Blackway

Last updated
Blackway
Blackway poster.png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Daniel Alfredson
Written by Joseph Gangemi
Gregory Jacobs
Based on Go with Me
by Castle Freeman Jr.
Produced by Rick Dugdale
Ellen Goldsmith-Vein
Anthony Hopkins
Gregory Jacobs
Lindsay Williams
StarringAnthony Hopkins
Julia Stiles
Alexander Ludwig
Ray Liotta
Hal Holbrook
Cinematography Rasmus Videbæk
Edited byHåkan Karlsson
Music byAnders Niska
Klas Wahl
Production
companies
Enderby Entertainment
The Gotham Group
Distributed byTW Media Events (Canada)
Electric Entertainment (International)
Release dates
  • September 11, 2015 (2015-09-11)(Venice)
  • June 10, 2016 (2016-06-10)
Running time
90 minutes
CountriesCanada
United States
LanguageEnglish

Blackway is a 2015 thriller film directed by Daniel Alfredson and written by Joseph Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs, based on the 2008 novel Go with Me by Castle Freeman Jr. The film stars Anthony Hopkins, Julia Stiles, Ray Liotta, Alexander Ludwig and Hal Holbrook. Filmed in Canada in 2014, the film premiered under the festival title Go with Me at the 2015 Venice Film Festival on September 11, 2015, and was released theatrically on June 10, 2016.

Contents

This is the final film appearance of Hal Holbrook before his death in January 2021.

Plot

In an Oregon logging community, a man, Blackway, has been harassing Lillian, a woman newly returned to her hometown.

Lillian finds her cat decapitated. She reports this to the town's sheriff but he advises her to leave town. She refuses, so he advises her to speak to a man named Scotty. She seeks Scotty at his workplace, a timber yard, but he is out of town. Like the sheriff, the yard's elderly owner and elder workers advise her to leave town. Jokingly, the owner offers a week's pay and funeral expenses to anyone who helps her. To his shock, an old man named Lester, agrees. Lester's protege, Nate, joins him.

Lilian, Lester, and Nate drive around, looking for Blackway at various locations. Through flashbacks and conversations, we learn about Blackway's past impact on each of the three and on other townspeople. Blackway is universally hated but also feared. He is no ordinary bully. He leads the area's criminals and was once the sheriff's deputy.

As the day progresses, things escalate. The three get into physical fights with Blackway's people. They cripple his associate, Murdoch, destroy a building, steal firearms. Blackway learns of this and sets off to find them.

With evening falling, the three visit an abandoned, remote logging site. The site has significance for Lester and Blackway. Blackway isn't there, but they expect him. Lester asks Lilian and Nate to build a campfire. He gives Lilian a handgun, then walks off into the darkness with his rifle, supposedly to scout the area. Instead, he hides in the nearby trees, and awaits Blackway's arrival, using Lilian and Nate as bait.

Blackway surprises Lilian and Nate. At gun point, he disarms Lilian. Nate and Blackway struggle, while Lilian regains her handgun. Simultaneously, Lester is well positioned but Murdoch has also come: he spots Lester and shoots, injuring him. Lilian runs off, and Blackway leaves Nate unconscious, to chase after Lilian.

Murdoch searches for Lester, to finish him, but Nate takes Murdoch by surprise. They struggle, and Murdoch dies. Meanwhile, Lilian shoots but misses Blackway. Having run out of bullets, they struggle and she is repeatedly stabbed, but Lester surprises them and shoots Blackway, killing him.

They carry the dead bodies of Blackway and Murdoch deeper into the woods, to be eaten by animals. In the morning, they return to town and to their lives, introspective, each with multiple injuries. But they have been changed, as has the town.

Cast

Production

In August 2014, during an interview, writer Joseph Gangemi revealed that Gregory Jacobs and he had created a film adaptation of novel Go with Me by Castle Freeman, Jr. [1] On September 19 it was announced that Anthony Hopkins would star in the lead role and Daniel Alfredson would direct the film, which Enderby Entertainment and The Gotham Group would produce. [2] Rick Dugdale would produce along with Lindsay Williams and Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, while Hopkins would also produce along with Jacobs. [2] On October 23, Dean Devlin's Electric Entertainment came on board to co-finance and handle international rights to the film. [3] On October 30, Julia Stiles and Ray Liotta joined the film. [4] On November 17, Alexander Ludwig joined the film to play a young sidekick of an ex-logger. [5]

Filming

Filming began on November 12, 2014 primarily in Enderby, British Columbia. [6] [7] It would also be shot in Lumby. Filming lasted until late December. [6]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 11, 2015. The film was then released theatrically on June 10, 2016 by TW Media Events while Electric Entertainment distributed the film in the United States and the rest of the world.

Hone media

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the film onto DVD in 2017.

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 20% based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 3.92/10. [8] Guy Lodge of Variety called the film a "turgid, tension-free revenge thriller". [9] [10]

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References

  1. ↑ "Screenwriting Interview: Joseph Gangemi". scriptshadow.net. August 28, 2014. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Yamato, Jen (September 19, 2014). "Anthony Hopkins Boards Pacific Northwest Thriller 'Go With Me'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 23, 2014). "Electric Entertainment To Co-Fi Anthony Hopkins Pic 'Go With Me'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  4. ↑ McNary, Dave (October 30, 2014). "Julia Stiles, Ray Liotta Join Anthony Hopkins in 'Go With Me'". variety.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  5. ↑ Yamato, Jen (November 17, 2014). "'Hunger Games' Tribute Volunteers For Anthony Hopkins Thriller 'Go With Me'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Garcha, Neetu (November 12, 2014). "Filming begins in Okanagan for "Go With Me" starring Anthony Hopkins". globalnews.ca. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Hollywood Stars Shooting in North Okanagan". thesunonline.ca. November 3, 2014. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Blackway (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on 2016-04-10. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  9. ↑ Lodge, Guy (11 September 2015). "Venice Film Review: 'Go With Me'". Variety. Archived from the original on 16 January 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "New Release Review (DVD) - GO WITH ME". The Movie Waffler. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
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