River West Films premieres their romantic-mob-comedy “Osso Bucco” at the Midwest Independent Film Festival on Feb. 5, followed by a theatrical self-release beginning Feb. 8 at the Wilmette Theatre.
“We’re trying to create a pedigree, or a compelling argument for why the film will succeed,” said Gary Taylor, who wrote the script, and directed with Fred Blurton. They’re producing with Douglas Weidner.
“You want to be armed with that argument when you shop the film to buyers,” Taylor said. “We decided that a quicker strategy than [the festival circuit] was to get into theatres right away, generate as much good press as we can and have a statistical sampling of the box office.”
Mike Starr (“Goodfellas”) plays Jelly, a mob accountant trying to go straight, who’s being set up for a hit by his cousin Nick (Christian Stolte, “Crime Fiction”) and uncle Sal (Mike Nussbaum, “Men In Black”).
Jelly stops off with Nick for a last meal at Jelly’s favorite restaurant before an ill-fated mission to Italy. They’re caught in a blizzard with the waitress Jelly loves (Illeana Douglas, “Ugly Betty”) and two detectives (Aaron Roman-Weiner and Antoine McKay).
