John John in the Sky explained

John John in the Sky
Director:Jefferson Davis
Producer:Wakako Miyakuni
Starring:Matt Letscher
Christian Craft
Cinematography:Joel Daavid
Editing:Brian Ufberg
Music:Christopher Ward
Runtime:103 minutes
Country:United States
Japan
Language:English

John John in the Sky (also titled I'll Wave Back) is a 2001 American-Japanese drama film written by Jefferson Davis and Kari Skogland, directed by Davis and starring Matt Letscher and Christian Craft.

Cast

Release

The film was shown at the Method Fest Independent Film Festival on June 17, 2001.

Reception

Dave Lukens of The Dove Foundation gave the film a positive review and wrote, "Overall, this is a great film."[1]

Robert Koehler of Variety gave the film a negative review and wrote, "If only the storytelling in helmer Jefferson Davis’ and co-writer Kari Skogland’s script of John John in the Sky had half the aching beauty and resonance of lenser Joel Daavid’s color-saturated images of a bygone rural South, this family drama would be a bracing experience. As it is, tale of a man recalling his coming of age plays like a false piece of dress-up Americana, its humanistic aims undermined every step of the way. Despite presence of country star Randy Travis, this slice of Dixie will fade quickly after modest fest exposure."[2]

TV Guide gave the film a mixed review: "Although this convoluted father-son drama doesn’t always gel, it contains many affecting moments."[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lukens. Dave. John John in the Sky. The Dove Foundation. June 30, 2023.
  2. Koehler. Robert. John John in the Sky. July 16, 2001. Variety. June 30, 2023.
  3. Web site: I'll Wave Back Reviews. TV Guide. June 30, 2023.