Jump, Darling

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump, Darling
Jump, Darling.jpg
Film poster
Directed byPhil Connell
Written byPhil Connell
Produced byPhil Connell
Katie Corbidge
StarringCloris Leachman
Thomas Duplessie
Linda Kash
Jayne Eastwood
CinematographyViktor Cahoj
Edited byLev Lewis
Music byHarry Knazan
Production
companies
Big Island Productions
2645850 Ontario
Distributed byLevelFILM
Release date
Running time
90 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Jump, Darling is a 2020 Canadian drama film directed by Phil Connell.[1] The film stars Thomas Duplessie as Russell, a rookie drag queen reeling from a break-up, who escapes to Prince Edward County, where he finds his grandmother Margaret (Cloris Leachman) in steep decline yet desperate to avoid the local nursing home.[2] The film was one of Leachman's final performances before her death in 2021.[3]

The film's cast also includes Linda Kash as Russell's mother Ene and Jayne Eastwood as town busybody Jeanne, as well as real-life Toronto drag queens Tynomi Banks, Miss Fiercelicious and Faye Slift.[2]

The film was supported by the Inside Out Film and Video Festival's LGBTQ Finance Forum in 2017,[4] and Leachman's casting was announced in 2019.[2] The film was also supported by Telefilm Canada's Talent to Watch program for emerging filmmakers, and will be distributed in Canada by LevelFILM.[5]

Production[]

The film inspired in part by Connell's conversations with his own grandmother, who went through declining health in the early 2010s before her death.[3] He has indicated that the film is not meant to be understood as autobiographical, although he has acknowledged parallels between Russell's efforts to establish himself as a drag artist and his own status as an emerging LGBTQ filmmaker.[3]

The film was shot in 2019, primarily in Prince Edward County with some followup shooting in Toronto.[3] While in Toronto, Leachman and her daughter spent some time out on Church Street during the Pride Toronto festivities.[3]

Release[]

The film screened in an exclusive preview presentation to a hometown audience hosted by Inside Out in 2020.[6] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Leachman was unable to personally attend the premiere, but was able to watch the film from home through a private streaming link.[3]

The film was commercially released in Canada to video on demand platforms such as Apple TV+, Google Play and the proprietary platform of distributor levelFILM on March 9, 2021.[3]

Critical response[]

Writing for The Queer Review, Glenn Gaylord praised Duplessie and Leachman's work in the film, stating that Duplessie made Russell's drag performances so strong that "he could win every Lip Sync For Your Life moment on Canada's Drag Race", and applauding Leachman's ability to give such a strong and fearless performance at age 94. Of Leachman, he wrote that "you can’t easily manufacture her presence, her force, and her power. You see every wrinkle, every aging bone, and every slow, careful movement. I savored it, knowing this could easily be one of her last picture shows."[7]

Writing for the Postmedia Network chain of newspapers, Chris Knight praised Leachman's performance, writing that "Jump, Darling is Connell’s feature directing debut, and he wisely doesn’t bite off more than he can narratively chew. In addition to watching Margaret and Russell slowly feel each other out across the generational divide, we get to see him perform at what is apparently the only gay bar in the county. His lip-synced rendition of Rough Trade's High School Confidential is a showstopper, and a bit of added CanCon to boot."[8]

Writing for Original Cin, Linda Barnard gave the film an A- rating, writing that "the film leans on a well-worn setup about a troubled grandson and his frail-but-feisty grandmother. But casting Leachman as Margaret and remarkable newcomer Thomas Duplessie as budding drag queen grandkid Russell propels Jump, Darling into the winner’s circle. Connell further comes through with a solid script sprinkled with often-delightful dialogue." Further praised Duplessie's drag performance, writing "Of course, a movie about drag performers has to have at least one big number. Jump, Darling has a half-dozen outstanding ones. You can’t take your eyes of the lithe and charismatic Duplessie, whose character uses performances to deal with anger and issues. Duplessie blows the roof off the place with an incendiary version of Rough Trade’s “High School Confidential,” another sweet kiss of CanCon."[9]

References[]

  1. ^ Lauren Malyk, "Jump, Darling, Well Rounded land at Inside Out". Playback, September 9, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Dino-Ray Ramos, "Cloris Leachman To Star In LGBTQ Family Drama ‘Jump, Darling’". Deadline Hollywood, June 3, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Victoria Ahearn, "Canadian film ‘Jump, Darling’ features the late Cloris Leachman’s last starring role". Toronto Star, March 9, 2021.
  4. ^ Regan Reid, "Inside Out launches financing forum". Playback, May 15, 2017.
  5. ^ Jordan Pinto, "LevelFILM to distribute Phil Connell’s Jump, Darling". Playback, June 4, 2019.
  6. ^ Kevin Ritchie, "Inside Out lines up Beverly Glenn-Copeland doc, The Boys in the Band". Now, September 10, 2020.
  7. ^ Glenn Gaylord, "Inside Out 2020 Film Review: Jump, Darling". The Queer Review, October 4, 2020.
  8. ^ Chris Knight, "In Jump, Darling, Cloris Leachman shines one last time". The Province, March 9, 2021.
  9. ^ Linda Barnard, "PRAISE FOR CLORIS LEACHMAN’S OUTSTANDING FINAL ROLE IN JUMP, DARLING". Original Cin, March 7, 2021.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""