Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day

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Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day
Tpb2movie.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Mike Clattenburg
Screenplay byMike Clattenburg
Robb Wells
John Paul Tremblay
Mike Smith
Timm Hannebohm
Based on Trailer Park Boys
by Mike Clattenburg
Produced byMike Clattenburg
Barrie Dunn
Michael Volpe
StarringRobb Wells
John Paul Tremblay
Mike Smith
John Dunsworth
Jonathan Torrens
Patrick Roach
Lucy DeCoutere
Sarah E. Dunsworth
Barrie Dunn
Tyrone Parsons
Jeanna Harrison
CinematographyTed McInnes
Edited byRoger Mattiussi
Music byBlain Morris
Production
companies
Trailer Park Productions
Topsail Productions
Distributed by Alliance Films
Release date
  • September 25, 2009 (2009-09-25)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
Budget C$6.6 million [1]
Box office C$3,037,011 [1]

Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day (also known as simply Trailer Park Boys 2) is a 2009 Canadian mockumentary black comedy crime film directed by Mike Clattenburg, and based on the Canadian television series Trailer Park Boys . It is the second film in the Trailer Park Boys franchise, following Trailer Park Boys: The Movie (2006). Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day is a conclusion to "Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys", the television special that ended the series after its seventh season. The film follows the characters of Ricky (Robb Wells), Julian (John Paul Tremblay) and Bubbles (Mike Smith) as they return to a life of crime after being released from prison.

Contents

Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day premiered in Halifax, Nova Scotia at the 29th Atlantic Film Festival; it was released theatrically in Canada on September 25, 2009. It received mixed reviews; some critics praised it for staying faithful to the television series, while others derided it for its crude humor. Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day grossed over $3 million during its domestic theatrical run. It won an Atlantic Film Festival Award for Best Sound Design, and earned a Genie Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. Although it was intended to end the franchise, Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day was followed by a third and final film of the Trilogy, Trailer Park Boys: Don't Legalize It , which was released in Canada on April 18, 2014.

Plot

It has been 2 years since the events of the episode "Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys", and Ricky (Robb Wells), Julian (John Paul Tremblay) and Bubbles (Mike Smith) are finally released from prison. Upon returning to Sunnyvale Trailer Park, Bubbles finds that all of his kittens have been sent to an animal shelter and that he will need to pay thousands of dollars in order to have them released; secondly, Ricky and Julian successfully rob a liquor store, but Julian uses all the money to buy a car and refurbish his trailer into an auto-body shop. Ricky's plan is to pass his Grade 12 exam, which he feels will open doors of opportunity for him.

Jim Lahey (John Dunsworth) is sober and has opened up a posh new trailer park while attempting to demolish Sunnyvale. His only problem is that his new sewer line will have to run through Julian's lot; so he tries to convince Julian to move. One sip of beer causes him to revert to heavy drinking. After Randy (Patrick Roach) leaves him and moves out of their trailer and on to Julian's deck, Lahey goes on a liquor-fueled rampage. Meanwhile, the boys experience failure: Julian's auto-body business is failing, Ricky fails his Grade 12 exam, and Bubbles' kittens remain in the animal shelter after a failed attempt to rescue them which results in Tyrone's (Tyrone Parsons) arrest.

Bubbles is told that the kittens will be put down soon unless he can raise the money to have them released. Lahey, drunk again, destroys Ricky's new cannabis growing operation and also demolishes Julian's trailer in an attempt to get Julian to move. However, Lahey's plan backfires as Julian has insured his trailer for $28,000. With nothing left to live for and his dream of operating his new posh trailer park ruined by Julian's refusal to move, Lahey loses his sanity.

The boys decide to rob a bank disguised as security guards making an armored-car transport as a last resort while Julian waits for the insurance check to save Bubbles' kittens. They succeed in obtaining the money from the vault but they are foiled by Lahey showing up at the last minute. Lahey threatens to commit suicide by jumping off the roof of the bank. After Julian prevents this, the real security guards show up. Ricky, Julian, Bubbles, and Randy are arrested and sent back to prison after a car chase with the police and security guards. They receive a short two-week sentence due to their arresting officer being drunk but request not to be filmed anymore. Bubbles' kittens are saved through a therapy animal program at the prison where the cats are released and spend time with the inmates. Bubbles secures a date with the animal control worker who saved his kittens, and the boys presumably return to Sunnyvale, with Julian building a new trailer with the insurance money.

Meanwhile, Lahey is drunk in Cuba, having absconded with the stolen money. Even though he is now rich, he is shown to still be miserable, because he has nobody with whom to share his wealth. J-Roc (Jonathan Torrens) is also shown to have finally reached his goal of becoming a famous rapper, as he has a released new record, and is on stage in front of a large, enthusiastic crowd.

Cast

Production

Development

Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day is the second film to be based on the television series Trailer Park Boys , following Trailer Park Boys: The Movie . [2] It was directed by Mike Clattenburg, the creator and director of the series and director of the first film. Countdown to Liquor Day is not a direct sequel to the first film, but a conclusion to "Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys", the final television special that concluded the series. [3] Clattenburg officially announced plans to end the Trailer Park Boys franchise in November 2008. He initially wanted to end the series after the fifth season. Due to popular demand from fans of the series, Clattenburg decided to produce two more seasons for the show. When asked why he chose to end the franchise, Clattenburg stated, "There comes a time I'd like to do more new stuff and develop in different ways." [4]

Music

The film's music was composed by Blain Morris. The soundtrack also contains “I Fall to Pieces”, performed by Patsy Cline, “Blue on Blue”, performed by Bobby Vinton, “Can't Not Be Feelin This”, performed by J-Roc, “Howlin' For My Baby”, performed by Garrett Mason, “Itchy Jock”, performed by Itchy Ron and Metty the Dertmerchant and “Can't Not Be Feelin' Dis”, performed by JROC.

Casting

As with the previous film, Countdown to Liquor Day sees the cast from the television series reprise their respective roles.

Filming

Filming took place on location in Nova Scotia, Canada as well as Cuba. [5]

Release

Premiere and theatrical release

Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day was released in Canadian theatres on September 25, 2009. Prior to its theatrical release, the film held its world premiere in Halifax, Nova Scotia at the 29th Atlantic Film Festival, where the Sound team from PowerPost won an award for Best Sound Design. [6]

Home media

In Canada, Countdown to Liquor Day was released in DVD and Blu-ray formats on December 22, 2009. Special features for the film include deleted scenes, extended takes, lost interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage. [7] In the United States, the film was released in the same home video formats on February 23, 2010. [8] [9]

Reception

Critical response

Prior to its domestic theatrical release, Countdown to Liquor Day divided film critics. Linda Bernard of the Toronto Star wrote that the film was "a celluloid celebration of everything that boys love about being boys; from running around in their underpants, to setting stuff on fire, demolishing structures with heavy machinery and eating fried chicken for breakfast." [10] Stephen Cole of The Globe and Mail awarded the film three stars out of four, writing, "Trailer Park Boys succeeded because they were good company. So they are again in their second movie." [11] Steve Newton of Straight.com stated the film was "the funniest Canadian movie ever made." [12] Norman Wilner of Now Magazine wrote in his negative review, "Even the fans might wonder where the laughs are this time around. Heads get shaved, stuff gets smashed and drinks get drunk, but nothing has much of a payoff." [13] Jay Stone of The StarPhoenix wrote that the film's "shenanigans run out of steam in a hurry, a problem that Countdown to Liquor Day tries to counteract with an episodic structure that flies through several stories, each of them cruder than the last." [14]

Box office

Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day grossed $1,396,229 on its opening weekend, placing 12th place at the box office. [15] The film dropped 65.33 percent during its second week, earning only $484,072. [16] The film dropped an additional 45.85 percent in its third week, grossing only $262,129 at thirty-second place. [16] In total, Countdown to Liquor Day has grossed $2,941,985 in Canada. [17]

Accolades

Awards
AwardCategoryRecipientResult
30th Genie Awards [18] Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role John Dunsworth Nominated
29th Atlantic Film Festival [6] Best Sound DesignBrian PowerWon

Soundtrack

Sequel

In May 2012, Mike Clattenburg announced on his Twitter page that a third and final film in the Trailer Park Boys franchise was in development. [19] Principal photography for the third and final installment was scheduled to begin in October 2012, but was pushed back to March 2013; [20] filming began on March 17, 2013. [21] On April 20, 2013, the production moved to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where filming took place at Parliament Hill during the 4/20 weekend. [22] [23] Entertainment One announced that the third and final film, titled Trailer Park Boys: Don't Legalize It , was released in Canada on April 18, 2014. [24]

Related Research Articles

Mike Clattenburg is a Canadian television and film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known as creator, executive producer, writer and director of the TV comedy series Trailer Park Boys (2001–2008), for his work with This Hour Has 22 Minutes (2004), and as the co-creator of the Adult Swim series Black Jesus (2014–2019).

Trailer Park Boys is a Canadian mockumentary sitcom television series created by Mike Clattenburg that began airing in 2001 as a continuation of his 1999 film bearing the same name. The show follows the misadventures of a group of trailer park residents, including two lead characters in and out of prison, living in the fictional "Sunnyvale Trailer Park" in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The series premiered on Showcase on April 20, 2001, and originally ran for seven seasons before concluding with a one-hour special on December 7, 2008. The series spawned three films: The Movie, released on October 6, 2006; Countdown to Liquor Day, released on September 25, 2009; and Don't Legalize It, released on April 18, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Smith (actor)</span> Canadian actor, musician, born 1972

Michael "Mike" Smith is a Canadian actor, screenwriter, comedian and musician. He is best known for his portrayal of Bubbles and co-writer of the cult classic television program, films and stage production Trailer Park Boys. He was also the guitarist for the Canadian rock band Sandbox. Smith earned a degree in English from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

Mike O'Neill is a Canadian singer-songwriter, actor, and screenwriter. Originally from Oshawa, Ontario, he has been based in Halifax, Nova Scotia since 1996. O'Neill was a member of indie-rock band The Inbreds in the 1990s before disbanding the group and embarking on a solo career. He was involved as both sound engineer and actor on the popular Canadian television series Trailer Park Boys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Roach</span> Canadian actor and investor (born 1969)

Patrick Roach is a Canadian actor and investor. He is best known for playing Randy on the television series Trailer Park Boys.

Sarah Elizabeth Dunsworth-Nickerson is a Canadian actress who plays the character of Sarah in the Canadian television franchise Trailer Park Boys. She is the real-life daughter of the late John Dunsworth, the actor who played Jim Lahey. She additionally appeared in Beefcake and the shorts The Bridge and Treevenge.

<i>Trailer Park Boys: The Movie</i> 2006 Canadian film

Trailer Park Boys: The Movie is a 2006 Canadian comedy crime film based on the television series Trailer Park Boys itself a sequel to the 1999 film of the same name. The film follows characters Ricky, Julian, and Bubbles creating a plan for the Big Dirty, one last crime that will enable them to retire from their criminal lives. The film, like the series, was directed and produced by Mike Clattenburg, with Ivan Reitman as an executive producer. It was released in Canada on October 6, 2006, and a limited release in the United States began on January 25, 2008. It has developed into a cult film since then.

The Big Dirty Band was a one-off Canadian supergroup composed of Rush's Geddy Lee (bass) and Alex Lifeson (guitar), Thornley's and Big Wreck's Ian Thornley, Three Days Grace's Adam Gontier, Die Mannequin's Care Failure (vocals), and The Tea Party drummer Jeff Burrows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dunsworth</span> Canadian actor and comedian

John Francis Dunsworth was a Canadian actor. He was best known for playing the antagonistic trailer park supervisor Jim Lahey on the cult comedy series Trailer Park Boys (2001–2018). His other roles included the mysterious reporter Dave Teagues on the supernatural drama series Haven (2010–2015) and Officer McNabb in the CBC film Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion (2003). He also had extensive experience in regional theater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robb Wells</span> Canadian actor and screenwriter

Robert Christopher "Robb" Wells is a Canadian actor, comedian, and screenwriter best known for portraying Ricky in Trailer Park Boys. He is a co-founder of Swearnet.com and often appears in sketches for the Internet media channel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Nova Scotia general election</span>

The 1988 Nova Scotia general election was held on September 6, 1988 to elect members of the 55th House of Assembly of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.

Julian (<i>Trailer Park Boys</i>) Fictional character from the television series Trailer Park Boys

Julian "Jules" is a fictional character in the television series Trailer Park Boys. He is one of the three main protagonists on the show along with Ricky and Bubbles, portrayed by John Paul Tremblay, he was created by series creator Mike Clattenburg. Julian also appears in four films; one short, and three feature length. Before the show, he appeared in the short film Trailer Park Boys (1999). He appears in the feature-length films: Trailer Park Boys: The Movie (2006), Countdown to Liquor Day (2009), and Don't Legalize It (2014). Julian also appears in numerous spin-offs, including Out of the Park: Europe, Out of the Park: USA, and The Animated Series, in which the latter John Paul Tremblay voices him.

<i>Trailer Park Boys: Dont Legalize It</i> 2014 Canadian film

Trailer Park Boys: Don't Legalize It is a 2014 Canadian mockumentary crime comedy film directed by Mike Clattenburg, and based on the Canadian television series Trailer Park Boys. It is the third and final film in the Trailer Park Boys franchise, and a sequel to Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day (2009). In the film, Ricky, Julian and Bubbles attempt a series of get-rich-quick schemes, but are again pursued by Sunnyvale Trailer Park supervisor Jim Lahey. The story culminates in Ricky heading to Parliament Hill in Ottawa, where he tries to prevent the legalization of cannabis.

<i>Swearnet: The Movie</i> 2014 Canadian comedy film

Swearnet: The Movie is a 2014 Canadian dark comedy film directed by Warren P. Sonoda, written, produced by and starring Mike Smith, John Paul Tremblay, and Robb Wells, stars of the Canadian television series Trailer Park Boys. In the film, Smith, Tremblay and Wells appear as themselves as they embark on creating a fully uncensored Internet network.

Ricky (<i>Trailer Park Boys</i>) Fictional character

Richard "Ricky" LaFleur is a fictional character in the television series Trailer Park Boys. He is one of the three main protagonists on the show, along with Julian and Bubbles. Portrayed by Robb Wells, the character was created by series creator Mike Clattenburg. Ricky also appears in five films; two short, and three feature length. Before the show, he appeared in the short films The Cart Boy (1995), and Trailer Park Boys (1999). He appears in the feature-length films: Trailer Park Boys: The Movie (2006), Countdown to Liquor Day (2009), and Don't Legalize It (2014). Ricky also appears in numerous spin-offs, including Out of the Park: Europe, Out of the Park: USA, and The Animated Series, for which the latter Robb Wells voices him.

Bubbles (<i>Trailer Park Boys</i>) Fictional character from the television series Trailer Park Boys

Bubbles is a fictional character in the television series Trailer Park Boys. The character is portrayed by Mike Smith. Bubbles is one of the three main protagonists on the show along with Ricky and Julian. He was created by series creator Mike Clattenburg. Bubbles also appears in three feature-length films: Trailer Park Boys: The Movie (2006), Countdown to Liquor Day (2009), and Don't Legalize It (2014). Bubbles also appears in numerous spin-offs, including Out of the Park: Europe, Out of the Park: USA, and The Animated Series, voiced by Mike Smith.

Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series is a Canadian adult animated series and sitcom created by John Paul Tremblay, Robb Wells, and Mike Smith. The series is a spin-off and sequel to the 2001 television mockumentary comedy series, Trailer Park Boys, itself a sequel to Mike Clattenburg's 1999 film of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Lahey</span> Fictional character in Trailer Park Boys

James "Jim" Lahey, better known as Mr. Lahey, is a fictional character in the television series Trailer Park Boys. Portrayed by John Dunsworth, he is the main antagonist of the series along with his on again/off again boyfriend Randy. He was created by series creator Mike Clattenburg. After Dunsworth's death in October 2017, there was speculation that he would not appear in future Trailer Park Boys releases. He posthumously appears in the first two seasons of the animated series. John Dunsworth's daughter Sarah Dunsworth-Nickerson, tweeted that her father's real voice was used in the animated series. Jim also appears in four films; one short, and three feature length. Before the show, he appeared in the short film One Last Shot (1998). He appears in the feature-length films: Trailer Park Boys: The Movie (2006), Countdown to Liquor Day (2009), and Don't Legalize It (2014).

References

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