Don McKay

Black Comedy Thriller with a Slow Fuse
Don Mckay is an indie film that was only shown in seven theaters nationwide, but it's actually a good watch on DVD. What sets this film apart from other low-budget projects is that it features a great cast of veteran actors.

The movie starts off as a thriller with a slow fuse, with the film evolving into a black comedy in the final half hour. While Don Mckay isn't as well-written or interesting as a Coen Brothers film, it scores points for throwing the audience curveballs. I thought the story was obvious and predictable, until the conclusion approached. There's simply no way that you can predict how the story will unfold or conclude.

The best part of Don Mckay is the cast. Elisabeth Shue is gorgeous as Sonny, Don Mckay's old girlfriend who conveniently wears seductive sleepwear for most of the movie (I'm not complaining). Keith David (the Imam in Pitch Black) gives a nice performance as Mckay's buddy Otis Kent, though he unfortunately doesn't get much...

Where's David Lynch When You Need Him?
This is pretty much an oddball film but it's played too straight to pull off the oddballishness. Others have recounted the story so I won't bother. It IS a noir genre piece with a real cock-eyed approach. The first two acts are something you'd expect from David Lynch but they don't have Lynch's sense of quirkiness so you might find yourself scratching your head trying to figure out what the director was going for.

This is Thomas Hayden Church's production so he must have seen something here. The question is what. He must have also seen something in the McKay character but that seems elusive as well. He wears a particular expression on his face throughout nearly the entire movie but I can't quite pin it. Is he dumb? Is he dumbfounded? Is he in a constant state of amazement? Whatever, it wears thin rather quickly. The plot does keep you on your toes and I really wanted to find out what the entire thing was about, and in that sense it was quite satisfying. In the third act...

Quirky sleeper
Offbeat? Absolutely. Quality acting? No doubt. Active attention required? Yes. This is not the type of movie you kick back and mindlessly enjoy while texting on your cell phone. "Don McKay" requires your attention. I thought it was worth the effort.

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