Of all the strange things...
I watch this movie "Back in the Day" that just recently came out. And as it starts they talk about going from LA back to Newburgh for a class reunion - I kinda go Hmmmm. Then he arrives at the airport and I go - hey that looks familiar as the key character is coming out of our airport (EVV). Hey - that is HERE. They go to restaurant the called "the Knob" and it is "Knob Hill" which is about less than a half a dozen houses from mine. And "the Knob" sounds a lot funnier than Knob Hill. It is a local bar/restaurant that has been here for ages. In fact my property is on the edge of that very hill (more like the valley). If the trees weren't there I could throw a rock and hit it. Then they talk about Castle High School - yep - that is where my kids went and currently GO. And low and behold, they are shots in and all around the school, as well as the river front here, and houses all around here. My kids are/were Castle Knights. They keep talking about eating a Stromboli at Pizza King - heck I had one just Friday from the very same one (best damned Stromboli's around). I drove right by it today too. It was hilarious. I don't live in Nashville or St. Louis like some of our member do - I live in a very small town next to a small city. And this is not just my small town, but my neighborhood. I don't think this area has ever been featured in anything like a film.
It turns out the main character and the guy that put the movie together is from here. So bits of the movie are probably based on some truth. But Newburgh is the town and it isn't the name of the county and we don't have a county jail (in the movie). Green River Rd is the road the Mall is on and kids probably did cruise it as in the film in the 90s. The mall they went in was the "old" Mall though, and that mall is mostly disused really - it hasn't been the main mall since the 70s (the only life left in it is a Sears store on the end of it). The move is full of stupid/rauchy type humor that is pretty fun if you aren't overly sensitive to that stuff. It is full of sophomoric humor. It is in the vein but not the level of Animal House or VanWilder - not as good but still funny. Anyhow, it isn't often when you live in a small town like this and it winds up on a hollywood movie. Last time I remember this area being on the news it was because of the Tornado in 2005 that killed 27 people - and hey, that was not a good reason to be on TV. And the only other time I remember this general area having a movie shot here was "a League of Their Own" which a local (Evansville) minor league baseball field was used for the Racine Belles - but that was over 20 years ago, and that was Evansville (the largest city nearby here) and not Newburgh.
Anyhow, it won't likely win any awards. It is a low-budget comedy no doubt. But I have to say, I thought it had some funny moments when I gave it a chance. A good brainless comedy is fun every now and then. Clearly the whole movie was shot nearby. No - not everyone is like that here! And yes - it is exaggerated for effect. But we got some chuckles, and frankly most of the movies I see now that are supposed to be comedies are much LESS entertaining than this. It is some good mindless fun. It isn't a Woody Allen movie, and thank God. Woody Allen hasn't done a funny Comedy since Sleeper! Over half of the main actors I recognized from parts in other movies or comedies.
If I spent $40 I might feel jipped. But if I got on video is was a fun hour and a half - and almost right next door. Oh yeah, I know I heard a Mock Orange tune in the movie too - a local band that I know most of the members and they are FANTASTIC. Also with some classic 80s and 90s music.
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