Foodland (film)

2010 Canadian film

Foodland

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Adam Smoluk
Written by| Adam Smoluk
Produced by| Juliette Hagopian
Starring| James Clayton
Ross McMillan
Kim Poirier
Cinematography| Keith Eidse
Edited by| Ron Wisman
Music by| Mitch Dorge

Production
company

Julijette Inc.

Release date

* December 9, 2010 (2010-12-09)

Running time

| 80 minutes
Country| Canada
Language| English

Foodland is a 2010 Canadian comedy film written and directed by Adam Smoluk.

## Synopsis

[edit]

The story follows Trevor, a naive grocery clerk, as his life spirals out of control when he inadvertently helps Ian, his inept manager, rob the store. When the money is lifted, they enlist the help of Glen Munn, a slimy, incompetent detective, to retrieve the stolen cash. But events soon go awry and Trevor must now determine friend from foe, and get the cash back before it’s too late.

## Cast

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* James Clayton as Trevor Wolnik
* Ross McMillan as Ian Cullmore
* Kim Poirier as Lucy Eklund
* Stephen Eric McIntyre as Glen Munn
* Aaron Merke as Rick
* Jason Malloy as Anthony
* Nancy Drake as Lesley
* Aaron Hughes as Cliff
* Kate Yacula as Vicki
* Alicia Johnston as Shelly
* Peter Jordan as George Leap
* Doreen Brownstone as Ian's Mother

## Production

[edit]

Foodland is a 2010 Canadian film which was filmed in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The script was selected for the National Screen Institute of Canada's Features First Program.[1] The film stars James Clayton, Ross McMillan and Kim Poirier. It had its premiere in Winnipeg on December 9, 2010 and a limited run from January 5, 2011.[2] The film is actor Kim Poirier's first time singing on screen in a feature film. She sings a cover version of the classic song "You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)".[3]

## Release

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Super Channel, Canada’s only national English pay television network, premiered Foodland in October 2011.[4] The network profiled the film in the Super Channel Gems selections. Super Channel Gems are the place for viewers to find different and diverse discoveries "terrific hidden treasures that we’re sure you’re going to love".[5] Foodland premiered on the IFC in March 2014.[6]

## Reception

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Winnipeg's foremost alternative weekly Uptown Magazine compared Foodland to the films of the Coen Brothers for the way its "twisty, often brilliant plotting... seems to want to set records for sheer number of turns: the plot fishtails continuously to the final scene". Beyond that, Uptown also said that "Splendidly written Winnipeg indie comedy Foodland highlights what a good screenplay can do for a film."[7]

An article in the Winnipeg Free Press highlighted the strong performances of the cast, "The particular triumph of Smoluk's film is that the performances are generally in sync with the Winnipeg milieu of the crime caper."[8]

A positive review by the CBC's Alison Gilmor wrote, "In this offbeat crime caper by young local filmmaker... Smoluk is working on a tight budget, but he gets quite a lot out of a little. His cast is crackerjack... and the flat, dead-of-winter Winnipeg setting is weirdly atmospheric."[9]

## References

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1. ^ "Jump Cuts » Playback". Playbackonline.ca. December 5, 2005. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
2. ^ "World premiere for Canadian film Foodland". Nsi-canada.ca. Archived from the original on 2010-12-30. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
3. ^ Graham, Aaron (February 2, 2009). "Welcome to Foodland". Uptown Magazine. Retrieved April 22, 2010. [dead link]
4. ^ "FOODLAND PREMIERES ON SUPER CHANNEL OCT. 12". Super Channel. On Screen Manitoba. 11 October 2011. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
5. ^ "Canadian indie Gem will have you rolling in the aisles - only on Super Channel". Super Channel. Super Channel. 11 October 2011. Archived from the original on 17 December 2011. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
6. ^ Laura Friesen (March 28, 2014). "foodland premieres on ifc". National Screen institute of Canada. pp. National Screen Institute of Canada. Retrieved 2014-03-28.[permanent dead link]
7. ^ Smith, Kenton (December 30, 2010). "It's all in the gist". Uptown Magazine. Winnipeg. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
8. ^ King, Randall (January 6, 2011). "Buy local: Filmmaker stocks his supermarket-set Foodland with Winnipeg actors". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
9. ^ Gillmor, Alison (January 7, 2011). "Gillmor on film". CBC News. Winnipeg. Retrieved January 7, 2011.

## External links

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* Foodland at IMDb