Welcome to CollinwoodDirected by Anthony & Joe RussoStarring William H. Macy, George Clooney, Sam RockwellFive pathetic losers…the heist of a lifetime…somehow the two just don’t seem to mix. In Anthony and Joe Russo’s new flick Welcome to Collinwood, producers George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh attempt to show the comic lengths to which such a combination can be taken.Based on the Italian comedy Big Deal on Madonna Street, Collinwood tells the story of a group of washed-up misfits in a small town who inadvertently get wind of a job that has the potential for a huge payout. Bonded by their determination to pull it off, the group of five take safe-cracking lessons from wheelchair-bound crackpot Clooney, all the while avoiding suspicious cops and the ex-con they stole the idea from in the first place. While Collinwood may not be the most hilarious film to hit theatres this year, it is good for a lot of laughs, mostly due to its casting. Sam Rockwell (The Green Mile, Charlie’s Angels) is Pero, a sleazy yet endearing “boxer” who can’t seem to last past the first two minutes of any fight. Michael Jeter (The Green Mile, Jurassic Park 3) plays Toto, an almost senile old man who has a heart of gold. William H. Macy, known specifically for offbeat, quirky characters in Fargo and Boogie Nights, plays the lovable Riley, an unsuccessful artist and father of a baby, who needs his cut of the take to have his wife released from prison. In Toronto to promote the film, he says, “I don’t know why I play such losers…I guess I’ll have to stop it!”
