Things I Do for Money

2019 Canadian film
  • December 6, 2019 (2019-12-06) (Whistler)
Running time
99 minutesCountryCanadaLanguageEnglish

Things I Do for Money is a 2019 Canadian crime film, directed by Warren P. Sonoda.[1] The film stars Theodor Aoki and Maximilian Aoki as two cello-playing brothers in Hamilton, Ontario, who become embroiled in the criminal underworld when a bag of money belonging to a criminal hitman accidentally ends up in their possession.[2]

The film was the first-ever acting role for both Theodor and Maximilian Aoki, real-life sibling cellists from Hamilton who also composed the film's score.[3] Their father, Edward Aoki, also has a supporting role in the film as another hitman;[4] the film's cast also includes Yodit Tewoderos, Rhett Morita, Jennifer Lynn Walton, Dax Lough, Danilo Reyes, Colette Zacca and Ali Kazmi.

The film's soundtrack includes a cello-based re-recording by Jay Semko of "Things I Do for Money", a 1987 single by Semko's band The Northern Pikes.[5]

The film premiered at the Whistler Film Festival in 2019,[6] and was commercially released to video on demand platforms in August 2020 after its planned theatrical release was scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.[1] The film did, however, receive a special theatrical drive-in screening in Hamilton on July 22, 2020.[1]

Faustine Pelipel received a nomination for Best Sound Editing in a Feature Film at the 2020 Directors Guild of Canada awards.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c Jordan Pinto, "Warren P. Sonoda on doing ‘everything you’re not supposed to’ on his 11th feature". Playback, August 11, 2020.
  2. ^ Liam Lacey, "Things I Do for Money: Kooky Canuck Family Crime Drama Saved by Blissful Music". Original Cin, August 12, 2020.
  3. ^ Graham Rockingham, "Director Warren P. Sonoda returns to Hamilton to film crime drama with city’s cello-playing Aoki brothers". Hamilton Spectator, August 17, 2020.
  4. ^ Volkmar Richter, "The movies have a summer after all with Russell Crowe, Jamie Foxx, and a singer’s tour of the real Africa". National Observer, August 14, 2020.
  5. ^ Matt Olson, "Creative Isolation: Jay Semko steps toward the silver screen". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, August 17, 2020.
  6. ^ Volkmar Richter, "Greek tragedy goes modern with Antigone, black family life in Waves and a film artist’s self portrait". Vancouver Observer, December 6, 2019.
  7. ^ Greg David, "Nominees announced for 19th Annual DGC Awards". TV, eh?, September 21, 2020.
  • Things I Do for Money at IMDb
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Films directed by Warren P. Sonoda
  • Ham & Cheese (2004)
  • 5ive Girls (2006)
  • Coopers' Camera (2008)
  • Puck Hogs (2009)
  • Unrivaled (2010)
  • Textuality (2011)
  • Servitude (2011)
  • Swearnet: The Movie (2014)
  • The Masked Saint (2015)
  • Total Frat Movie (2016)
  • A Christmas Fury (2017)
  • Things I Do for Money (2019)