Driving Not Knowing Explained

Driving Not Knowing
Director:	Benjamin R. Davis Dylan Hansen-Fliedner Dane Mainella Jay Jadick
Producer:	Benjamin R. Davis Dylan Hansen-Fliedner
Music:	Charley Ruddell
Cinematography:	Benjamin R. Davis Dylan Hansen-Fliedner
Runtime:	86 minutes
Language:	English

Driving Not Knowing is a 2015 American semi-autobiographical musical drama film directed by Benjamin R. Davis, Dylan Hansen-Fliedner, Dane Mainella and Jay Jadick. The film received the Alternative Spirit Award, First Prize from the Rhode Island International Film Festival.

Cast

• Dane Mainella as Will, a poet
• Jay Jadick as Lee, a musician
• Emily Rea as Jo, Will's friend
• Kenneth Goldsmith as Lenny
• Seth Schimmel as Noah
• Michael Wintermute as Paul
• Charley Ruddell as Chaz
• Bruce Spears as Corn, a drug dealer
• Jessup Lepkowski as Allen
• Liz Barr as Abby
• Theodore Jadick as Ted
• Debra Jadick as Debbie
• Alexa Nicolas as Mae
• Caroline Kee as Cybil
• Joe Tirella as Bouncer
• Janie Ruddell as Minor

Production

The film was produced on a low budget with filming locations around rural Pennsylvania. The film has been described as "semi-autobiographical" by Mainella and Jadick because it incorporates some of their own personal storylines within fictional scenarios.^[1]

Reception

Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter praised the film for its cinematography saying that it makes "this rural gateway enticing" and the music for being "intermiittently engaging". However, he criticized the characters for being thinly drawn and the actors' lack of charisma. He pointed out to Brokeback Mountain, another gay film, for how it should be done.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Project of the Day: 'Driving Not Knowing'. Indiewire. Indiewire. (Snagfilms). July 2, 2015. July 12, 2015.
2. Web site: 'Driving Not Knowing': Outfest Review. Stephen Farber. The Hollywood Reporter. (Prometheus Global Media). July 12, 2015. July 12, 2015.