(andPOP) - Honeydripper, written/directed and edited by John Sayles (Lone Star, City of Hope, Eight Men Out, Brother From Another Planet, The Return of The Secaucas Seven), one of America’s most celebrated contemporary independent filmmakers, is now playing in Toronto (Carlton and Kennedy Commons Scarborough).
Starring Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Keb’ Mo’, Stacy Keach, Sean Patrick Thomas and Mary Steenburgen, the film also features a major new talent - Gary Clark Jr., recently named Best Blues Artist at the Austin Music Awards and one of the most exciting guitarists in the country, in the central role of Sonny.
After laying off his regular talent, blues singer Bertha Mae (Dr. Mable John), Tyrone announces to his sidekick Maceo (Charles S. Dutton) that he has hired the famous electric guitar player, Guitar Sam, for a special one night only gig: pack 'em in and save the club. On the day of the show, the train arrives and Guitar Sam is nowhere to be found. Tyrone is forced to take drastic action. He makes a deal with Sheriff Pugh (Stacy Keach) to release Sonny (Gary Clark Jr.), the kid who hopped off a freight car here in Harmony, and turned up in the club claiming he could play the guitar as well as any Guitar Sam. Tyrone cleans Sonny up and launches a last ditch scheme to pass off the young guitar picker as Guitar Sam just long enough to cut the lights and run off with cash box. When Sonny takes the stage and launches into his first scalding electric licks, Tyrone will learn if it’s lights out for the Honeydripper or if his luck has changed; he might just be another man saved by rock n' roll.
Maggie Renzi has been John Sayles’ creative partner since 1978 and she has produced nearly all of his movies. She has also acted in many of them. Renzi and Sayles were students together at Williams College in the early 1970s, and have been together since 1973.
andPOP caught up with both Renzi and Sayles to talk about Honeydripper.
