OK Garage (also known as All Revved Up) is a 1998 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Brandon Cole, starring John Turturro, Lili Taylor and Will Patton. The film follows Rachel, a schoolteacher whose repeated car troubles bring her into conflict with a dishonest garage owner, while her relationships with two friends become entangled in the situation.
Plot Rachel, an inner-city schoolteacher, has her car towed to the OK Garage after it breaks down. The garage's owner, Yannick, repeatedly charges her for repairs, but the car continues to fail. Unknown to Rachel, Yannick is running a scam and is also involved in a scheme in which information and duplicate keys from customers' cars are passed to criminals who steal the vehicles.
Rachel's eccentric neighbor Sean introduces her to his best friend Johnny, a dissatisfied welder who dreams of finding the perfect relationship but tends to withdraw when women show an interest in him. Johnny initially finds Rachel unappealing, but gradually becomes attracted to her and the two begin a tentative romance. Sean also becomes increasingly involved in Rachel's problems with the garage.
After Rachel realizes that Yannick has been cheating her and that her repeated repair bills are draining her savings, she, Sean and Johnny decide to retaliate. Their attempt to get even draws them into the garage's criminal activities and culminates in a confrontation with Yannick and his associates. The three succeed in taking their revenge, while Rachel and Johnny's relationship continues to develop.
Cast The cast list:
John Turturro as Johnny Candellano Lili Taylor as Rachel Will Patton as Sean Olek Krupa as Yannick Gemma Jones as Mrs. Wiggins Joseph Maher as Lilly Paul Calderón as Carl Bruce MacVittie as Chuck Richard Bright as Louis Aida Turturro as Mary the Bartender
Production OK Garage marked writer Brandon Cole's feature-film directorial debut. The film was shot in 1996, with Back Stage reporting during production that principal photography was scheduled to conclude on October 30. Caroline Sinclair handled casting, and the principal cast included John Turturro, Lili Taylor and Will Patton. The film was produced by Talana Productions and Rialto Film, with Keith Rotman serving as producer. Rob Sweeney was the cinematographer, Suzanne Pillsbury edited the film and Evan Lurie composed the score.
Release OK Garage screened at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival on April 19, 1998. It was subsequently shown at the Avignon Film Festival, where Brandon Cole received an award for his screenplay. The film screened at the 1999 Cinequest Film Festival on February 26 and 28 and received an Audience Choice honorable mention. After several years seeking video distribution, the film was released on home video under the title All Revved Up.
Reception Emanuel Levy found that the film's combination of revenge story and romance did not always work, but praised John Turturro, Lili Taylor and Will Patton for giving it enough offbeat charm to succeed, describing the film as better written than directed. Reviewing the film during the 1999 Cinequest Film Festival, Metro Silicon Valley criticized Brandon Cole for failing to make effective use of Taylor and Turturro, and was particularly critical of Patton's performance and Turturro's characterization. Nathan Rabin of the A.V. Club was also negative, describing the film as a slight and predictable low-budget romance whose strong cast was hindered by underdeveloped characters and weak dialogue.
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