Corner Gas: The Movie
| Corner Gas: The Movie | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | David Storey |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | Virginia Thompson |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ken Anton Krawczyk |
| Edited by | Craig Webster |
| Music by | Craig Northey |
| Distributed by | Prairie Pants Distribution |
Release date |
|
Running time | 95 minutes[2] |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $8.5 million[3] |
| Box office | $694,210[4] |
Corner Gas: The Movie is a 2014 Canadian comedy film starring Brent Butt based on the Corner Gas television series, reuniting the complete original cast of the program that aired on CTV from 2004 to 2009.
Plot
Hank, Brent, and Wanda stand silently at the Corner Gas counter. Hank cryptically asks "How long has it been?", with Brent answering April 13, 2009, referencing the series finale. An armed robber enters and demands money, but is attacked by Hank. The robber shoots Brent in the arm and rips off Wanda's face when she intervenes, revealing her to be a robot. Wanda uses lasers to disarm the robber, while Brent checks his now visible robotic arm. The robber turns into a werewolf, and Wanda begins to fight him when Hank wakes up with the National Star judge in front of him at the Regina Airport. They depart for Dog River, where the town is in a riot. Hank proceeds to explain the events that caused the town to fall apart.
Five years after the series finale, Fitzy has blown the town's money on a bad real estate investment in Detroit, leaving the town without electricity or water. A box that Davis checked on his contract allows the town to force him to retire on his 25th anniversary of police service. He leaves Wanda to watch his house which, with its two diesel-powered backup generators, is the only place in Dog River with reliable electrical power. Wanda turns Davis' garage into an illegal bar and later a casino. Karen, married and pregnant, begins issuing tickets in order to improve her stats and her job prospects should Dog River close and thus require her to find a job in another community's police department. Oscar becomes a survivalist and trades his car for a horse, which is confiscated by Karen and repeatedly stolen back. An epiphany leads Davis to become a private detective and begin solving "mysteries".
After realizing that the crisis won't blow over and Lacey will move away if Dog River goes bankrupt, Brent buys the closed town bar and enters Dog River into a "Quaintest Town in Canada" competition, hoping that the $75,000 prize can save the town. Emma invites Lacey and Brent to dinner to spark a romance in a bid to acquire grandchildren. Hank has a falling-out with Brent after Brent refuses to invest in his plan to bring a Coff-Nuts franchise to Dog River (which would hurt Lacey's restaurant). After Lacey advises a Coff-Nuts representative named Jerome that the town is broke, a woman representing a company called CN Holdings attempts to convince the townspeople to sell their homes. Hank overhears the woman and Jerome scheming, so he takes Jerome to Wullerton in hopes that Coff-Nuts will change its plan and ruin the rival town. He abandons Jerome, but Wullerton's astonishingly friendly citizens drive him back to Dog River. Both distracted -- Brent by repairs to the bar, and Lacey by a quest to restore the town's electricity -- Brent and Lacey forget to attend Emma's dinner.
At the bar, Jerome reveals that CN Holdings, a Coff-Nuts subsidiary, intends to use the bankrupt town's infrastructure to build a regional distribution centre. However, as he leaves the bar, he suffers an injury, causing him to file a lawsuit against Brent. Wanda volunteers to represent Brent, but she loses the case causing Corner Gas to be confiscated and the bar to be condemned.
Fitzy later returns with a plan to allow Wullerton to annex Dog River, which proves unpopular. Brent and Lacey then rally the town to prepare for the "Quaintest Town in Canada" contest judge, Tina Fuller, to enter Dog River, but a series of mishaps create the appearance of a riot in the middle of town. Everyone then gathers at The Ruby, where Lacey encourages everyone to financially support Brent, but Brent declines their aid due to the judgment against him. Tina sympathizes with the town's predicament and writes an article to garner public support for Dog River. The media attention forces Coff-Nuts to drop the lawsuit. Between the proceeds from Wanda's casino, Karen's tickets, and a fundraising drive by residents of Wullerton, the town is saved.
Catastrophe averted, Lacey and Brent kiss, shocking everyone at The Ruby. Oscar encourages Brent to ask Lacey out, and they reveal that they have been dating for two years. Emma rejoices at the prospect of grandchildren, but Lacey reveals that she and Brent have decided against having children.[3][1]
Cast
All members of the regular television series cast reprised their roles for the film.[3]
- Brent Butt as Brent Leroy
- Gabrielle Miller as Lacey Burrows
- Fred Ewanuick as Hank Yarbo
- Eric Peterson as Oscar Leroy
- Janet Wright as Emma Leroy
- Lorne Cardinal as Davis Quinton
- Tara Spencer-Nairn as Karen Pelly
- Nancy Robertson as Wanda Dollard
- Don Lake as Jerome, the film's antagonist
- Reagan Pasternak as Sasha, Jerome's associate
- Cavan Cunningham as Fitzy Fitzgerald, mayor of Dog River
- Karen Holness as Tina Fuller, a National Star reporter
- Jean Freeman as Fitzy's grandma
- Gwen Seed as Mertyl Runciman, a neighbour of Oscar and Emma Leroy
- Russell Yuen as Won Hu
Graham Greene, Will Sasso, Jon Montgomery, and sportscasters Jay Onrait, Dan O'Toole, and Darren Dutchyshen make cameo appearances.
Production
Shooting occurred in Rouleau, Saskatchewan from 22 June – 22 July 2014.[3][5]
Approximately three-quarters of the $8.5 million budget was supported by government funding and credits.[6] This included $2.5 million from Telefilm Canada, and approximately $2 million from Saskatchewan provincial sources ($1.5 million from Tourism Saskatchewan, $0.5 million from Creative Saskatchewan), plus $1.15 million in tax credits from the federal and Ontario provincial government.[7] $285,840 was raised through individual donations during a Kickstarter campaign in May and June 2014, with $150,000 of this raised during the campaign's first two days.[8][9][6] A number of individuals who donated to the Kickstarter campaign appear as Dog River residents in the film.[10]
Release
The film's first public screening was 25 November 2014 in Regina at Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios, followed by a gala in Ottawa on 1 December.[1] The film was screened in cinemas in Canada for a limited run from 3—9 December 2014, later extended to 14 December due to public demand.[11][1]
The film was then screened through Bell Media properties, beginning with CraveTV and The Movie Network, followed by its network television premiere on CTV and CTV Two on 17 December 2014. The film also aired on The Comedy Network.[12]
Reception
The network premiere of the film garnered 1.84 million viewers.[13]
References
- ^ a b c d The Canadian Press (6 November 2014). "Corner Gas: The Movie pumps out special plans for release". Toronto Star. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ "Corner Gas: The Movie". Ontario Film Review Board. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Plot unveiled for Brent Butt's Corner Gas: The Movie". CBC News. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ "Hot Sheet: Top 5 Canadian films Dec. 12, 2014 to Dec. 18, 2014". Playback. Brunico Communications. 24 December 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ^ Smith, Kim (22 July 2014). "Filming for Corner Gas: The Movie wraps up in Sask". Global Television. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- ^ a b Hopper, Tristin (21 May 2014). "Corner Gas movie's $8.5M budget is 75% from government funding despite success of the original TV series". National Post. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "Public dollars for Corner Gas movie cover two-thirds of film's budget". CBC News. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ^ Graham, Jennifer (10 August 2014). "Kickstarter campaign allows California family to tour 'Corner Gas'". Global News. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ "Corner Gas: The Movie". Kickstarter. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ^ Corner Gas: The Movie, DVD executive producer commentary, 2014
- ^ "Back by Popular Demand - Corner Gas: The Movie Returns to Select Cineplex, Landmark and Independent Theatres December 12 - 14". Press release. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ^ "From Corner Gas to Crouching Tiger and the Hollywood buzz in between". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
- ^ "Canadians Pumped for CORNER GAS: THE MOVIE as 1.84 Million Viewers Fill Up on CTV and CTV Two" (Press release). Toronto, Ontario: CNW Group. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
