Waydowntown (2000)

Director:

Gary Burns

Writers:

Gary Burns (writer)
James Martin (writer)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A group of young employees bet a month's salary, winner takes all, on who can last the longest without going outside.

Plot Keywords:

Office | Garage | Office Worker | Building | Digital Film

Awards:

5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Fab Filippo	...	Tom Bennett (as Fabrizio Filippo)
Don McKellar	...	Brad
Marya Delver	...	Sandra West
Gordon Currie	...	Curt Schwin
Tammy Isbell	...	Kathy
Tobias Godson	...	Randy
Jennifer Clement	...	Vicki Strayhorn
James McBurney	...	Phil
Derek Flores	...	Paul
Xantha Radley	...	June
Dan Willmott	...	Julian
Judith Buchan	...	Mrs. Drysdale
Michelle Beaudoin	...	Anise
Harris Hart	...	Mr. Mather
Nick Cleary	...	James

MPAA:

Rated R for language, drug use and some sexuality.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Australia:M | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Company:

Alberta Foundation for the Arts

Trivia:

The Radio Station CJAY 92 that plays "Start A Rumor Day" throughout the film is a real rock station in Calgary, and those are the stations actual DJs talking, and the phone number that is mentioned (249-CJ92) is the station's phone number.

Goofs:

Continuity: In an early scene, Tom and Ralph mention that they are on day 24 of their bet. When Tom gets to his desk, the next "cross off" on his calendar marks day 27.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Devil Doll

claustrophobic office environment drains sanity in calgary

if you've ever worked in an office tower, you can sympathize with these characters. trapped in an inhumane and unnatural setting all day can be excruciating, but these 4 genXers try to take on this mantle 24 hours a day.

the writers have tried to make an analogy between the hostile environment of the modern corporate world to young minds and the closeted world of calgary's plus-15 network of above-ground enclosed walkways between downtown towers. the surrealism of office kowtowing is matched with the narrator flying thru colour-saturated mall displays.

the director and co-writer sat for a question and answer session after the screening at calgary's (first) international film festival and they made a valid point that the +15 network has decimated the downtown pedestrian life that is the core of other larger cities. personally, i like the +15 network, especially when the temperature outside is in the -40 degree range.

the fault for the lack of pedestrian life in most downtown cities should instead be laid at the choice of acquiescing quietly to the ascendance of car culture. when people are presented with the option of dodging traffic or walking safely high above, the result is predictable. the film does have a very funny scene showing how accidents can still take place even in the +15.

if you've seen and enjoyed mike judge's 'office space', you will enjoy watching this film. look for it in wider release at a theatre near you in late 2000.