Off the Black

Synopsis

Premiering in 'Official Selection' at the Sundance Film Festival 2006, JAMES PONSOLDT's debut film is an assured and beautifully played drama about a broken man's redemptive relationship with the son he never had. Featuring an outstanding leading performance from two-time Oscar-nominee NICK NOLTE (Hotel Rwanda, Hulk, The Thin Red Line), the film also stars TREVOR MORGAN (Mean Creek, The Patriot), ROSEMARIE DEWITT (Rachel Getting Married), Oscar-winner TIMOTHY HUTTON (The Good Shepherd, Kinsey) and Oscar-nominee SALLY KIRKLAND (Bruce Almighty, EDTV).

Ray Cooke (Nolte) is a disheveled, grumpy high school baseball umpire who forms an unlikely friendship with a troubled teenager, Dave Tibbel (Morgan). As the two grow more dependent on each other, Ray asks Dave to go to his 40th high school reunion and pretend to be his son -, a benevolent act of deception that winds up opening unexpected dimensions in the two men.

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Reviews

"Good-natured bittersweet tale"

THE GUARDIAN

"There's something very right with 'Off the Black' in terms of pure emotion and performance craft. Nolte is truly superb throughout"

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE

"Nolte at his gruff best... a refreshingly well-observed treat"

FILM REVIEW

"Superb... will give you a whole new respect for Nolte"

DVD MONTHLY

"a lovely, ghostly work... [Nolte] is quite wonderful in a role that's as difficult to summarize as it is compelling to watch"

BOSTON GLOBE

"A modest, bittersweet character study that hits its mark"

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES