Who Is KK Downey?

Who Is KK Downey? is a 2008 comedy film directed by Pat Kiely and Darren Curtis.[1] It was produced in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Who Is KK Downey?
Directed byPat Kiely
Darren Curtis
Written byPat Kiely
Darren Curtis
Matt Silver
Produced byBrandi-Ann Milbradt
Trevor Barnes
Kieran Crilly
StarringPat Kiely
Darren Curtis
CinematographyBobby Shore
Music byTod van Dyk
Distributed byIndiePix Films (US)
Release date
  • September 5, 2008 (2008-09-05)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Loosely based on the JT Leroy controversy, the film stars Curtis and Matt Silver as Terrance Permenstein and Theo Huxtable, two friends who invent the character of KK Downey, a transgender street prostitute, as the "author" of Theo's novel Truck Stop Hustler after it gets rejected by a publisher because Theo comes across too white and middle-class to be believable as the writer of a book about street life, with Terrance donning drag to play Downey. Kiely also stars as Connor Rooney, a music journalist who becomes suspicious of Downey's story and tries to hunt down the truth.[2]

The film was created through the Montreal comedy troupe Kidnapper Films.[3] Paul Spence, Brent Skagford and Dan Beirne also appear in supporting roles.

Cast
Actor Role
Scott Thompson
Darren CurtisTerrance/KK
Kristin AdamsSue
Matt SilverTheo Huxtable
Pat KielyConnor
Dan HaberFrankie Lola
Claire BrosseauCrazy Mary
Pilar CazaresBoochis
Christine GhawiPenelope
Trevor HayesSaul
Brent SkagfordFishlips
Etan MuskatRatso

Release

The film premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose. It then screened at the Philadelphia Film Festival before its limited release in Canada in September, 2008. It also screened at the Oldenburg International Film Festival, the Boston Underground Film Festival, the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, the Tallgrass Film Festival, CMJ Film Festival, the Kingston Canadian Film Festival, the Chicago International Music and Movie Festival, and the Wisconsin Film Festival.

The film was released on DVD in Canada on April 14, 2009 by Koch International,[4] and on DVD in the United States by Indiepix in October 2009.

Reception

Philip Brown of Exclaim! called the film "easily the funniest Canadian film to hit screens in decades", writing that "I've got a feeling that a few years from now we may all look back at Who Is KK Downey? as the beginning of some pretty big comedy careers.[2]

Liam Lacey of The Globe and Mail gave the film three stars and referred to it as "rude and blessedly tasteless, without any sense the creators have any agenda except to be funny."[5]

John Griffin of the Montreal Gazette wrote that "Who is KK Downey? concedes little to conventional film notions of beauty, taste or narrative arc, preferring to rely on the brains, wit and energy of its cast and writers, and the formidable ensemble power of local musicians, crew, producers and locations. This is a DIY basement enterprise, with the good humour, hardcore ethos and sheer hustle to pull it all together. You're either with Who is KK Downey? or you're not. I'm there. You could be, too."[6]

Marie-Geneviève Cyr received a Genie Award nomination for Best Costume Design at the 29th Genie Awards in 2009.[7] At the 11th Jutra Awards, Tod Vandyk, Peter Lopata and Jean-Philippe Espantoso were nominated for Best Sound.[8]

References
  1. "Who is KK Downey?". Now, October 22, 2008.
  2. Philip Brown, "Who Is KK Downey? Darren Curtis and Pat Kiely". Exclaim!, April 24, 2009.
  3. John Griffin, "Film school rejects make own fun - and a hit flick; Kidnapper comedy collective blames their West End anglo roots for the success of Who is KK Downey?". Montreal Gazette, September 6, 2008.
  4. "Who Is KK Downey: it's lewd, crude, rude and good". Montreal Gazette, April 17, 2009.
  5. Liam Lacey, "Cheery satire is strictly for laughs". The Globe and Mail, October 27, 2008.
  6. John Griffin, "Hardcore Hustle; Montreal's Kidnapper Films mocks convention and celebrity in Who is KK Downey? The result is a winning display of talent, wit and bad haircuts". Montreal Gazette, September 5, 2008.
  7. "Nomination pour une designer gaspésienne". La Voix du Restigouche, February 19, 2009.
  8. "11e Soirée des Jutra : les finalistes". La Presse, February 17, 2009.
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