Synopsis: The owner of a long established
diner in a changing Brooklyn neighborhood bows to economic pressures and
decides to close his restaurant, selling the location to an aggressive
developer. It is a typical story in so many increasingly gentrified American
cities.
EVERYDAY PEOPLE looks beyond this nondescript transaction into the hearts
of the women and men whose lives are forever altered by the deal. Over
the course of a long, tense day, the working class and multi-generational
staff and customers of Raskins have to grapple with a suddenly cloudy
future. Like so many of America's working poor, their lives are at the
mercy of forces beyond their control. As the day unfolds, unspoken thoughts
and deep-seated attitudes rise to the surface. These individuals collide
in love and pain, generating disturbing conflicts and surprising bonds
- all of which challenge conventional assumptions about class and racial
identity.
Jim McKay ("Girls Town," "Our Song") has created a beautifully observed
and profoundly moving portrait of the United States at the turn of the
21st Century and a love letter to Brooklyn - New York City's most diverse
and vibrant borough.
The film was an official selection at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival
and was also selected as the opening night film at the 2004 New Directors
/ News Films festival at Lincoln Center in New York City.
The Cast:
Steven Axelrod
Bridget Barkan
Ron Butler
Reg E. Cathey
Jordan Gelber
Billoah Greene
Stephen Henderson
Iris Little-Thomas
Sydnee Stewart
Production Credits:
EVERYDAY PEOPLE is executive produced by Nelson George, Sean Daniel, Caldecot
Chubb, Jim McKay and Michael Stipe, and produced by Effie T. Brown and
Paul Mezey. Written and directed by Jim McKay. |