Wilby Wonderful
Encyclopedia
Wilby Wonderful is a 2004
film by Daniel MacIvor
. The film is a comedic drama about 24 hours in the life of the small town of Wilby, where the municipal festival is in preparation. It focuses on the changes occurring in the lives of several different inhabitants as development comes to the island and threatens to change the world around them. The title comes from a sign created to promote the town; comically, it has been painted wrong, and says "Wilby Wonderful," as opposed to "Wonderful Wilby."
Wilby Wonderful received a 71% rating from Rotten Tomatoes
(5 fresh and 2 rotten reviews).
island town of Wilby is preparing for its annual fair as a scandal threatens to rock its very foundation: the local newspaper is about to publish details and names of men caught during a police raid at Wilby Watch, the one remaining undeveloped area on the island.
In the midst of it, Wilby's inhabitants attempt to maintain business as usual. Overbusy realtor Carol French is trying to sell the mayor her late mother-in-law’s house while supervising the festival and generally trying to achieve her social ambitions. Her police officer husband, good-natured Buddy, investigating the rumors of gay sex and drugs at the Watch with his partner Stan, is distracted by his burgeoning love affair with former high school classmate Sandra Anderson. Sandra just got back to the island and re-opened a coffee shop, her bad reputation as a promiscuous woman intact. Sandra’s teenaged daughter Emily resentfully observes her mother's doings; she's hoping for a romantic relationship of her own but her boyfriend may have more basic intentions. After his wife has left him in the wake of the scandal, the new-to-town depressive video store owner Dan Jarvis keeps trying to kill himself and Duck MacDonald, the town’s handyman, keeps interrupting his attempts. Duck remains stoic in front of the turmoil, impassively coping with Carol's hysteric instructions and his impeding outing while persistently searching Dan's company. And the town's mayor is busy trying to conclude a deal to turn the Watch into a golf course.
The scandal will force the characters to reevaluate their lives and come to terms with their own secrets and lies.
, Nova Scotia
. It was largely shot at a decommissioned Canadian Forces station, dubbed "Camp Wilby" by cast and crew. While Wilby is never explicitly located in the film, Daniel MacIvor has acknowledged its similarities to his birthplace of Cape Breton
.
The original title was Honey and the town was named after that, but when a movie of the same name came out, Daniel MacIvor decided for Wilby instead as a reference to hope and to the future.
All about you, performed by Young Ideas
What went wrong and Save me too, performed by Scott B. Sympathy
Shoelace easy, performed by Stratochief
Strangest dream, performed and written by Kate Maki
Something's coming performed and written by Rebecca Jenkins
Measure me, performed by Nathan
A lighthearted lovesong, performed by The Pets
Find another fool, performed by The Swiftys
Tempest, Piano Sonata No.17 in D Major, Op.31, No.2, performed by Ethella Chuprik
Whatever will be, performed by Fiona Highet, Andrew Scott
and Patrick Pentland
for Outstanding Performance by an Actor - Female. Rebecca Jenkins won a Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award
in 2004 for Best Supporting Actress - Canadian Film.
The film was nominated in 2005 for two Genie Awards
: Rebecca Jenkins's "Something's Coming" for Best Achievement in Music - Original Song
and Ellen Page for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
. The film was also nominated for three Chlotrudis Awards in 2006: Best Ensemble Cast
, Best Original Screenplay
(Daniel MacIvor) and Best Supporting Actress
(Sandra Oh).
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
film by Daniel MacIvor
Daniel MacIvor
Daniel MacIvor is a Canadian actor, playwright, theatre director and film director. He was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia and educated at Dalhousie University in Halifax, and then at George Brown College in Toronto, Ontario....
. The film is a comedic drama about 24 hours in the life of the small town of Wilby, where the municipal festival is in preparation. It focuses on the changes occurring in the lives of several different inhabitants as development comes to the island and threatens to change the world around them. The title comes from a sign created to promote the town; comically, it has been painted wrong, and says "Wilby Wonderful," as opposed to "Wonderful Wilby."
Wilby Wonderful received a 71% rating from Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
(5 fresh and 2 rotten reviews).
Plot
The small MaritimeMaritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
island town of Wilby is preparing for its annual fair as a scandal threatens to rock its very foundation: the local newspaper is about to publish details and names of men caught during a police raid at Wilby Watch, the one remaining undeveloped area on the island.
In the midst of it, Wilby's inhabitants attempt to maintain business as usual. Overbusy realtor Carol French is trying to sell the mayor her late mother-in-law’s house while supervising the festival and generally trying to achieve her social ambitions. Her police officer husband, good-natured Buddy, investigating the rumors of gay sex and drugs at the Watch with his partner Stan, is distracted by his burgeoning love affair with former high school classmate Sandra Anderson. Sandra just got back to the island and re-opened a coffee shop, her bad reputation as a promiscuous woman intact. Sandra’s teenaged daughter Emily resentfully observes her mother's doings; she's hoping for a romantic relationship of her own but her boyfriend may have more basic intentions. After his wife has left him in the wake of the scandal, the new-to-town depressive video store owner Dan Jarvis keeps trying to kill himself and Duck MacDonald, the town’s handyman, keeps interrupting his attempts. Duck remains stoic in front of the turmoil, impassively coping with Carol's hysteric instructions and his impeding outing while persistently searching Dan's company. And the town's mayor is busy trying to conclude a deal to turn the Watch into a golf course.
The scandal will force the characters to reevaluate their lives and come to terms with their own secrets and lies.
Cast
- James AllodiJames AllodiJames Allodi is a Canadian actor, writer and director.-Career:James Allodi earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts, with a Major in Film, from New York University. Since then, the writer, director, and actor has amassed an impressive resume of stage, television and film credits...
as Dan Jarvis - Maury ChaykinMaury ChaykinMaury Alan Chaykin was an American-born Canadian actor. Best known for his portrayal of detective Nero Wolfe, he was also known for his work as a character actor in many films and on television programs.-Personal life:...
as Mayor Brent Fisher - Paul GrossPaul GrossPaul Michael Gross is a Canadian actor, producer, director, singer and writer born in Calgary, Alberta. He is known for his lead role as Constable Benton Fraser in the television series Due South as well as his 2008 war film Passchendaele, which he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in...
as Buddy French - Rebecca JenkinsRebecca Jenkins-Acting:She had starring roles in the 1990s CBC series Black Harbour, and the films Bye Bye Blues, Marion Bridge, Wilby Wonderful, Whole New Thing, South of Wawa and Supervolcano. She also had a supporting role in the 1992 film Bob Roberts, as Dolores Perrigrew...
as Sandra Anderson - Sandra OhSandra OhSandra Oh is a Canadian actress. She is best known for the role of Dr. Cristina Yang on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, for which she has won a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award. She also played notable roles in the feature films Under the Tuscan Sun and Sideways, and had a supporting role on the...
as Carol French - Ellen PageEllen PageEllen Philpotts-Page , known professionally as Ellen Page, is a Canadian actress. Page received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Actress for her role as the title character in the film Juno...
as Emily Anderson - Callum Keith RennieCallum Keith RennieCallum Keith Rennie is a British-born Canadian television and film actor. He started his career in Canadian film and television projects, where his portrayal of Stanley Raymond Kowalski in the TV series Due South was his first international success...
as Duck MacDonald - Daniel MacIvorDaniel MacIvorDaniel MacIvor is a Canadian actor, playwright, theatre director and film director. He was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia and educated at Dalhousie University in Halifax, and then at George Brown College in Toronto, Ontario....
as Stan Lastman
Filming
Wilby Wonderful was filmed from 21 July to 25 August 2003 in ShelburneShelburne, Nova Scotia
Shelburne is a town located in southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the shire town of Shelburne County.-History:-Settlers:...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. It was largely shot at a decommissioned Canadian Forces station, dubbed "Camp Wilby" by cast and crew. While Wilby is never explicitly located in the film, Daniel MacIvor has acknowledged its similarities to his birthplace of Cape Breton
Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton County, officially, County Cape Breton, is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island.Taking its name from Cape Breton, the most easterly point of the island which was called after the Bretons of Brittany, this municipality has what is probably the oldest...
.
The original title was Honey and the town was named after that, but when a movie of the same name came out, Daniel MacIvor decided for Wilby instead as a reference to hope and to the future.
Soundtrack
Give me the chance to fall and Statement, performed by Gentleman RegGentleman Reg
Reg Vermue is a Canadian indie rock singer from Guelph, Ontario. Born in Trenton, Ontario, he records as Gentleman Reg. His musical style has been compared to Elliott Smith, Aimee Mann, The Smiths and Cat Power...
All about you, performed by Young Ideas
What went wrong and Save me too, performed by Scott B. Sympathy
Scott B. Sympathy
Scott Bradshaw, who records as Scott B. Sympathy, is a Canadian indie rock musician. He released several albums with his eponymously-named band in the 1990s, and subsequently became a member of Stratochief following the 1999 death of that band's singer Greg McConnell.The name "Scott B...
Shoelace easy, performed by Stratochief
Stratochief
Stratochief is a Canadian alternative country band.The band was originally formed by Greg McConnell, following the breakup of his earlier band, Lost Dakotas. Vaughan Passmore and Johnny Trash, McConnell's 1980s bandmates in Absolute Whores, joined McConnell in the new band.The band's debut album,...
Strangest dream, performed and written by Kate Maki
Kate Maki
-Biography:Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Maki studied neuroscience at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and education at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario...
Something's coming performed and written by Rebecca Jenkins
Rebecca Jenkins
-Acting:She had starring roles in the 1990s CBC series Black Harbour, and the films Bye Bye Blues, Marion Bridge, Wilby Wonderful, Whole New Thing, South of Wawa and Supervolcano. She also had a supporting role in the 1992 film Bob Roberts, as Dolores Perrigrew...
Measure me, performed by Nathan
Nathan (band)
Nathan are an alt-country band from Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada.After their debut independent album Stranger won a Prairie Music Award for Outstanding Independent Album, the band signed to Nettwerk Records...
A lighthearted lovesong, performed by The Pets
The Pets
The Pets is an indie-rock band from Steinbach, Manitoba. The members of The Pets were Chris Peters, Matthew Peters, Myron Schulz and Stephen Senkiw. They released the album Love and War on Endearing Records in 2000; the album had considerable success on college radio in Canada. Members of the Pets...
Find another fool, performed by The Swiftys
Tempest, Piano Sonata No.17 in D Major, Op.31, No.2, performed by Ethella Chuprik
Whatever will be, performed by Fiona Highet, Andrew Scott
Andrew Scott (drummer)
Andrew Walter Gibson Scott is a Canadian musician born in Ottawa, Ontario and currently living in Toronto, Ontario. His first bands include No Damn Fears, Oreo Reversed and Blackpool from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Currently, he is a drummer with the Toronto-based band Sloan. He also plays guitar with...
and Patrick Pentland
Patrick Pentland
Patrick Pentland is a member of the Canadian rock band Sloan. All four members of Sloan write, produce, and sing their own songs. Patrick plays guitar, bass, keyboards in the studio, and occasionally plays drums live....
Awards
Ellen Page won an Atlantic Canadian Award in 2004 at the Atlantic Film FestivalAtlantic Film Festival
The Atlantic Film Festival is an international film festival held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Held annually, the ten-day celebration of film and video from Atlantic Canada and around the world is committed to screening an inspiring and engaging collection of films and videos from Canada and the...
for Outstanding Performance by an Actor - Female. Rebecca Jenkins won a Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards 2004
The 5th Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards, honoring the best in filmmaking in 2004, were given on 20 February 2005.-International:*Best Actor:**Jamie Foxx - Ray*Best Actress:**Imelda Staunton - Vera Drake*Best Director:...
in 2004 for Best Supporting Actress - Canadian Film.
The film was nominated in 2005 for two Genie Awards
25th Genie Awards
The 25th Genie Awards were held on March 21, 2005 to honour the best Canadian films released in 2004. The awards took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto.Andrea Martin was the host.-Best Motion Picture:...
: Rebecca Jenkins's "Something's Coming" for Best Achievement in Music - Original Song
Genie Award for Best Achievement in Music - Original Song
The Genie Award for Best Achievement in Music is awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best Canadian original song.-17th Genie Awards:* Michael Turner, Swamp Baby, Peter J...
and Ellen Page for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
The Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best supporting Canadian actress.-1st Genie Awards:* Geneviève Bujold, Murder by Decree...
. The film was also nominated for three Chlotrudis Awards in 2006: Best Ensemble Cast
Chlotrudis Award for Best Cast
The Chlotrudis Award for Best Cast is an award given by the Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film to the ensemble cast that is voted as the best by participating members. The Chlotrudis Awards is an annual ceremony where the best of the previous year's independent and international film are...
, Best Original Screenplay
Chlotrudis Award for Best Original Screenplay
The Chlotrudis Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is an award given by the Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film to the writer or writers of the winning screenplay that is voted by participating members...
(Daniel MacIvor) and Best Supporting Actress
Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award given by the Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film to the actress or actresses whose winning performance is voted by participating members...
(Sandra Oh).