Jake's Corner (2008)

Back in the day they would call a place like Jake's Corner a whistle stop. Still do I'm sure among the truckers. The place consists of a bar&grille and a general store. Behind those two structures the various people who live and work in and around these establishments hang out in dwellings, some of them kind of slapped together. They are an interesting community and unofficially it's headed by Richard Tyson, former football player and Heisman Trophy winner who just retired from the world to this place after a family tragedy.Another family tragedy hits his family. His sister and her husband are killed in a car crash and their young son Colton Rodgers survives but has no memory of the crash. Tyson takes him in and the people of Jake's Corner know him from previous visits. But no one is to mention the crash, just let him think that his parents are on the mend.In sum and substance that's the film. Not much plot but some real interesting characters live in Jake's Corner and we get to know them as they are fleshed out in this film. Diane Ladd is the somewhat addled lady who thinks there's bear with designs on her. Country star B.J. Thomas plays the town doctor and bartender, in a place this small one doubles up on occupations. Don Collier who has been in about a Gazillion westerns made his last screen appearance as an old rodeo cowboy who sits and plays cards with Thomas with an occasional observation on life.The pace of Jake's Corner is slow and easy, but it's an easy to take film with some interesting people.This film might even drum up some tourist trade.

Jeff Santo writes and directs this moving film based on family tragedy and the courage to move on. Johnny Dunn(Richard Tyson), a University of Arizona Heisman Trophy winner and former Pro football star leaves the game and the money after the tragic loss of his parents. He returns to Jake's Corner, where he owns a bar in a roadside stop that features a market and scads of trailer dwellers. This tiny piece of Arizona is home to a close-knit community that somehow clings together thanks to bar bouncer Gus(Tony Longo)and Doc, the bar sage, played by awarding winning singer B.J. Thomas. Shortly after Johnny's return tragedy strikes again with the death of his sister in a car wreck. Surviving is Spense(Colton Rodgers), Dunn's nephew, who comes to stay and shakes up the settled life and ways of Jake's Corner. This is a touching family film that also stars: Diane Ladd, Danny Trejo, Sanel Budlimic, Ana Auther and Ky Moni Abraham. Thomas, with one of the most unique rock and pop voices of the late 60's, sings "I Like Livin", "When The Hero Dies", "Meet Me At My Heart", "Best Things In Life" and his mega hit, "Rock and Roll Lullaby". In spite of some horrible acting and a mediocre script, you will come to like the characters and message of this Christian based drama.

The script to this movie is forced and the language is often wooden. Now some of the problems may just be bad acting because there's lots of that as well.But there's not much of a believable story. So much of it seems mechanical, both script and acting. Yes, there is a collection of "characters" here (the story location is a Arizona bar in the middle of nowhere) but that's far from making it a watchable movie. They seem to be trying so hard to be interesting, possible to cover up gaping holes in the search for a real plot. The real drama seems to be the boy whose parents were killed in a wreck thinking they're still alive and wondering when and how he's going to find out that they're not. And he keeps turning up missing but it's usually just to visit the neighbors.I checked this out of the public library but it was still a waste of time.

I want to talk about the final edited version of this film I saw at a screening last week but first I want to talk about this film in general.I was fortunate enough to see this film in it's previously edited version a couple of months ago. I was amazed that a film with a budget of around a million dollars could look this incredible. I would call this a low budget film because of its budget but that is where it loses all comparison with any other low budget film I have seen. The acting was first rate, by all involved. Trejo and Ladd did there usual amazing jobs, but Richard Tyson and Tony Longo were in a rare form I have never seen. Instead of his usual loud, brash and in your face style. Tyson carried this role off with a depth and seriousness that you could read in every line in his face. I have always been on the fence when it comes to Tyson but he showed in this role that he has what it takes to be a serious lead actor and not just the crazy loud over the top character actor he usually plays. Kudos to the director for helping him find that talent that I thought was always inside him.Longo showed more feeling and sensitivity in this role than he ever has been before. This performance will get him out of the Goomba and common thug roles he usually plays. This role should make casting agents sit up and take notice.At first I thought I didn't like the choice of the young boy who played the nephew. But then I realized it was that it wasn't that I didn't like him it was just that he was just a real kid....not some Hollywood kid actor acting like we think a kid should act. You can't help but fall in love with his rawness and honesty.Technically, a great film as well. good transitions, excellent cinematography, and the soundtrack and score are as good as a studio films.The new version I saw has a spiritual message to it that will ring home with everyone. I always thought that this was meant to be a family film but some rough language and adult situations in the earlier version caused confusion as to who this film was suited for. BUT NOT ANYMORE!!!!!!!!JAKE'S CORNER IS A MUST SEE FAMILY FILM!!!!!