PREVIEW
Getting Grace
Starring Daniel Roebuck, Madelyn Dundon, Marsha Dietlein Bennett, Dana Ashbrook, Duane Whitaker and Diane Wagner
Written and directed by Daniel Roebuck
Rated PG
Runtime: 112 minutes
Playing at Garneau Theatre from Aug. 11 to 13
Tickets at www.eventbrite.ca
For everyone who enjoys heartfelt movies, the Canadian premiere of Getting Grace is coming to the Garneau Theatre’s silver screen from Aug. 11 to 13.
Writer, director and lead male actor Daniel Roebuck has created a good old-fashioned independent film that foregoes all elements of a mega blockbuster.
There’s no CGI, no superheroes, no devastating planetary natural disasters and absolutely no cars or buildings blowing up. Instead the award-winning film is about genuine love and loss, suffering and redemption.
At the core of Getting Grace is Bill Jankowski, a shy funeral director whose life is flipped upside down by Grace (Madelyn Dundon), a 16-year-old with terminal cancer.
Grace is curious about death and when randomly passing by Bill’s funeral home, she drops in to find answers. Bill has lost his zest for life, and finds it difficult to cope with an intelligent, curious and outspoken young woman.
Modelled after Roebuck’s daughter, Grace has a distinctive personality and is unwilling to go without a fight and has a stubborn belief that life is to be enjoyed.
“This is a story about celebrating life. It’s completely uplifting. People will laugh and cry and laugh again,” said Roebuck of the inspirational tearjerker.
Other major characters include Mary (Diane Wagner), Bill’s sister who operates the funeral home. Also central to the story is Grace’s mother Venus (Marsha Dietlein Bennett); Ron (Dana Ashbrook), a cynical, local author; and Rev. Osborne (Duane Whitaker), the hospital’s disillusioned chaplain.
The movie’s original script, written in 1988 by Jeff Lewis, circulated through Hollywood until Roebuck received it in 2009. Set in Michigan, it took seven years of dabbling and rewrites before Roebuck filmed it in and around Bethlehem, Pa., his hometown.
“I set out to make a movie about faith, but I didn’t want to hit anyone over the head with it,” Roebuck said. “I’m a person that believes in God and in God’s plan. I believe there’s a great plan that is more than just suffering and inner connectivity. I believe we’re here to help others and elevate ourselves.”
As one of Hollywood’s most accomplished and busiest character actors, Roebuck appeared in movies ranging from The Fugitive to Agent Cody Banks. His TV credits are equally diverse spanning Matlock, Lost and Amazon Prime’s Man in the High Castle.
Ironically, Roebuck discovered his co-star Madelyn Dundon, when he was scouting pre-production locations in Bethlehem. Dundon, then a 16-year-old unknown, was assigned to escort him around Bethlehem Catholic High School. Unknown to Dundon, the Los Angeles actor was auditioning her throughout the tour.
“It was her smile. I’d seen a few clips of her work and knew in my gut she was Grace. And she was as nuts as my daughter, something only a loving father would say.”
A requirement of Grace’s role was that the actress cut her hair.
“It’s a courageous act – to cut and donate your hair and find the vulnerability of the character. Transformation is part of the process of being an actor, and the best movies are about transformation.”
Currently, Getting Grace has only enjoyed a limited run in the United States. In a special licensing agreement, the movie is being made available to Canadian funeral homes, hospitals and hospices.
Park Memorial Funeral Home has partnered with Hannover House to promote the local debut. Both Roebuck and Dundon will attend every event.
A filmmaker’s dinner fundraiser takes place at the Workshop Eatery, 2003 – 91 St. in Ellerslie on Thursday, Aug. 10. Tickets for the three-course dinner and wine pairing are available at www.eventbrite.ca.
A red carpet premiere takes place Saturday, Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12, features a matinee at 12:30 p.m. and a general showing on Monday, Aug. 13, at 6:30 p.m.
At the conclusion of every screening, Roebuck and Dundon along with several Edmonton healing organizations will host a panel discussion.
