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Last Monday night Gretchen and I attended the cast and crew screening of, “Riot” and both of us really enjoyed it; it was great!  John Lyde and Matthew Reese came up with a great concept and Spanky Ward crafted yet one more masterful script.  (Note: I couldn’t refer to the script as “great”, I’ve already used my non Donald Trump “great” allotment for this piece.)

I’d never worked with John Lyde before, but his conversion of the story from script to screen was as close to what I was imagining when I read the script as anything I can imagine.  On set John’s crew was wonderful to work with; consummate professionals among them, Paul Hunt, Leslie Kidman, and Larissa Beck- thank you, you couldn’t have treated me better during my time on set.

I’m so very grateful that I chose to participate in the Knightstar talent showcase in March, without it and without John’s participation as a judge for the showcase, I would not have been cast.  When I initially read the breakdown, I was thinking of reading for the role that eventually went to Dolph Lundgren, but for reasons I’ve since forgotten, I didn’t even audition.  So when my agent, Liz Knight called and told me that John had offered me the role, I was both surprised and grateful.  (Anyway, after seeing the film last Monday, my now very rusty Tai Chi and Tae Kwon Do skills wouldn’t have been enough to do the role justice.)

But the most important and best thing about “Riot” is this; and credit John for this, the movie knows what it is and it doesn’t try to be anything else.  Gretchen and I came up with this almost simultaneously, unlike, for example, Disney’s “The Lone Ranger”-a film that tried to be too many things and ended being a total mess, “Riot” is an action movie, nothing more, nothing less.  It doesn’t depend on the action to make it good, it has a good script and story for that, the action is just one ingredient out of many in a very good, entertaining movie.  Without giving too much away, I can safely say that it’s 87 minutes of punching, kicking, high energy action; so bring on the popcorn, Twix and diet-Coke!

At the screening on Monday night, John told us that Universal has already purchased the U.S. and Canadian distribution rights, so I’m looking forward to seeing it again and getting a DVD or Blu Ray copy of it (hopefully with some special features).  My only disappointment on Monday was that my favorite movie daughter, Eve Mauro, was unable to make it back to Salt Lake for the screening.  I’m thankful that I was cast in this movie and if I’m real lucky, I’ll get to work with this great group of filmmakers again soon.

So until then, or maybe sooner, I’ll be seeing you on set, on location, on the stage or in the studio…

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