Collaborator (film)
Collaborator is a comedy-drama film written and directed by Martin Donovan. This film held its world premiere on July 4, 2011 at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.[1]
Collaborator | |
---|---|
Directed by | Martin Donovan |
Produced by | Julien Favre, Luca Matrundola, Pascal Vaguelsy, Ted Hope |
Written by | Martin Donovan |
Starring | Martin Donovan David Morse Olivia Williams Melissa Auf der Maur Katherine Helmond Eileen Ryan |
Music by | Manels Favre |
Cinematography | Julie Kirkwood |
Edited by | Karen Porter |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Tribeca Film E1 Entertainment Canada |
Release date |
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Running time | 87 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Plot
Donovan also stars in the film, portraying a once-successful playwright, Robert Longfellow, who is taken hostage by an ex-con neighbor while on a routine visit to his childhood home. Two-time Emmy-nominee David Morse plays Gus (the neighbor); a man Robert has avoided since he was a boy. The film also stars Olivia Williams, Melissa Auf der Maur, Katherine Helmond and Eileen Ryan in supporting roles. As the drama unfolds, social status, celebrity and the threat of violence converge, leaving the playwright simultaneously shattered and inspired.
Cast
- Martin Donovan as Robert Longfellow
- David Morse as Gus
- Olivia Williams as Emma Stiles
- Melissa Auf der Maur as Alice Longfellow
- Katherine Helmond as Irene Longfellow
- Eileen Ryan as Betty
- Julian Richings as Maurice LeFont
Awards and nominations
- 46th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (2011)
- 1st Canadian Screen Awards (2013)
- Nominated: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role — David Morse[3]
Production
DViant Films and This Is That Productions produced Collaborator. The film's score was composed by Manels Favre. The soundtrack also includes a Brahms cover performed by PJ Harvey. Filming took place in Los Angeles, California, as well as Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.
Reception
As of October 2013, the film has a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 24 reviews.[4]
The New York Times found it "earnest" and "wooden", like a one-act play "in which any visceral tension is secondary to topical debates by a captor and his prisoner".[5] The Los Angeles Times found it "disappointing" and "somber", failing to generate any tension from its thriller elements.[6]
The Globe and Mail awarded it 2.5/5; Adam Litovitz criticised some stagy elements but praised the film as a study of character.[7] The New York Post praised the performances, saying "both characters are riveting".[8]
References
- "Prizes of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2011". 9 July 2011.
- "'Restoration' wins at Karlovy Vary". Variety. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
- "Canadian Screen Award nominations". CBC News. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
- "Collaborator". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- Holden, Steven (July 5, 2012). "Collaborator (review)". New York Times.
- Goldstein, Gary (July 19, 2012). "Collaborator (Review)". LA Times. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- Litovitz, Adam (Jul 13, 2012). "A dark buddy tale for the mancession". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- Smith Nehme, Farran (July 6, 2012). "Collaborator". New York Post. Retrieved 22 October 2013.