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It's not a light comedy… and I don't care anyway

With It's Not My Fault and I Don't Care Anyway's notable pedigree, you might peg this new film from local production company Mosaic Entertainment as a light comedy.

With It's Not My Fault and I Don't Care Anyway's notable pedigree, you might peg this new film from local production company Mosaic Entertainment as a light comedy.

There's Tiny Plastic Men writer/director Chris Craddock, plus acting talents Quinton Aaron (of The Blind Side), Blackstone's Valerie Planche and St. Albert's own Jesse Lipscombe, who was recently back in his hometown to film the rom-com #Roxy at Bellerose High School last summer.

I didn't even mention Alan Thicke, the renowned Canadian presence who once starred as a TV dad in the sitcom Growing Pains.

But you would be wrong. It has its comedic moments, true, but they're a bit dark. This movie has drugs, guns, sex, a kidnapping, dismemberments, foul language, and knives, and a gangland murder. Be forewarned: it's not exactly a Disney movie of the week.

Lipscombe's character is Johnny Three-Fingers, a drug dealer whose name you might guess the circumstances behind. He even got to try out a new accent he concocted for the role.

“It was a little homemade accent I made: Jamaican, Nigerian, Irish … I wanted to create a new one.”

The movie finds Mr. Three-Fingers arranging for the kidnapping of Diana (Leah Doz), the disavowed daughter of public speaker Patrick Spencer (Thicke). Spencer's big premise is the title of this movie: he tells people to be selfish, even repeating his mantra, “It's not my fault and I don't care anyway.” When Three-Fingers calls him up to demand the ransom, well … his response is a familiar refrain.

This is Craddock's first feature film based on his one man award-winning play. It had its premiere at the beginning of this month at the Whistler Film Festival and is set for rent or purchase through online movie service Vimeo, starting tomorrow.

Despite appearances, the friendly Lipscombe in real life is fast becoming a regular toughie on screen.

“It's kinda funny. I have fallen into the bad guy role for the last four features. I just finished one called In Plain View where I'm another somewhat sociopathic hired gun killer. It's Not My Fault … obviously I'm a bad guy there. Forbidden Playground … I'm a horrible human being in that one.”

That last title was filmed a few years ago but is just now streaming on Vimeo. The psychological thriller follows a couple whose careers and relationship start to unravel, especially when Lipscombe's obsessive character enters.

He's becoming pretty good at showing off that intensity, even if he has to chew his way through some scenes, gesticulating and snarling through that accent and all.

It also affords him the occasional opportunity to work with some cool professionals such as Craddock and Thicke, who passed away suddenly in California. It might come as a surprise to some that the two knew each other well even before the first take. Lipscombe hired Thicke for a part on Tiny Plastic Men and got to know him and his family pretty well, even staying close with Carter Thicke, the esteemed actor's son. Carter also has a small part in this movie playing a character named Aiden.

“Acting with him was great," Lipscombe said of the elder Thicke. "Our relationship definitely transcended just the acting world. Our families were and are very close.”

That musical theatre connection becomes even more evident as the movie closes. The credits roll, accompanied by Thicke singing his own composition, called Fight the Good Fight. Honestly, it's a pretty catchy track. If you got through the movie with its hardened philosophy of selfishness, ending it off with his buoyant voice will at least help leaven the lingering thoughts of the happy and successful people who say that it's not their fault and they don't care anyway.


Scott Hayes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

About the Author: Scott Hayes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Ecology and Environment Reporter at the Fitzhugh Newspaper since July 2022 under Local Journalism Initiative funding provided by News Media Canada.
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