How to go
When “A Strange Brand of Happy” opens, it will be showing locally at the following theaters:
West Chester/Cincinnati: Rave/AMC Cincinnati 18
Dayton: Rave/AMC Dayton South 16
Florence, Ky.: Rave Florence
Liberty Twp. resident, Joe Boyd is taking on Hollywood, Cincinnati-style with his latest movie, “A Strange Brand of Happy,” which is set to release from Rebel Pilgrim Productions on Sept. 13. Initially, the film will open in 42 cities, including local premieres in West Chester, Dayton and Florence, Ky.
“We’re serious about making movies in Cincinnati. It’s a new day. You don’t have to be in Hollywood to make great films. You just need great material and great people … and that’s what we have right here in our hometown,” said Joe Boyd, actor, producer and president of Rebel Pilgrim Productions.
Boyd grew up in Ohio and studied at Cincinnati Christian University to become a pastor. He started taking acting and improv classes as a hobby, which led him to hosting a comedy show on the Vegas strip. Currently, he serves as a part-time teaching pastor at Vineyard Cincinnati and works full-time with Rebel Pilgrim Productions.
“I literally went from the church to the casino, overnight,” said Boyd. “Since then, I’ve had this weird sort of dual career existence where I’m involved in entertainment and in the church.”
Written, produced and shot entirely in Cincinnati, “A Strange Brand of Happy” was written and directed by Brad Wise and stars Boyd (“Hitting The Nuts”), Grammy Award winner Rebecca St. James (“Suing the Devil,” “Sarah’s Choice”), Academy Award winner Shirley Jones (“Elmer Gantry,” “The Partridge Family” TV series) and Marty Ingels.
Creators said the story is based on an aimless bachelor that meets a new group of people, specifically retirees, who help him find himself.
“With this movie, we wanted to create a fun, funny movie that anyone would like, but that the church would get behind as well. It asks the big questions of life, “Is there a God?” and “Does he have anything to do with me?” Boyd said. “Overall, it’s a pretty standard, quirky, romantic comedy.”
The film is set in a number of notable places throughout the Queen City. In one scene, they eat Graeter’s in Hyde Park Square. Another familiar scene is shot from a top-floor apartment on the West Side in the Queen’s Tower, looking out over the city skyline. (It’s in the same building as the Primavista restaurant.) The crew also filmed scenes with residents at the Evergreen Retirement Community, who served as extras in the movie.
“We wanted this movie to be a love letter to Cincinnati,” said Brad Wise. “We wanted to feature as much as we could of the city. There’s nothing better when you’re watching a movie, you see a place you recognize and say, ‘I know where that is.’ ”
In addition to the 42 screens on opening weekend, Boyd said the movie will be open to any other market that has pre-sold ticket sales of 500 or more through www.seatzy.com, a crowd funding model like Kickstarter. The film is not yet rated. For the latest news and updates, or to find a local theater, go online to www.strangehappymovie.com.
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