The Dick Knost Show
Contemporary World Cinema
Director: Bruce Sweeney
TIFF favourite Sweeney comes back with one of his better films in quite some time in this behind the scenes look at a sports radio talk show and its host going through simultaneous amounts of humorous turmoil.
Tom Scholte stars as the titular blowhard who couldn’t care about anything outside of his beloved hockey. Guests get berated and turned down regularly, but some ill advised tweets and a concussion leave his job in jeopardy. While Dick re-evaluates his life and heals up it’s up to his long suffering producer (Gabrielle Rose) and idiot co-host (Paul Skrudland) to ensure the duo’s job security against a fed up network and sponsors.
Although it seems to be been filmed entirely in a single office and apartment to cut way down on the cost, Sweeney’s dialogue and perceptiveness is far less insufferable and much more organic that Aaron Sorkin’s blathering on The Newsroom (Yeah, I said it.), and the characters feel lived in. Scholte gets the most out of playing an asshole who gradually becomes more likable once all the alternatives are laid out, but Rose steals the movie as the fast thinking and slick professional behind the mouth. ()
Screens
Tuesday, September 10th, Scotiabank 3, 9:15pm
Thursday, September 12th, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, 9:45am
Saturday, September 14th, Scotiabank 3, 9:15am
