Who's Driving Doug | |
---|---|
Directed by | David Michael Conley |
Written by | Michael Carnick |
Produced by | Nicole Carbonetta David Michael Katz |
Starring | RJ Mitte Paloma Kwiatkowski Daphne Zuniga Ray William Johnson Travis Flores |
Cinematography | Tom Clancey |
Edited by | Bob Mori |
Music by | Chad Rehmann Death Cab for Cutie |
Production company | Katz Agency |
Distributed by | Filmbuff Haley's Flight, LLC |
Release date |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Who's Driving Doug is a 2016 American independent drama road film directed by David Michael Conley, starring RJ Mitte, Paloma Kwiatkowski, Daphne Zuniga, and Ray William Johnson, and featuring Travis Flores. It was produced by David Katz and Nicola Carbonetta and written by Michael Carnick. The film follows Doug (Mitte), an introvert with muscular dystrophy who goes on a road trip with driver Scott (Johnson) and friend Stephanie (Kwiatkowski) in order to get away from his overbearing mother (Zuniga).
The film's writer, Michael Carnick, has Muscular Dystrophy, but the film is not strictly autobiographical. [1] Casting for the film was announced in May 2014, with RJ Mitte, Paloma Kwiatkowski, Daphne Zuniga, as well as comedian Ray William Johnson, best known for his Equals Three series, being announced in his first film role. Filming began on May 27, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. [2]
Who's Driving Doug was acquired by Filmbuff in early February 2016 and premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 6, 2016. It will be released in late February. [3] [4]
Who's Driving Doug received mixed-to-negative reviews. It holds a 20% on Rotten Tomatoes. Tirdad Derakhshani said of the film "Who's Driving Doug, an emotional coming-of-age story about a college student with osteodystrophy, is one of those movies that stacks the decks against critical viewers. If you don't like it, you come off as a heartless misanthrope - especially since its titular star, RJ Mitte, actually suffers from mild cerebral palsy. It's hard to enjoy a film peopled by so many unlikable people."
The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a generally positive review, praising the performances of Mitte, Zuniga, Johnson, with particular praising going toward Johnson, saying "Johnson makes the strongest impression of all. He can be alternately surly and sympathetic, maddening and generous; this is a beautifully nuanced performance." [1] Back To The Movies called it a "A beautiful tale of love, life, responsibility and coping with life when the odds are stacked again you, Who’s Driving Doug is a heart-felt tale that tugs at the heart strings every step of the way." [5]
Melrose Place is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex on Melrose Place, in West Hollywood, California. The show was created by Darren Star for Fox and executive produced by Aaron Spelling for his company, Spelling Television. It was the second series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise. Season one and season two were broadcast on Wednesday at 9 pm, after Beverly Hills, 90210. In 1994, for its third-season and for the rest of its run, the show moved to Monday at 8 p.m.
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Daphne Eurydice Zuniga is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1982 slasher film The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1982) at the age of 19, followed by a lead role in another slasher film The Initiation (1984) two years later.
Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is an American nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. Founded in 1950 by Paul Cohen, who lived with muscular dystrophy, MDA accelerates research, advances care, and works to empower families to live longer and more independent lives. Renowned for The MDA Labor Day Telethon, the annual telecast aired live every Labor Day weekend, with comedian and filmmaker Jerry Lewis as its host and national chairman. Don Rickles, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Milton Berle, Wayne Newton, Norm Crosby, Don Francisco, Tony Orlando, Johnny Carson, Aretha Franklin, Maureen McGovern, Diana Ross, Angela Lansbury and others have supported MDA over the years. The organization's headquarters is in Chicago, Illinois.
Dystrophin is a rod-shaped cytoplasmic protein, and a vital part of a protein complex that connects the cytoskeleton of a muscle fiber to the surrounding extracellular matrix through the cell membrane. This complex is variously known as the costamere or the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC). Many muscle proteins, such as α-dystrobrevin, syncoilin, synemin, sarcoglycan, dystroglycan, and sarcospan, colocalize with dystrophin at the costamere. It has a molecular weight of 427 kDa
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe type of muscular dystrophy predominantly affecting boys. The onset of muscle weakness typically begins around age four, with rapid progression. Initially, muscle loss occurs in the thighs and pelvis, extending to the arms, which can lead to difficulties in standing up. By the age of 12, most individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy are unable to walk. Affected muscles may appear larger due to an increase in fat content, and scoliosis is common. Some individuals may experience intellectual disability, and females carrying a single copy of the mutated gene may show mild symptoms.
Dysferlin also known as dystrophy-associated fer-1-like protein is a protein that in humans is encoded by the DYSF gene. Dysferlin is linked with plasma membrane repair., stabilization of calcium signaling and the development of the T-tubule system of the muscle A defect in the DYSF gene, located on chromosome 2p12-14, results in several types of muscular dystrophy; including Miyoshi myopathy (MM), Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2B (LGMD2B) and Distal Myopathy (DM). A reduction or absence of dysferlin, termed dysferlinopathy, usually becomes apparent in the third or fourth decade of life and is characterised by weakness and wasting of various voluntary skeletal muscles. Pathogenic mutations leading to dysferlinopathy can occur throughout the DYSF gene.
Distal myopathy is a group of rare genetic disorders that cause muscle damage and weakness, predominantly in the hands and/or feet. Mutation of many different genes can be causative. Many types involve dysferlin.
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