Degrassi Takes Manhattan

"The Rest of My Life: Degrassi Takes Manhattan"
Degrassi: The Next Generation episode
(L to R) Jane, Holly J., Declan, and Fiona in New York City
Episode no.	Season 9 Episode 20, 21, 22, & 23 (The Rest Of My Life, when individual)
Directed by	Stefan Brogren
Written by	Emily Andras Michael Grassi Kate Miles Melville Duana Taha
Produced by	David Lowe Brendon Yorke
Featured music	see Music
Cinematography by	Jim Westenbrink
Editing by	D. Gillian Truster
Production code	920-923
Original air date	16 July 2010 (2010-07-16) (Canada) 19 July 2010 (2010-07-19) (U.S.)
Running time	120 minutes (with commercials)
Guest stars
Jessi Cruickshank Anna Cyzon Kenny Hotz Tyler Kyte Elaine Lui Jay Manuel Forbes March Colin Mochrie Doug Morency Mary Murphy
Episode chronology
← Previous "Keep On Loving You" Next → "What a Girl Wants (Part One)"
Degrassi: The Next Generation (season 9) List of Degrassi: The Next Generation episodes

The Rest of My Life: Degrassi Takes Manhattan is a 2010 Canadian film adaptation of the popular, long-running teenage drama Degrassi, which was known as Degrassi: The Next Generation prior to this film. The movie premiered in Canada on MuchMusic on 16 July 2010, and in the United States on TeenNick on 19 July 2010. It was directed by veteran Degrassi actor-director, Stefan Brogren. Degrassi Takes Manhattan is the second feature-length movie of the Next Generation cast, and the third feature-length film in the Degrassi franchise, the first being 1992's School's Out. For syndication purposes, the film will also be shown as a four-part episode titled "The Rest of My Life".

This movie brought TeenNick its highest ratings ever, the most watched telecast on the network, and the most watched telecast by teens on the evening of 19 July.^[1] An extended version of the film was released as a bonus on the show's season 9 DVD on 20 July 2010.^[2]

Plot

The film begins with the members of Janie & the Studz featuring Peter Stone making their way to the front of Degrassi Community School as the last minutes of the school year tick down. Knowing that Spinner and Jane want to spend more time together in the summer, Spinner hires Emma as a new server, giving her the instructions not to use the sandwich grill until she is fully oriented. With The Dot now employed, Spinner and Jane head to the Coyne's pool party. While in the dressing tent, Holly J. and Jane talk about the time Jane cheated on Spinner with Holly J.'s boyfriend, Declan, with Spinner listening outside. This new information, along with Jane leaving the country to go to college, causes Spinner to break-up with Jane in a big scene. Upon returning to The Dot, Spinner finds it on fire, as a result of Emma using the shorting sandwich grill. This causes Spinner to fall into an even deeper depression, where he violently removes all Jane memorabilia from his loft.

With nothing to do for the summer for Jane, she gets invited to live in the penthouse suite in Manhattan with Holly J., Declan and his sister Fiona. After being a third wheel to Declan and Holly J., Jane continues to explore New York, and gets invited to front an indie band, which will be playing on TVM, the music channel where Holly J. is about to start her internship. TVM is a parody of MTV, but was filmed in the MuchMusic studios in 299 Queen Street West, Toronto. On Holly J.'s first day, she runs into Jay Manuel, as himself, who gives her a warning about her new boss, Kristin, who is played by MTV Canada host Jessi Cruickshank. Holly J. also finds out that Fiona will be interning there, as a result of her jealousy to Holly J.'s time with Declan. A feud breaks out between Holly J. and Fiona, attempting to hurt each other emotionally. Holly J. locks Fiona in a room before a live broadcast, and Fiona attempts to get Declan on her side. She plans a party in their penthouse, to show Holly J., Declan's ex-girlfriends, but when this does not affect Holly J., she proceeds to kiss her brother Declan, to make a scene. This causes Declan to side with his seemingly crazy sister, and Holly J. running out for the night. The following morning, though, he talks to Holly J., winning her back, and asking Fiona to move out.

In an attempt to cheer up Spinner, Emma, Manny, and Jay "kidnap" him, and take him to a casino hotel at Niagara Falls. After some successful games of blackjack, Emma and Spinner become drunk, and wake up the following morning, not remembering what had happened. They find out that they spent their winnings on a legal marriage, and an ugly, unreturnable ring. In the following days they become closer to each other, and begin to think that they may not get a divorce. When Spinner tells Jane that they will hold a ceremony that Saturday, Jane realizes that she still has feelings for him, and convinces Holly J. and Declan to drive her back to Toronto. When Spinner and Emma start to question their marriage, they both say to each other that they want to wait to see if it works. They each go back to their friends, retelling the conversation in their head, until they realize that they do love each other. Spinner runs back to the Simpson/Nelson house to profess his love for Emma, as Snake and Spike have returned home from their vacation. And everyone decides to hold the wedding ceremony.

Not wanting Jane to stop the wedding, Holly J. and Declan try to slow down the road trip, until Jane steals the car. She reaches the lake side party before the ceremony is about to begin, and finds Spinner's tent. After seeing that Spinner is in love with Emma, she allows the wedding to continue. The movie ends at the dance after the wedding.

Cast

• Raymond Ablack portrays Sav Bhandari
• Dalmar Abuzeid portrays Danny Van Zandt
• Charlotte Arnold portrays Holly Jeanette "Holly J." Sinclair
• Sarah Barrable-Tishauer portrays Liberty Van Zandt
• Paula Brancati portrays Jane Vaughn
• Stefan Brogren portrays Archie "Snake" Simpson
• Annie Clark portrays Fiona Coyne
• Robin Craig portrays Mrs. Mason
• Jessi Cruickshank portrays Kristin
• Anna Cyzon portrays Siobhan
• Melissa DiMarco portrays Daphne Hatzilakos
• Kenny Hotz portrays a record salesman
• Suresh John portrays Gamal
• Jamie Johnston portrays Peter Stone
• Shane Kippel portrays Gavin "Spinner" Mason
• Tyler Kyte as himself
• Landon Liboiron portrays Declan Coyne
• Mike Lobel portrays Jay Hogart
• Elaine Lui portrays Lainey
• Jajube Mandiela portrays Chantay Black
• Jay Manuel as himself
• Forbes March portrays George
• Miriam McDonald portrays Emma Nelson
• Colin Mochrie portrays Larry, a divorce lawyer
• Doug Morency
• Mary Murphy portrays a sales clerk
• Scott Paterson portrays Johnny DiMarco
• Aislinn Paul portrays Clare Edwards
• Melinda Shankar portrays Alli Bhandari
• Cassie Steele portrays Manny Santos
• Amanda Stepto portrays Christine "Spike" Nelson
• Joy Tanner portrays Mrs. Coyne
• Jessica Tyler portrays Jenna Middleton
• uncredited, Liberty's date, a Toby Isaacs look-alike^[3]

Former Degrassi: The Next Generation co-star Aubrey Graham is spoken of in dialogue – under his stage name "Drake" – by Kristin (Jessi Cruickshank) during her first appearance, making Drake the second Degrassi actor to exist within the Degrassi fictional universe independently of his character. His character, Jimmy Brooks, is neither seen nor referred to in Degrassi Takes Manhattan, and was last seen in season 8. The first actor to do this was Shenae Grimes in Degrassi Goes Hollywood.

Jessi Cruickshank, who plays Holly J's boss Kristin, is the second The After Show host to appear in a Degrassi movie. Her After Show co-host Dan Levy co-starred in Degrassi Goes Hollywood as Paige's boss Robbie, a film producer.

Absences

The following characters do not appear in the movie, but were regular characters on the show during the previous season.

• Sam Earle as K.C. Guthrie
• Argiris Karras as Riley Stavros
• Jordan Hudyma as Blue Chessex
• Judy Jiao as Leia Chang
• Samantha Munro as Anya MacPherson
• A.J. Saudin as Connor Deslauriers
• Natty Zavitz as Bruce the Moose

Music

Degrassi Takes Manhattan: The Heat Is On (Music from the Original Movie)
Soundtrack album by various artists
Released	13 July 2010 (2010-07-13)
Genre	Punk/Alternative Rock
Length	40:52 (CD) 57:43 (iTunes)
Label	Sall Entertainment Group / Fontana North
Degrassi chronology
Degrassi Goes Hollywood: Music from the Original Movie Degrassi Takes Manhattan: The Heat Is On Degrassi: The Boiling Point

Degrassi Takes Manhattan: The Heat Is On (Music from the Original Movie) is the title of the movie soundtrack released by digital download on 13 July 2010, and CD on 20 July 2010. It features songs from Canadian indie bands, as well as original songs performed by cast members.^[4][5][6]

Robert Fletcher, Mike Baskervillem, John Dykstra, Danielle McBride, Dan Sexton, and Virginia Storey, collectively received a Gemini Award nomination for best sound in a dramatic program, for their work in Degrassi Takes Manhattan,^[7] but lost to The Pillars of the Earth.^[8]

No.	Title	Artist	Length
1.	"The Great Escape"	The Studs & Paula Brancati feat. Peter Stone	3:57
2.	"Maybe Love"	Flashin' Midnight & Paula Brancati	2:30
3.	"I Trust You"	The Studs & Cassie Steele	2:59
4.	"Here Today"	Flashin' Midnight & Paula Brancati	4:18
5.	"Away From Sunshine"	Automatic Eye	3:33
6.	"Fly Away"	Honey Ryder	4:20
7.	"Good Life"	Michelle Featherstone	2:55
8.	"N.Y.M."	The Damn Automatics	2:46
9.	"What Goes Around"	Domenica	2:46
10.	"Got to Be"	Latch Key Kid	3:06
11.	"Fine Line"	Alanna Clarke	3:38
12.	"Put Me On Your Playlist"	Confection	3:21

iTunes Store bonus tracks
No.	Title	Artist	Length
13.	"The Great Escape (The Ralph Sall remix)"	The Studs & Paula Brancati feat. Peter Stone	3:54
14.	"Here Today (The Ralph Sall remix)"	Flashin' Midnight & Paula Brancati	4:06
15.	"Maybe Love (The Ralph Sall remix)"	Flashin' Midnight & Paula Brancati	4:49
16.	"I Trust You (The Ralph Sall remix)"	The Studs & Cassie Steele	4:02

References

1. ^ "Degrassi's 'The Heat is On' Rises to the Top as TeenNick's Highest-Rated and Most-Watched Telecast Ever". Nickelodeon. United Business Media. 21 July 2010. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/degrassis-the-heat-is-on-rises-to-the-top-as-teennicks-highest-rated-and-most-watched-telecast-ever-98932134.html. Retrieved 23 July 2010. 
2. ^ "Echo Bridge Home Entertainment: Degrassi Season 9". https://www.echobridgeentertainment.com/dvd/DeGrassi_Season_9_95329. Retrieved 12 July 2010. 
3. ^ Stefan Brogren (21 July 2010). "Tweet 19218676440". Twitter. http://twitter.com/stefanbrogren/status/19218676440. Retrieved 23 July 2010. 
4. ^ "Degrassi Takes Manhattan: The Heat Is On". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Degrassi-Takes-Manhattan-Heat-Soundtrack/dp/B003T8FLK4/. Retrieved 2 March 2011. 
5. ^ Apple. "Degrassi Takes Manhattan: The Heat Is On (Music from the Original Movie)". iTunes Store (Canada). http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/degrassi-takes-manhattan-the/id380088377. Retrieved 2 March 2011. 
6. ^ Apple. "Degrassi Takes Manhattan: The Heat Is On (Music from the Original Movie)". iTunes Store (United States). http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/degrassi-takes-manhattan-the/id380677426. Retrieved 2 March 2011. 
7. ^ "26th Gemini Awards Nominee List". Gemini Awards. 3 August 2011. http://www.geminiawards.ca/gemini26/press/GEMINI-Nominees-LIST-News-Release-Aug-3-2011.PDF. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
8. ^ "2011 Gemini Awards Presented in Drama, Children’s or Youth, Comedy and Variety Categories". Gemini Awards. 31 August 2011. http://www.geminiawards.ca/gemini26/press/gemini-news-release-aug-31.pdf. Retrieved 1 September 2011. 

External links

• Degrassi Takes Manhattan at the Internet Movie Database