Lenexa, 1 Mile

I saw a festival cut of this movie and was very impressed. The ensemble acting is terrific, no doubt because the superb cast that was directed by a great actor, Jason Wiles. Paul Wesley is particularly memorable as the sullen hothead Rick. Jason Ritter shows he's got his dad's talent coursing through his veins, he's believable and charming without breaking a sweat. Michael Rooker plays the local bad guy cop Russ with authority and shading - a role that could have been one dimensional in less capable hands. Michael Beach is a hoot as the other cop. Chris Klein fills out the group of buddies with hapless sincerity. Keep your eye on Josh Stewart (who plays TJ) - this guy is a young Sean Penn with a big future. Every once in a while you see a movie like "Diner" with a great, lesser known cast - then in ten years you look again and realize you saw a movie showcasing a bunch of actors who became movie stars. "Lenexa" is such a movie. See it now so you can say you did! The story will hook anyone who grew up with a tight group of friends and had to face the inevitable changes of growing up. Beautifully shot and edited (I think) in Kansas, with great use of the locations.