With Small Engine Repair opening in select theaters this weekend, I recently spoke with Jon Bernthal, Shea Whigham, and writer-director and star John Pollono about making the pitch-black comedic drama. If you’re not familiar with the material, Small Engine Repair is based on Pollono’s award-winning play and it’s a powerful exploration of class struggle, brotherhood, and modern masculinity with a wicked twist. Frankie (Pollono), Swaino (Bernthal) and Packie (Whigham) are lifelong friends who all love Frankie’s teenaged daughter Crystal (Ciara Bravo). But when Frankie invites his pals to a whiskey-fueled evening and asks them to do a favor on behalf of the young woman they all adore, events spin wildly out of control.
During the interview, Jon Bernthal, Shea Whigham, and John Pollono talk about the long road to getting this film made, how they’ve been describing the film to friends, what people would be surprised to learn about the making of the film, the editing process, Ciara Bravo’s accent and fantastic performance, why they didn’t include a character drinking Dunkin Donuts (the movie takes place in New Hampshire), and more.
Check out what they had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about.
Jon Bernthal, Shea Whigham and John Pollono
- If they could get the financing to make anything they want what would they make and why?
- How it was a tough shoot, but they had a great time making it.
- Why didn’t they have anyone drinking Dunkin Donuts?
- When they heard Ciara Bravo’s accent did they each think I’m going to have to step up our game?
- What would surprise people to learn about the making of the film?
- How have they been describing the film to friends?
- What was the editing process like and how did Pollono adjust the film to make sure the audience wasn’t ahead of where the story was going?
