Aaron Webber makes an outstanding feature-film debut in WHOLE NEW THING as 13-year-old Emerson, a precocious homeschooled boy who spends most of his time, when not alone in his room, with his very liberal parents and his parents' friends. He takes naked saunas and smokes dope with his mother, Kaya (Rebecca Jenkins), and father, Rog (Robert Joy), and gives erotic back rubs to their female friends. But Kaya, who needs a change in her life, believes it must start with Emerson going to the local public school and meeting some kids his own age. It also involves her getting involved with Denny (Callum Keith Rennie) because of Rog's growing bitterness about his failing career. Despite his protestations, Emerson goes off to school, and after his initial displeasure with the whole new experience, thinking he is above it all, he soon develops a crush on his teacher, Don Grant (cowriter Daniel MacIvor). Don, meanwhile, likes to spend his free time having anonymous sex with strange men in public rest-stop bathrooms.
Beautifully shot on location in Nova Scotia by Christopher Ball, and expertly directed and cowritten by Amnon Buchbinder, WHOLE NEW THING, a film-festival favorite shot in a mere 15 days, is a touching coming-of-age story with fascinating, unique characters, strong acting, and plenty of unexpected twists and turns. Buchbinder's brother David composed, arranged, conducted, and produced the film's score, with additional music from the Hidden Cameras.
Theatrical Release - APRIL 6, 2007 (Limited)
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Dolby Digital 2.0 - English
Subtitles - Spanish
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commmentary - Director & Actors
Coming Attractions
Trailer
Interactive Features:
Scene Selections
Stars
Aaron Webber: Star, WHOLE NEW THING (2007)
Daniel Maclvor: Star, WHOLE NEW THING (2007)
Robert Joy: Actor/"Shadows And Fog"
Callum Keith Rennie:
Rebecca Jenkins: Supporting Actress
Kathyrn MacLellan: Actor, WHOLE NEW THING, (2007)
Hugh Thompson: Actor, A GLIMPSE OF HELL (2001)
Jackie Torrens: Actor, WHOLE NEW THING, (2007)
Director
Amnon Buchbinder: Director, WHOLE NEW THING (2007)
Producer
Kelly Bray: Producer, WHOLE NEW THING (2007)
Camelia Frieberg:
Screenwriter
Amnon Buchbinder: Director, WHOLE NEW THING (2007)
Composer
David Buchbinder: Composer, CLUB LAND (2001)
Director of Photography
Christopher Ball: Director of Photography, WHOLE NEW THING (2007)
Music Performer(s)
The Hidden Cameras: Indie band
Review 1:
"[A] minutely observed family drama....The rare film in which the actors playing parents and child feel biologically connected."
Source: New York Times
p.E14 04/06/2007