The 2009 Sundance Official Selection “DARE,” a feature film shot entirely in Philadelphia, follows 3 very different teenagers through the last semester of high school. Alexa (Emmy Rossum), the over-achieving good girl who longs to break out of her shell; Ben (Ashley Springer) the melancholy outsider; and Johnny (Zach Gilford), the rich, good-looking, seemingly perfect bad boy. But as all 3 will soon find out, even in the safe world of prep school in the suburbs, no one is who they appear to be. DARE is the first feature of screenwriter David Brind and director Adam Salky, and is produced by Mary Jane Skalski (The Station Agent, The Visitor) and Jason Orans (Goodbye Solo, 2009 Spirit Awards Nominee Producer of the Year). Rounding out the cast is Rooney Mara, Ana Gasteyer, Sandra Bernhard, and Tony Award winners Alan Cumming and Cady Huffman.
Per Movies On Demand:
“[Director Adam] Salky and writer David Brind earn kudos for their thoughtful take on shifting point of views among the three to take audience into the character’s different perspectives of their complicated lives whilst revealing several hidden layers to their personas.”
The film premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in the Dramatic Competition Section, and was picked up for theatrical distribution by IMAGE Entertainment. “DARE” is an edgy coming-of-age story, in the tradition of “Saved,” “The Rules of Attraction,” and “Juno.” It opened in NYC & LA on Nov. 13th, and opened Dec. 4th in Philadelphia.
