Distinguishing itself from other movies of its kind, a Burnaby filmmaking duo’s feature film homage to 1970s buddy comedies features an unmasked Lower Mainland backdrop.
A Legacy of Whining, produced by Maria Munro and written, directed and starring Ross Munro, centres around two old high school friends who reunite for one evening of misadventures in an attempt to recapture their youth. Munro plays Mitch, a naïve, 50-something failed actor who is faced with contemplating his life’s legacy.
Munro said that the role allowed for him to analyze his own experiences in the industry as filmmaker. The Winnipeg-native graduated film school in the late ‘80s and A Legacy of Whining is his second feature film.
“In some ways, it’s more about me being a filmmaker and taking stock of where I am in life and analyzing, ‘am I successful? Have I been as successful as I wanted to be? Am I delusional about what I’m trying to do?’” Munro said. “It was painful for me, but if I could get laughter out of it, that was my goal.”
Nearly half the film was shot in Burnaby, with Production Way and Brentwood Town Centre SkyTrain stations visible throughout, according to Munro.
“We live in Burnaby, work in Burnaby, and we enjoy life in Burnaby, so I think that really motivated us to want to feature the city and support the area,” he said. “We like the idea that we’re not trying to turn the city we live in into some make-believe city in the United States.”
The Munros believe their film helps to satisfy what they view as a ‘hunger’ for more Burnaby or Vancouver-based films within the Canadian film scene. The husband and wife team are proud Burnaby citizens and hope other local filmmakers will come out to support their film when it premieres at the Vancity Theatre on April 5.
Although the film is described as a bittersweet look at male midlife crisis, Munro said it’s relatable to anyone, regardless of age or gender.
“You can be 20, 25 years old and be at any kind of crossroads in life where you really have to self-evaluate and look in the mirror to realize what you have to do to more fully realize your dreams,” he said.
The film’s premiere will feature a cast Q&A, red carpet and host – someone who Munro says will be familiar to Vancouver audiences.
“We can’t confirm who it is yet because we’re still trying to lock them down, but (the premiere) is going to be a real lovefest – a celebration of do-it-yourself, indie spirit, Burnaby-Vancouver filmmaking!”
Check out more about A Legacy of Whining at nextoneproductions.ca/legacy
