Cas & Dylan

source: Cas & Dylan

Cranky terminally ill loner Dr. Cas Pepper (a marvelously crusty performance by Richard Dreyfuss) finds himself saddled with flaky and free-spirited aspiring writer Dylan Morgan (a fine and charming portrayal by Tatiana Maslany) on a cross country road trip that has more than a few complications along the way. Director Jason Priestley not only relates the familiar, but still enjoyable and engrossing story at a constant pace, but also adroitly crafts a quirky low-key tone that manages just the right balance between gentle humor and bittersweet sentiment. No big surprise that both characters start off adversarial before slowly, but surely warming up to each other. Fortunately, Dreyfuss and Maslany play off each other exceptionally well, thereby making the friendship between this umpteenth endearing odd couple both funny and touching in equal measure. Best of all, this film possesses a teeming surplus of pure heart that along with the top-notch acting by the leads makes this a road trip that's well worth taking.

I did a "quick check" on Cas & Dylan on IMDb when I saw it on the TV listings, and was reluctant to watch it for several reasons: Firstly, I saw that it had only been rated by a whopping 635 people, had a rating of 6.6, and lastly…starred Richard Dreyfuss. The truth is, Richard Dreyfuss' films of years ago are seriously among some of my most cherished of all time, including Always and Once Around. But I hadn't seen him do anything in years, and when I did, in Leaves of Grass (small role)…his acting seemed unnatural. I was left thinking that he had lost his acting skill. Anyway, thought I'd give it a shot anyway. And it only took five minutes into the film before I was taken in, and smiling at both his smooth acting as well as Tatiana Maslany's. After five minutes more, I was further charmed by Mr. Dreyfuss' timing and humor, and pleasantly pleased that considering his age, he was very well cast for the film. I've read reviews of others who are familiar with Tatiana Maslany, but I've never seen her before this role. So I was struck by this surprisingly talented young actress's personality and presence. She was a big part of what had me so much enjoy this movie. I'm very attracted to films like this, that focus on the characters, the heart of the film itself and the subtleties within it, as the "goal" or the intent of the film. All in all, this was a quite enjoyable little film, with beautiful scenery, charm, and enough to have me shed a couple tears (the good kind). And any movie that does that has accomplished something special – touching one's heart is a good thing. So bravo to Mr. Dreyfuss for some pretty darn good acting in front of the camera (at ~70 years old!), and bravo to Tatiana Maslany for a perfectly natural and wonderful personality shining through in her acting as well.

(Minor spoilers!) Expecting an average comedy this ended up sky-high above my expectations. Starting up very lightly and making you crack a few smiles and laugh along the first third of the movie you wouldn't expect to be shedding tears by the end. Richard Dreyfuss and Tatiana Maslany are just as good as you would expect them to be, creating perfect chemistry between two characters that are complete opposites. Clever writing, great acting and a neat soundtrack to go with it coupled with great scenery makes this a MUST WATCH, don't miss this movie

Having an overweight Richard Dreifuss fails to rescue this abysmal and flawed story best confined to the bins of forgotten films.

Well worth watching! An excellent story to add to the many 'on the road' movies that seem to be popular with writers and directors. This is the usual story of self discovery between two unlikely people that have different reasons to cross the vast stretch of land from coast to coast of Canada. I believe the intention of the director, Jason Priestley, was to show two very real people but everything in the story is not necessarily real. The viewer is won over by the charming portrayal of Cas & Dylan by Dreyfus and Maslany. This isn't a profound story to discuss nor think too much about, instead it offers us a fine story that works well, beautiful photography, and a chemistry between Dreyfus and Maslany that makes you care about their purposes to cross the country. This is a simple joyful and sorrowful film that delivers 90 minutes of good entertainment.

This seemed silly and contrived at first but instead turned into one of those little Canadian movies that work. The cross-Canada scenery of wheat fields, lakes, mountains and sunsets didn't hurt either. Both acting leads were very good.

Greetings again from the darkness. Jason Priestley is well known for his acting career, and his first feature film as a director combines two of the more familiar movie paths – the odd couple and the road trip. Writer Jessie Gabe jolts the screenplay with enough comedy and poignancy that we overlook the air of familiarity and instead concentrate on the mismatched titular characters. Ms. Gabe also makes a memorable on screen appearance as a snippy receptionist. Richard Dreyfuss plays Dr. Cas Pepper … yep, he is Dr. Pepper (I suspect that's why he goes by Cas). Thanks to the narration and early scenes, we quickly learn Cas is a widower, a 30 year doctor, and recently discovered to be terminally ill. Cas has perfectly worked out a plan to "head west" and go out on his own terms … if only he wasn't experiencing writer's block on his suicide note. Worlds collide as Cas agrees to give Dylan Morgan (Tatiana Maslany, "Orphan Black") a ride to her boyfriend's trailer. Cas wrongly assumes that the energetic and fast-talking Dylan was visiting a relative at the hospital, and soon learns that she was experiencing "suffering vicariously through patients". See, Dylan fancies herself a writer and has developed a new genre, Action Romanture, which she is convinced will secure a publishing deal and rescue her from a world that doesn't appreciate her in the least. An unexpected turn leaves Cas and Dylan on the road together, and quibbling like an old (and odd) couple. Nothing that follows is especially ground-breaking, and in fact, is mostly quite familiar; yet the two leads somehow captivate us with their banter and the understanding that this is leading right where we know it must lead. Director Priestley wisely utilizes the stunning landscapes of western Canada, and allows the two actors to go at each other in a way that two different generations must – all the while building a friendship that we see long before they do. There are some interesting and effective song choices, but it's Ms. Maslany's spunk and depth as Dylan that allows the interactions to click. The legacy note may be the goal here, but the lesson is that no one should be alone … no matter if they be a 22 year old social misfit, or a sixty-something doctor near the end of life.

I haven't written anything on IMDb for Ages, but Tatiana Maslany's appalling snub at this year's Golden Globes has prompted me to vent my anger in some way...So.... If you get off watching TV Movies about 'Life Stories' you'll pretty much know what to expect from this film. "A dying Doctor, who plans to check out on his own terms, takes a reluctant detour when he inadvertently winds up on the lam with an 'anything-but-normal' 22-year-old girl." Yep..that's pretty well it, but it does star Tatiana and Richard Dreyfuss. Like meself, I'm sure most of you watched this because of 'Orphan Black' and wanted to see Tatiana in something where she is only playing one part. And you won't be disappointed. She starts by playing a part that, to be honest, is probably too young for her. However since her role is about someone who has to grow up and face reality, this more than compensates. In the same way, Richard Dreyfuss's character thinks that he can only face the end by turning his back on the rest of the world, yet realises that there is still time for new friendships. You can almost see him warming to the part. There is some genuine chemistry (in a Father/Daughter way) between himself and his co-star as the movie progresses. Probably the best scene in the film is when her dreams are crushed and she says she is just "ordinary", to which Richard's character lets loose with that famous 'Dreyfuss' laugh. So, the obvious question, can Tatiana hack it as ('just') a leading actress? Damn straight. Will she get parts in films which she richly deserves? Well..probably not.

I love road trip movies, mismatched pairs, and irrepressible young women. this movie has them all plus the old pro, Richard Dreyfuss, perfect as the loner-curmudgeon. Hard to see how any man could resist the looks and charm of his female co-star, also. The movie does not attempt to have Big Meaning, but should be enjoyed on its own terms. Also, some nice scenery on the journey. The story is well-paced with no overly long scenes. it will not appeal to those of the hard-boiled, real life school, although it does have a good measure of that. But it is mixed with the whimsy. You can see the relationship between the two actors develop throughout the trip and that is the heart of the story.