19 Months
2002 Canadian film
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19 Months is a 2002 Canadian mockumentary film written and directed by Randall Cole, starring Benjamin Ratner and Angela Vint. It was Cole's directorial debut.
| 19 Months | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Randall Cole |
| Written by | Randall Cole |
| Produced by | James Mauro |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Harald Bachmann |
| Edited by | Kathy Weinkauf |
| Music by | Danny Friedman |
Production company | Cole/Mauro Productions Inc. |
| Distributed by | ThinkFilm |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 78 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Synopsis
Believing that all romantic partnerships turn sour, a couple decide to pre-emptively end their relationship with a perfect, amicable breakup – and agree to have a low-budget documentary film crew record it all. This includes seeing each other securely into new relationships with other people, so that neither will be left single.
Cast
- Benjamin Ratner as Rob
- Angela Vint as Melanie
- Kari Matchett as Page
- Sergio Di Zio as Steve
- Carolyn Taylor as Lisa
- Marqus Bobesich as Glen
- Scott McLaren as The Interviewer
- Brooke D'Orsay as Sandy
- Tamara Levitt as Drunk Girl 1
- Chuck Shamata as Rob's Dad
Production
The film was written and directed by Randall Cole, and is his first feature film.[1] He began writing the script around 2001, inspired by articles which stated that love was the result of a chemical response that faded over time.[2] It was about 80% scripted and 20% improvised.[1]
The film was produced through the Feature Film Project of the Canadian Film Centre, which provided a $500,000 budget.[3] The production received assistance from Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Media Development Corporation.[4]
The film was shot over 15 days[5] in Toronto and is set there, using iconic Toronto locations.[4] Actors are often filmed in close-up, which helped avoid the time and expense of set design and location dressing.[3]
Release
Reception
Film critic Ken Eisner called the film a "smart, highly entertaining" mockumentary with "funny and provocative results", and praised the performances of the cast.[4] Wendy Banks of Now gave the film an "honourable mention" and called it a "mercilessly funny and astute satire of contemporary relationships."[6] Vanessa Farquharson drew comparisons to Annie Hall with the "obsessive-compulsive male and frustrated, fey female lead".[5]
Katherine Monk of the Vancouver Sun gave the film a rating of 3 stars out of 5, calling it "highly believable", and wrote that the actors "sell every line".[7] Susan Walker of the Toronto Star called the film a "smart script driving some intense performances."[3]
Erin Oke of Exclaim! wrote that the film "offers nothing new or interesting to the genre" and called the characters "almost impossible to care about".[8]
