able to use the art of cinema to tell a simple, humanistic story instead of exploding every thing in sight. This is almost like those ‘way off Broadway’ plays that were very popular in the seventies. Simple sets and talented people gathered together for the enjoyment of their craft. In the 92 minute running time they explore what a life long friendship really means. The story is told with a lot of flashbacks to their childhood growing up together with scenes like how Richie kept them from getting pounded by a store owner when they shoplifted comics and candy. It also focuses on how the bonds of friendship formed as children grow, change and sometime fall apart as the friends grow up. The cinematography by Adam Beckman is awesome. Much of the current day shots have the color washed out almost to the point of being black and white. It aptly reflects the mood of the characters, full of life as children but now drained by adulthood.

Richard Schenkman is becoming one of the great Indy directors. He knows how to get and keep the audience’s attention with a dialogue driven film. He also directed one of my favorite films from 2007, ‘The Man From Earth’. Like this film that one depended on the discussion of friends leaving the content open to interpretation by the audience. He does not push the viewer into a point of view. He presents the story and lets you take away something personal. He started as a director with some Playboy videos but has matured into an artistic director with great vision. The script that he wrote with Cryer is well honed. The words are never wasted; they all move the story and character development along.

John Cryer first came to the public’s attention as Ducky in the John Hughes classic ‘Pretty in Pink’. Now he shares the small screen with Charlie Sheen in ‘Two and a Half Men’. In this film he gets to demonstrate that he can do a dramatic scene. He also has the innate sense of humor to make the moment touching. This was the first film for Rick Stear but to watch his performance you would never know it. He has a command of his character that is great to watch. Ione Skye has been an Indy princess for awhile now and this film shows why. Even in a smaller role like this she brings something special to the film.

Back in 2004 Vanguard released this film to DVD. While that edition is now discontinued Starz / Anchor Bay has obtained the rights and now makes it available to those out there who love films. The anamorphic 1.78:1 video is well done and perfectly reflects the excellent use of color and shadowing. The Dolby 5.1 audio is overkill for this kind of film. The subwoofer is hardly needed but the rear speakers bring out the ambience especially of the nearly deserted set. The commentary by Schenkman and Cryer demonstrate that these men are dedicated to movies. They go into the usual production hassles and add some of the trials and tribulations involved in getting an independent film distributed. There is a behind the scenes featurette that will be especially interesting to those who grew up here in Brooklyn. Finally there is a short film, ‘The Producer’ that gives a comic look at what a film producer does. This is a rare gem of a film.

Posted 12/27/07