The Go-Getter (2007)

Director:

Martin Hynes

Writer (WGA):

Martin Hynes (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Life doesn't come with a roadmap.

Plot:

When his mother dies, a teenager takes a road-trip in a stolen car to find his long-lost brother. Along the way he discovers a profound connection with the car-owner and with himself as well. |

Plot Keywords:

Road Trip | Stolen Car | Male Virgin | Hotel | Potter

Cast

Lou Taylor Pucci	...	Mercer
Zooey Deschanel	...	Kate
Jena Malone	...	Joely
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Giuseppe Andrews	...	Stock Boy
Jon 'Corn Mo' Cunningham	...	Drummer
Kathleen M. Darcy	...	J's Mom
John Anthony Delgado	...	Helpful Guy
Bill Duke	...	Liquor Supply
Colin Fickes	...	Cousin Buddy
Allison Flashman	...	Stand-in
Jsu Garcia	...	Arlen
Judy Greer	...	Better Than Toast
Saul Huezo	...	Valet (as Saúl Huezo)
Marissa Ingrasci	...	Laurel
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Sergio Leone
Vivianne Nacif	...	Voices (voice)
Nick Offerman	...	Nick the Potter / Mowhawk Trumpeter / Bald Phone Translator
Paul Palo	...	Old Man
Michael Patterson-Crohn	...	Supporting
William Lee Scott	...	Rid
Eliska Sursova	...	Candy Striper
Maura Tierney	...	Hal's Pets
M. Ward	...	J
Sita Young	...	Colder

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content and drug use.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #42748)

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Et Cetera Films

Trivia:

The beach scene at California was filmed in Oregon.

Quotes:

Mercer: [First lines] I always had a problem with Huckleberry Finn. I mean, I liked the story, I read it, but the river... it made me feel stuck.

Movie Connections:

References Bande à part (1964)

Soundtrack:

Color Me Impressed

Fantastic Cinematography and Acting Separate Film from the Pack

On first glance the Go-Getter seems like another cliché coming of age road film but it does a great job of taking the familiar plot but focusing the film in an unique way. Lou Taylor Pucci plays Mercer a 19 year old who steals a car in order to inform his half brother he has not seen in many years that their mother has died. Mercer is all alone with no family but starts to strike up a unique friendship with Kate the women whose car he stole played by Zooey Deschanel who gives a wonderful performance and is one of the most talented and beautiful young actresses working today. The road trip is just a backdrop for developing the relationship between Kate and Mercer. Martin Hynes does a good job developing this relationship while at the same time juggling Mercer's journey to find his brother as well as his journey of self discovery. Hynes also shows some of his skill behind the camera by setting up some beautiful shots. There is a dream sequence where Mercer and Kate are running across a beach with cowboy hats shooting at each other with old western style cap guns in slow motion with wash out colors and a glaring sun. There is even a great Godard reference with a recreation of that fantastic dancing scene in Band of Outsiders in addition to jump cuts used when Mercer and Kate first meet under duress. The conversations between Mercer and Kate are well written and shot and make up the core of this film. These conversations happen over the phone and as the film progresses and the better they get to know each other these scenes are shot with the actors talking directly to each other but with their voices dubbed with how they sound coming out of the phone. There is an impressive soundtrack with many great indie rock songs to set the mood such as tons of songs from M. Ward (who has a small cameo), Black Keys, Animal Collective and even an Elliot Smith song. This film may look like the same in a long line of "quirky" indie films but the cinematography, unique structure and acting really give this film a polish some of its contemporaries may lack.