Don McKay

Don McKay combines a mystery drama with some thriller and comedy aspects sprinkled in. The film starts off a little slow, but picks up and becomes one strange thriller and that is meant in a good way. After the first major strange event happens in the film it changes the whole tone and as the movie progresses you keep getting the feeling everything is off with the story, and you just aren't quite sure where it is going. As the story progresses and you start to understand what happened they feed you enough but not too much to keep the film interesting. My only complaint with that is that some of the events in the film are a little too far fetched and you do need to suspend your belief a little to fully enjoy the film.

Thomas Haden Church puts on a good performance as Don McKay, not necessarily for a standout performance, but his facial expressions and reactions to the events that happen bring them to life more. I've never really been an Elisabeth Shue fan, but also liked her in the film as she played her role well and there was a certain chemistry with her and Thomas Haden Church. With these types of films the ending usually makes or breaks them and for Don McKay I thought it came off somewhat believable amongst all the strangeness leading up to it. I'd definitely recommend the film to people as it may get overlooked.

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If you read the few reviews on here that bashed the movie, you will believe it was pointless. They missed it entirely. I can only say that this was a very enjoyable tale start to end, and well worth watching particularly for anyone who enjoys a slow build to a finale. I am always looking for an original story and original telling of it, and highly recommend this nice little gem that you will not regret seeing.

Don McKay is a suspense crime thriller that you will want to watch a second time because the reveal at the end makes you re-examine the entire movie. I give this 8 out 10 stars because the movie did get a little bit into the unbelievable realm when the puzzle started to unravel, but the final payoff is so filled with revelation that you forgive that.

The first half of the movie was paced and shown in a very similar style to Shutter Island, and I felt was extremely well done. (However, if you don't like a slow build and pacing that takes it's time, then you probably won't like this movie.) I personally started to believe that this little movie could have gone for a major ending of epic proportions -- it was that well done in my opinion. But, Act Two did keep the movie on a smaller scale and got a bit quirky in parts, which was a disappointment. However, it was all worth it as you finally understand what was going on the entire time in the final minutes. It keeps you guessing the entire time, and even when you do guess right, which I had done, the ending still took it to a whole new level that I did not expect. Total surprise.

I will also add that I was laughing out loud during several sequences of the movie. The dark humor was really good.

Acting was excellent, although I say that after understanding the whole situation at the end. During the movie I felt it was more like average, but that ending puts it all in a new light.

Cinematography, score, and sets were excellent, felt just right for the tone and added a nice reinforcing effect on the movie.

Thomas Haden Church stars as the soft-spoken and slow-moving (but not necessarily slow-witted) titular character in this surprisingly entertaining black comedy.

Why do I say surprising? Oh, because it faded quickly into oblivion and has such a low score here at IMDb. And I admit that I at first had trouble getting into the film's weird (and I don't think always intentionally so) rhythm. Like a lot of black comedies, it takes time to establish its tone and cue you in on what you should and shouldn't be finding funny. Unfortunately, Church isn't up to the task of being our confident guide. His attempts to play Don McKay, a janitor who's summoned back to his hometown by a dying ex-girlfriend, as a shuffling and seemingly dim bulb come across instead as stiff and baffled. But the film is saved by playful performances by Elisabeth Shue, as this sordid crime film's femme fatale, and especially Melissa Leo, as a suspicious nurse who channels Judith Anderson from Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca." It's up to these two, who are clearly having a ball with their roles, to get the film and us firmly into the black comedy spirit, and once they do so, the film plays as a quirky and entertaining bit of fun.

Grade: B

This movie had some wonderful comedy scenes. A dark comedy. I really had a great laugh.

The story line was okay and the acting of the main lead was just well controlled and done. The main hero is a great actor. His controlled dialogue delivery with a straight face was extraordinary and the situational comedy.

I would recommend people to watch it.

I loved the movie for sheer laughs.

I give it a 7.

Go and watch it.

I went to see "Don McKay" with some friends last night; it wasn't really on my movie radar because there hasn't been a big ad campaign, but it was thoroughly entertaining! I didn't really know what to expect; it appeared to be a thriller and although I would categorize it as that, I was surprised at how funny it was.

Seriously, the whole audience seemed to be caught up in the plot - the pace and the twists and turns leave you a little breathless at times, but belly-laughing as well. I'm actually considering seeing it again since it's one of those movies that you might want to re-watch and "look for clues."

Thomas Haden Church is perfect as Don the lonely janitor leading a solitary mundane life, pining for his lost love. He has an expressive face that is compelling as he is in turns beguiled, curious, confused, frustrated, and desperate.

Elisabeth Shue as Sunny is a complete wackadoo, I don't know how else to put it… she is manipulative to the extreme and it's entertaining to see her in action, turning on the charm and wrapping Don around her finger. She takes full advantage of Don's vulnerability; it seems at times Don is vaguely aware of being played, but is enjoying the attention of this sexy creature so much that he willingly goes along for the ride.

Melissa Leo appears as Sunny's uptight and prim caregiver. If you've seen her in other films, just the sight gag of her character is amusing enough, but I daresay that she delivers some of the best lines in the film.

There are several character actors whom I recognized as "that guy! I love him - he was so great in…" who fill out the cast. They may not be household names, but you've seen them countless times before. I especially liked Keith David as Otis but they all delivered solid performances.

I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but suffice it to say that there is a lot of double-crossing going on. Although the viewer may be wondering what the hell is going on in the middle, everything becomes clear by the final act.