90 Days

1985, Movie, NR, 99 mins

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This offbeat Canadian comedy features Wodoslawsky as a confused individual frustrated over his sorry love life. In a desperate move to find the right girl, Wodoslawsky selects a Korean mail order bride, Pak, who arrives in Canada to meet her prospective husband. Cultural differences between the two, and Wodoslawsky's interfering mother, combine to make it a very difficult courtship, however. In the meantime, Wodoslawsky's friend, Grana, is having romantic troubles of his own which get worse when he decides to become a sperm donor. This is a comedy built on the small personal events of everyday life. Consequently the pacing is slow, reflecting the natural cadences of 90 DAYS' cast members. The film is largely improvised by its nonprofessional ensemble, which results in occasional stumbling within scenes, but also lends a bright, refreshing air to the proceedings. The key to this lies in the working methods of filmmakers Walker and Wilson. Rather than pen a formal script, the two sketched a bare-bones outline of their intentions. Cast members were given the basic elements of a scene shortly before shooting, leaving the unfolding and climax of a situation largely in their hands. Different versions of the film were screened to test audiences until a final cut was decided upon--another typical facet of Walker and Wilson's style. Walker knew his leading men well, for all three hold staff positions on the National Film Board of Canada. When not acting, Wodoslawsky works as a producer, while Grana handles administrative chores. Pak is a former beauty contest winner (Miss Korea of Canada), and ironically got her part when she drove her sister to the film's auditions. 90 DAYS, which is a sequel to the similarly created picture THE MASCULINE MYSTIQUE, was awarded a special prize at the 1985 Chicago Film Festival for its uncommon approach to film comedy. leave a comment
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90 Days
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