The New Year Parade

directed by:
Tom Quinn
starring:Paul Blackway; Andrew Conway; Irene Longshore; Greg Lyons; MaryAnn McDonald; Jennifer Welsh

Bruce says: “Working from a beautifully crafted script, Tom Quinn has made a lovely film, the type to which most independent films should aspire.  THE NEW YEAR PARADE focuses on two themes; a family torn asunder by a wife’s infidelity and the all-consuming desires of the South Philly String Band to rekindle the spirits that the group to win the top prize in the Mummer’s Parade, a historical event held each New Year’s Day in Philadelphia. 

“Mike (Andrew Conway) and Lisa (MaryAnn McDonald) have two children who both live at home although Jack (Greg Lyons) is beyond the age where kids stay with their parents these days.  Jack and his sister Kat (Jennifer Welsh) are caught in the middle of the parental drama as their father moves out of the family house to a nearby apartment.  Kat is particularly devastated.  She is involved with TV production work at her high school and her co-producer Curtis (Tobias Segal) has a crush on her.  To complicate matters her boyfriend (Paul Blackway) decides that it is time they started having sex, not great timing for a girl who is grappling with her mother’s sexual misadventures.  Jack meets a bartender named Jolie (Irene Longshore) and begins an affair.  Both father and son have been devoting as much time to band practice as to their jobs.  Jack rapidly discovers there is little time for personal relationships.  ‘That’s just the way it is,’ Mike reminds him.  Jack brings Jolie home for a sleepover.  When Kat and Jolie have an unexpected encounter in the bathroom, Jolie pauses from brushing her teeth and says ‘I usually don’t do things like this.’  Kat sarcastically retorts, ‘I usually don’t carry a toothbrush in my purse.’  When Kat goes to a birth control clinic it comes as a surprise to learn that Kat is not as daunted by sex as we had initially suspected.  

“At band practice there is much tension.  The South Philly String Band has placed 13 out of 17 bands and many members are disgusted.  A rival band is taking advantage by luring some of the better musicians away.  Jack is beginning to think that another band might be the answer for getting him away from his father. 

“Most of the actors are non-professional and two of them Jennifer Welsh and MaryAnn McDonald deliver nuanced performances that reek of years of experience.   In addition to the archival footage of various bands marching in the parade and the actual music of the South Philly String Band (who play themselves in the film), the soundtrack includes excellent choices from Elliot Smith and Jets to Brazil.  The major downside of THE NEW YEAR PARADE is the cinematography which is dark and dreary.  This film deserves better.   3.5 cats  

“THE NEW YEAR PARADE screened at the 2008 Woodstock Film Festival.”