- Mystery Team
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Mystery Team 
Film posterDirected by Dan Eckman Produced by Meggie McFadden Screenplay by Donald Glover
DC Pierson
Dominic Dierkes
Dan EckmanStory by Donald Glover
DC Pierson
Dominic Dierkes
Dan Eckman
Meggie McFaddenStarring Donald Glover
DC Pierson
Dominic Dierkes
Aubrey PlazaMusic by Donald Glover Cinematography Austin F. Schmidt Editing by Dan Eckman Studio Derrick Comedy Productions Distributed by Roadside Attractions Release date(s) January 17, 2009 (Sundance)
August 28, 2009 (United States)Running time 94 minutes Country United States Language English Box office $89,442 Mystery Team is a 2009 film created by the comedy group Derrick Comedy. The story was written by Donald Glover, DC Pierson, Dominic Dierkes, Dan Eckman, and Meggie McFadden. It stars Donald Glover, DC Pierson, and Dominic Dierkes. It was directed by Eckman and produced by McFadden.
Contents
Plot
The Mystery Team began with three children who styled themselves detectives, solving mostly kid-related mysteries such as missing cats or a lost baseball, but also gaining some local fame. Somehow, the trio have remained as naive as ever, although they are about to graduate from high school. They have continued the same mindset and antics even though they are teenagers, focusing on children's infractions, although adults (such as their parents) wonder when the teens will grow out of this attitude.
To prove to themselves and the town at large that they can be "real detectives", the Mystery Team take it upon themselves to solve a double homicide when they are hired by a young girl to discover why her parents were killed.
Cast
- Donald Glover as Jason Rogers
- DC Pierson as Duncan Wheeler
- Dominic Dierkes as Charlie Day
- Aubrey Plaza as Kelly Peters
- Glenn Kalison as Robert
- Peter Saati as Leroy
- Ellie Kemper as Jamie
- Matt Walsh as Jim
- Bobby Moynihan as Jordy
- Daphne Ciccarelle as Brianna Peters
- John Lutz as Frank
- Jon C. Daly as Greg Coleman
Production
In January 2008, Derrick Comedy took a hiatus from filming short online sketch videos to produce Mystery Team, which is the group's first feature-length production.[1] The film was independently produced and shot over seven weeks in the Spring of 2008. It was shot on the Red camera.[2] Mystery Team was filmed primarily in Manchester, New Hampshire, Eckman and McFadden's hometown.[3] Mark's Showplace, a real-life strip club in Bedford, New Hampshire, was used as Ponytail's Gentlemen's Club in the movie. The Lumber Yard scenes were filmed on location at Reeds Ferry Lumber Corp. Merrimack, NH.
The movie was shot on a tight budget. Dominic Dierkes mentioned on the DVD commentary and on tour stops that lighting problems forced a wardrobe change for his character. Dierkes said his initially white shirt reflected light that appeared to glow when viewed on screen. With several early "white shirt" scenes already shot, and not having the budget to reshoot them, the members of Derrick opted to write in a gag in which Dierkes spilled chocolate milk and used the shirt as a rag, forcing him to switch to a red shirt for the remainder of the movie. At a Seattle screening, an audience member noted that the white shirt soaked in a brown heart shape from the chocolate milk. Dierkes responded by saying. "It wasn't intentional... maybe the shirt is like a Rorschach test. Why are you so focused on love, sir?"
Release
Mystery Team premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival as part of the Park City at Midnight series and was then released by Roadside Attractions in select cinemas on September 11 and 18, 2009. After a high frequency of demands on eventful.com, the film received additional theater engagements throughout the fall, including one starting in New York City on December 4.[4][not in citation given] A private screening was also arranged for employees at Pixar. The film grossed $89,442 in the United States.[5]
To promote the film, the group released a new online digital short starring the central characters, entitled Mystery Team Adventures: The Case of the Haunted Hotel.
The Mystery Team DVD was released on May 25, 2010. The film can also be purchased through Zune on Xbox Live for 800 Microsoft Points.
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes reported that 53% of 17 sampled critics gave the film positive reviews and that it got a rating average of 5.2 out of 10.[6]
References
- ^ "Announcement". Derrick Comedy official website. January 15, 2008. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5rpd0Gj2B. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ Frucci, Adam (October 1, 2008). "A Viral-Video Making Comedy Group Takes Aim at Hollywood with Help from the RED Camera". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5rpdXAQFQ. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ Mase, Heidi (July 17, 2008). "Back lot G". The Hippo (Hippo Press). Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5rpcmVEfW. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ "'Mystery Team' in theaters now!". Derrick Comedy official website. August 9, 2009. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5rpdDS5bt. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ "Mystery Team (2009)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mysteryteam.htm. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
- ^ "Mystery Team (2008)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1210128-mystery_team/. Retrieved August 8, 2010.
External links
Categories:- 2009 films
- American films
- English-language films
- American comedy films
- 2000s comedy films
- Films shot in New Hampshire
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