Everything appears off-kilter when a man returns to his hometown after 25 years to visit his former lover.
Similar titles
Reviews
So much average
The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.
The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable
(Credit IMDb) Don McKay, a high school janitor who leaves his hometown after a tragedy, returns 25 years later to rekindle a romance with his old flame, who is dying, but this homecoming brings McKay more than he bargained for. Don McKay was a peculiar little movie but one I heavily enjoyed. I was wrapped up in its strange aura at the very beginning all the way until the very end when it knocked me on my ass with its twists. For starters let me just state, this movie will not be to everyone's taste. Some will be very much be put off by it, but if you're willing to groove to it like I did, you're certainly in for a wild ride. What really helped Don McKay are the fantastic performances, and the smart script that goes along with it. We know that Elisabeth Shue's character is as wacky as sin when we first encounter her character, but the filmmakers did a terrific job of keeping us in suspense. My only real complaint is the abrupt ending. I would have liked to seen the conclusion go a bit further.Performances. Thomas Haden Church is magnificent as the lead. He's sympathetic, likable, and even carries a big sense of vulnerability to him. Without him in the movie, I really don't think it would have been as enjoyable as it was. Elisabeth Shue continues to age gracefully by looking beautiful as ever, and she shines in her role. Her kooky, yet likable show was a hoot to watch. Her chemistry with Church was also on the ball. M Emmet. Walsh is a great character actor and he's proved that, seemingly over decades now. I loved him as the mysterious Taxi-Driver. Melissa Leo is great in her role. We never know what to truly think of her, and I loved it. Keith David is good in his short role.Bottom line. I didn't expect to enjoy this nearly as much as I did. Don McKay is full of neat surprises, and a film I would gladly see again if given the chance. Small suggestion, two straight watches may help increase your viewing pleasure to fully get it. Recommended 7 ½ /10
I love Elizabeth Shue but what happened in this movie???? The acting was ordinary and whilst I understand it is a comedy or black comedy as some have suggested, it never really hits the spot. She seems very wooden in the movie and I was disappointed in her performance. I expected so much more. The plot is weak and never really gets there in my opinion. I had a few little laughs here and there although nothing side splitting. The woman who plays Shue's "housekeeper" or whatever she is supposed to be looks very familiar, however her name is not familiar to me. The old guy who plays the taxi driver is a great "character" actor and he is probably the best of the lineup.
Don McKay combines a mystery drama with some thriller and comedy aspects sprinkled in. The film starts off a little slow, but picks up and becomes one strange thriller and that is meant in a good way. After the first major strange event happens in the film it changes the whole tone and as the movie progresses you keep getting the feeling everything is off with the story, and you just aren't quite sure where it is going. As the story progresses and you start to understand what happened they feed you enough but not too much to keep the film interesting. My only complaint with that is that some of the events in the film are a little too far fetched and you do need to suspend your belief a little to fully enjoy the film.Thomas Haden Church puts on a good performance as Don McKay, not necessarily for a standout performance, but his facial expressions and reactions to the events that happen bring them to life more. I've never really been an Elisabeth Shue fan, but also liked her in the film as she played her role well and there was a certain chemistry with her and Thomas Haden Church. With these types of films the ending usually makes or breaks them and for Don McKay I thought it came off somewhat believable amongst all the strangeness leading up to it. I'd definitely recommend the film to people as it may get overlooked.Review brought to you by unbiasedmoviereviews.com
I went to see "Don McKay" with some friends last night; it wasn't really on my movie radar because there hasn't been a big ad campaign, but it was thoroughly entertaining! I didn't really know what to expect; it appeared to be a thriller and although I would categorize it as that, I was surprised at how funny it was.Seriously, the whole audience seemed to be caught up in the plot - the pace and the twists and turns leave you a little breathless at times, but belly-laughing as well. I'm actually considering seeing it again since it's one of those movies that you might want to re-watch and "look for clues."Thomas Haden Church is perfect as Don the lonely janitor leading a solitary mundane life, pining for his lost love. He has an expressive face that is compelling as he is in turns beguiled, curious, confused, frustrated, and desperate.Elisabeth Shue as Sunny is a complete wackadoo, I don't know how else to put it she is manipulative to the extreme and it's entertaining to see her in action, turning on the charm and wrapping Don around her finger. She takes full advantage of Don's vulnerability; it seems at times Don is vaguely aware of being played, but is enjoying the attention of this sexy creature so much that he willingly goes along for the ride.Melissa Leo appears as Sunny's uptight and prim caregiver. If you've seen her in other films, just the sight gag of her character is amusing enough, but I daresay that she delivers some of the best lines in the film.There are several character actors whom I recognized as "that guy! I love him - he was so great in " who fill out the cast. They may not be household names, but you've seen them countless times before. I especially liked Keith David as Otis but they all delivered solid performances.I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but suffice it to say that there is a lot of double-crossing going on. Although the viewer may be wondering what the hell is going on in the middle, everything becomes clear by the final act.