Search - Finding North on DVD

Suprisingly good comedy/road movie

Steve Woods | San Francisco, CA | 04/26/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A tad too fast-paced in the beginning, this film is nonetheless an entertaining affair. Wendy Makkena (from Sister Act 1 and 2) is a very talented and very funny actress - she has the Brooklyn-thing down pat (she's all big hair and snappy wit). John Hickey is also well cast as the suicidal object of her affections. The film has Makkena following Hickey down to Texas to fulfill his deceased lovers' last wishes in his hometown. Like I said, the film is fast-paced and almost every frame holds your interest. All of the surrounding characters are as colorful if not more so than our two leads (look out for the twin waitresses at the Texas coffee shop). The actress who plays the deceased lover's aunt is also great in her scenes. Charming and recommended."

Wonderful, Witty, Utterly Endearing

stardwarf | 07/22/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I happened across this movie while looking for another. The description made me give it a try. This charming movie was sweet and sad and funny. A sort of twisted Wizard of Oz style quest, where the journey IS the destination and what you really learn is about yourself. Quite worth the watch, and worth the purchase (thought perhaps not at the current price tag.)"

A Must-See for John Benjamin Hickey fans!

giovannif7 | West Hollywood, California United States | 08/04/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Finding North begins as Rhonda (Wendy Makkena) and her friends, in a cab on the Brooklyn Bridge, spot Travis, a naked man ready to jump off the bridge. Rhonda, against the protests of her friends, tries to help, but finds only a shoe at the spot where Travis was. She takes the shoe with her, and goes on with her life, such as it is. Rhonda lives with her parents - a father who hasn't spoken in years, and an overbearing mother who has no notion of personal boundaries. She hates her job in the bank, and dreams of finding love and a purpose in life. Travis is played by John Benjamin Hickey from "Love! Valour! Compassion!" and the cancelled TV series "It's All Relative." Travis has recently lost his lover, and feels that he has also lost the struggle to find a path and a purpose to his life. He runs into Rhonda when he goes to the bank to withdraw all of his money. Unfortunately, she mistakes him for the stripper she hired for her own birthday, and forces him to drop his pants right there in the bank. When it becomes clear that she is mistaken, she repeatedly attempts to apologize to him, going so far as to follow him home, where she crashes a memorial for Travis's late lover. Rhonda figures out that Travis was the man on the bridge when she finds the matching shoe to the one she has in Travis's closet. She remains unaware that Travis is a homosexual, however, thinking that Travis's mood has to do with a breakup with a woman at the party.

As Travis is finalizing his affairs, he receives a cassette tape from his late boyfriend, which sends him on a road trip/scavenger hunt to the small town in Texas where the boyfriend was raised. Rhonda, in a misguided attempt to help (and to spend time with someone she thinks could be a potential boyfriend for her), accompanies Travis to Texas. The trip turns into a journey of self discovery for both Travis and Rhonda, as they pursue the clues given on the tape, and try to deal with each other as well as their own pain. Through their experiences, each finds a way to look at their situation from a different perspective, and to make changes which will put their lives back on track. As other reviewers have noted, the destination is not the important part of this film. Actual accomplishments are secondary - the emotional journey, the personal growth and the self-realization are what provide satisfaction. John Benjamin Hickey turns in a strong, melancholy, human performance in this odd-couple/road trip/comedy/drama. Wendy Makkena also does a very good job as she vividly creates the various facets that bring Rhonda to life. This is a low-budget film, and the script is not always as sharp as it could be, but "Finding North" is a trip well worth taking.
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Filmed in My Hometown!

Michael N. Flanagan | Seattle, WA | 04/11/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, I must say that I am somewhat biased about this particular movie because I was able to watch it being filmed in my hometown of Denton, Texas. At the time, Wendy Makkena and John Benjamin Hickey had not had many high-profile projects under their belts (as they have now, with Wendy being in the Sister Act films and John being in Love! Valour! Compassion! as well as being on tv). But they are both very engaging actors, and the film benefits from their presence. I like watching the movie not only for the nice, gentle "buddy-movie-type" road story and the good performances, but it also gives me an opportunity to reminisce about my hometown where I no longer live! Like many people, I have figuratively been to the ledge on the bridge like J.B. Hickey's character in this movie, and to see him be pulled back and taken on a journey by Wendy's character is a nice parallel to my own life. I think you will enjoy this movie if you are looking for a solid character study, enjoyable performances, and authentic Texas locations."