Today, we are thrilled to debut the trailer for Wrong Reasons!
Wrong Reasons was written and directed by Josh Roush of the very cool band Bi-Product (and he also happens to be one of the key dudes that works on Kevin Smith movies!) Roush's new film stars Liv (also of Bi-Product) as Kat Oden, a drug addled punk/hardcore vocalist, who gets kidnapped and held hostage by a psycho who has unclear motives. Does he love Kat? Does he hate her? for the film, Roush took his punk background and incorporated into the film stylistically and philosophically. We've seen an early cut of the movie and it is pretty rad.
Plus, if you watch carefully a few punkers and cool artists pop up in supporting roles. Watch closely for the likes of Donita Sparks of L7, Kym Wilson, and even Smith himself. Also, the soundtrack rocks: Tim Armstrong, Black Flag, L7, the Wipers, CH3, the Unseen, and more.
You can check more info on the film right here. We are psyched to debut the trailer and poster below. You can also read a short interview with Roush.
What sparked the idea for this film?
This is a tough answer to give without ruining the plot of the movie, but with all of the brilliant musicians that have OD'd throughout the years, I always wondered what would have happened if someone kidnapped them to clean them up. Which, raises the question, is that even the right thing to do? If you kidnap someone to save their life, are you a hero or a villain? I really like the moral ambiguity of that concept.
What have you worked on previously?
I moved to Orange County, CA from Ohio about 15 years back with the goal of being in a punk band in what was my favorite scene at the time. After doing the band thing for a few years I kinda fell out of love with having 4 sweaty dudes with 4 egos in one tiny practice room, so I started experimenting with filmmaking.
Since then, I've worked in various parts of the movie industry, usually but not always, with Kevin Smith as my main client. I've created 3 feature length behind the scenes documentaries of his movies: Walrus Yes: The Making of Tusk, Magnum Dopus: The Making of Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, and the simply titled Clerks 3 Documentary. I've also made music videos for The Aggrolites, shot live footage of Tim Armstrong, Lars Frederiksen, and shot a tiny section in the intro of John Roecker's Green Day doc, Heart Like a Hand Grenade.
Recently I've kind of fell back in love with music again and play substitute guitar for my buddy (and composer) Cam Mosavian's band The Overrides and he, my wife and I have formed a side project called Bi-Product.
What themes do you explore in this film?
I go back to moral ambiguity. I hate when a movie hits you over the head with how it wants you to feel. So many filmmakers like Michael Moore hit you over the head consistently with how they want you to think and feel. I'd rather raise interesting questions and let the viewer come to their own decisions, and in a perfect world talk about their interpretations of the movie to other people and have a dialogue. So many artists just want to cram their bullshit interpretation of the world down your throat, I'd rather make someone question their own viewpoints.
The film is described as a "punk rock feature film". How have you incorporated punk as an ideology into the filmmaking process?
What a great question. Every aspect of this film is completely DIY. Our entire crew consisted of 5 people, and all 5 of us were working 20 hour days and doing an assortment of jobs that usually require an entire team itself. When we needed and could afford huge lights, my producer Matt built them. When we needed a news van, I snuck up on a roof and stole a direct TV satellite dish, painted it white, and attached it with magnets to a cargo van. When we needed a shot of a moving car, I hung out of the back of an SUV as we drove up a mountain. When we ate, Liv had to go from starring in the film, to catering a dinner for cast and crew. Hell, our sound recorder Cam is also the composer and mixer of the film.
The film itself is my giant love letter to punk rock, but from conception, to execution, to distribution, this film is punk as fuck, and the VOD/Blu-Ray distribution in 2023 will be handled by the legendary MVD! I’ve been buying their DVD’s of The Dead Boys, The Cramps, Dead Kennedys, and more for years!
What influences do you have and how does that manifest in the movie?
Honestly (and God, don't let him read this or he'll never shut up about it) my biggest inspiration is Kevin Smith and his film Clerks. The dude took out $27k of credit card debt just to make his own film with his friends. To this day, the man is the hardest worker I know, he's always got 12 plates spinning and there isn't a day that goes by we aren't working on something, hell we shot the intro to this trailer during Thanksgiving. The dude is still a tried-and-true indie filmmaker with a crazy work ethic.
Broadly speaking, I suppose I'm influenced by anyone who isn't afraid of hard work regardless of whether or not success comes from it. Robert Altman who died doing what he loved on set. Orson Welles who wasn't afraid to make movies outside of the system. Bands like The Damned who in all deservedness should be the biggest fucking touring act in the world but are still playing clubs when they have to. I dig people who do what they do because they have no other choice.
What do you want viewers to take from the film?
That's up to them. There's a hell of a lot of choices on streaming and we're taking the film on the road ourselves and doing QnA's after each screening at a time when the cinema is a historically unpopular place to go. I appreciate them even going to see it if they do.
I've been busting my ass for the last 7 years to get Wrong Reasons made & it is the culmination of everything I got into this business to do 13 years ago.
Tomorrow we release the trailer via @Punknews & Wed it premieres. I hope you check out my little love letter to punk rock. pic.twitter.com/DHw9LPQx00
— Dr. Josh Roush (@JoshRoush) November 28, 2022