THE GREY

90 min. - Louisville

Director: Shane Dax Taylor    Writers: Mark Boone Junior & Shane Dax Taylor

Starring: Mark Boone Junior & Catherine Kellner

A dark Southern tale of a twelve-year-old boy who is introduced into the world of cockfighting by his overbearing father against the wishes of his caring mother.

I truly did not want to like this film.  Its about Cock Fighting.  Watching roosters fight to the death is not my idea of a good time.  I like a good story.  Great characters, plot, depth……. Wait.  This film has all of that.  I couldn’t believe how much I actually liked this film.  The acting was wonderful.  The lead John Quertermous is someone I acted with and choreographed in Musical Theater productions in community theatre!  He was 12 when this was filmed.  He was 7 in Oliver. LOL!  I just made that connection. The script was unbelievable.  The characters were flawed and beautifully real.  Even though I didn’t want to like them I couldn’t stop watching this movie.  It was so dark and depressing. 

A young boy loves his pet rooster.  His father forces him to fight his animal.  His father drinks, adulteries, lies and kills all while at the cockfight.  He scares and bullies his son and by an unfortunate turn loses everything while there.  The young boy finds himself and because of the abuse he fears from his father opens the door to a darkness that will threaten to overcome him.  The end of this story is horrible, yet you want it to happen.

This film was shot in my hometown of Hardin, KY.  These people are real.  I saw them on an everyday basis.  Those who have lost hope, those who are scared to try and those who never quit striving to raise themselves above.  It is a story we all know.  It’s a story that we are scared to know.  It is a beautiful film that dares you to watch it without flinching.

Shane Morton