It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's Me Radio. Oh thanks a lot, buddy, appreciate it. Exciting show here tonight ten o'clock, ten o'clock we do we break it down to Karen Read special on television. Right now, we're gonna talk to Bill Kickham and Robert George, a couple of attorneys that are watching it with you. Probably you're listening to me right and watching that yet, No you're not. What I just said was stupid. But anyways, they're watching
what she has to say on ABC. And then we're gonna break it down at ten o'clock right here on WBZ. Also coming up later on this hour, the Boston Film Festival is underway. My good friend Robert Dawson is going to be joining us forty years for the Boston Film Festival. Good stuff, and the director of any Day Now, Erica Ronson, joins us at nine forty five. Very funny movie, very creative movie. You're gonna like this, you are, absolutely This
movie is going to generate a lot of buzz. September nineteenth through the twenty third for the Boston Film festis right now. Joining me is Jackson Tolliver he's one of the up and coming, one of the rising stars of the Boston media scene from c LNS media covers the Patriots, covers the Celtics, and he's a former student of mine, so that's why he's here. What's going on, Jackson?
Wow?
You you really honor me, Gary, Thanks for thanks for having me. Not much just hanging out here. We got a Friday night football game on tonight, so that's something different.
How weird is that, though? I mean, how it's very nice?
Bizarre?
It is bizarre. Yeah, it is bizarre. Let's talk about the Thursday night game real quick before I get to the Patriots.
Did that say anything about the Chiefs?
I don't know, it's it's it's hard to tell. I think the biggest thing that I got from that game was Travis Kelton's lack of production, and you know he's obviously getting up there in age, but also, I mean the speed that we saw from Xavier Worthy had two touchdowns last night the rookie take out of Texas. He obviously broke the record in the forty yard dash at the Combine this year, so we know the kids got wheels.
But that first touchdown he scored when he just took it and just ran by everybody right to the end zone. He's got some tremendous speeds, so that'll be fun to see Patrick Mahomes using that weapon. But it was kind of to me just business as usual for both teams. It was interesting for the Ravens to see Derrick Henry and Lamar that sort of one two punch, even though I don't think they used Henry as much as they potentially could have. But same old story for the Ravens.
You know, Lamar has a great game. They do well until the very last minute. Lamar Jackson, I don't think it's a very clutch quarterback at all. And we saw that at the end of last night's game.
And what do you think about the attempt by the NFL to make it an international game. They've been trying this. They've certainly gone to the Far East, They've gone to London, and I remember when the Patriots played in London and Brady even said he could go outside and no one recognized him. So is this going to work.
I don't know if it's gonna work, But you know, I think when you think about football, American football, that is I don't see why why it couldn't work because it does have so much international potential because of how entertaining it is. It's just a fun game to watch. But you know, obviously football outside of America is what
we call soccer here. That's always going to be king and I think, you know, we've seen the NBA rise in international popularity because there's international players, right Jannis, Jokic, Jancic, those are maybe the top three guys in the league right now, and that makes you know, people from Greece want to watch Giannis, people from Slovenia want to watch Lucas, so on and so forth. So if there's an influx of international talent in the NFL, which there is just
not right now. Right all the best guys are are American that could potentially help them, and they're trying to do that. I mean, you know, they have international player pathway programs and they're they're trying to bring people in from other countries who can really shine in this league. And I think, you know, down the road, that's definitely a possibility. But for now, yeah, having these games like
the one tonight in South Polo, Brazil. They have the UK games, they got the Germany game, that's the way to start, right, bring the actual game in front of the people. So I think they're doing a pretty good job with it. And it's obviously, you know, a smart marketing strategy because you want your game to be as big as possible.
Well, I know that the Patriots at one point in time, they're merchandise in the Far East and China and Japan and tookey, it was off the charts, I mean off the charts. They were crushing it. But the problem with the player development is the cost of the sport. No basketball is cheap, so in a lot of countries playing basketball is not a big deal.
You get a ball, you got a hoop, that's it.
Football's expensive, right, And some people also don't want their kids to play football because they have head injuries. Even if you look at rugby, you don't have the head injuries because people do use their head as a weapon.
So I think that's the problem.
I don't know if I don't know if we're ever going to have an international player base in the NFL, but you make a good point. I think you for it to truly become an international game, you have to have stars from other countries, and I don't know if that's.
Going to happen.
It might not. Yeah, but you know, like I said, in these international games, is definitely a good start.
All right, let's get to the Patriots. Now, you've been covering the Patriots. You've seen Gerrod Mayo. I've just been honest. I love the guy, I worked with the guy. I consider him a friend, so I'm biased. I want him to succeed. What is your what is your experience been covering the Patriots so far? And we not listen if they win five games, it's a miracle. We know what the deal is with the season. How do you feel about the way they're trying to build forward?
Yeah, I mean obviously you know the pass forward lies in Gerd Mayo, your buddy, and Drake may It's it's it's those two guys are going to determine, you know, not just the next few years, but ideally for this organization and for Robert Kraft and for all those guys the next decade plus. Right, you want these two guys to be the building blocks that you can build a successful franchise off of. So we can start with girod
Mao since you brought him up first. It's just hard to evaluate him because we haven't seen a regular season game until Sunday, so asking if eight hours and we'll see how he does. But the differences from Belichick are are obvious. And you know, I've I've been to just about every day of training camp and there's music playing and the players, you know, are dancing and having fun. And you know, it's just that he's he's definitely a player's coach. And I don't mean that in a bad way.
I think some people say that he's a player's coach and try to take that as a as a knock on him, like, you know, he's he should be harder on the guys and he lets them walk all over him. Well he doesn't, and you know he he faces real test with that with the whole Matthew Judon situation right right, because Judon had this whole explosion where uh he you know, stormed off the field, came back on him, flipflops whatever.
It looked like he was having an argument with Elliott Wolf and matc Grow, who are the executives of the Patriots and you know who are in charge of his contract dispute which was going on, and they shipped him off. So I think that was a big test for him, like is he just gonna let Matt jude On walk all over him? And you know that was that was pretty disrespectful, I thought, and I think a lot of other people thought what happened during practice and he's not
gonna stand for that. So, you know, there's obviously a line, and I think if they drew it there, But I don't see why he couldn't be a good coach. I mean, you know, obviously being around for Bill Belichick, being around him for so long, that helps you tremendously. Belichick is one of the greatest defensive coaches of all time. I mean one of the greatest coaches of all time period, probably the best defensive coaches of all time. So he
knows those schemes. He knows how to scheme specifically four teams, and that'll definitely help him out. I think he's got a great staff with him. Alex van Pelt, I'm really high on the off.
They don't elaborate on that. Why.
I think that's the Browns. I mean, if you if you look at the Browns recently, uh, they've been good and they've made the I mean, you know, good is a subjective term. When I say that, I mean they made the playoffs with you know, and and they does a lot of injuries because Deshaun Watson uh was was suspended and last year he was injured. H and and they got to the playoffs with Joe Flacco, who nobody thought was going to be throwing a ball last year in the NFL. I think that what he works really
well with the Patriots. He's big on screens and for a team that doesn't have a lot of super deep wide receivers in terms of guys who can just go deep and you know, make big plays. If you can bank on some screenplays for guys like Carmandra Stevenson, Antonio Gibson, who's a really good receiving back, I think that that's good. So I actually trust Alex van Pelt. The only thing that I think people have to have a hard time
with is the way that they've handled this. Drake made decision, and I don't know how much of that was him and how much of it was Gerrod Mayo, but the way they handled the whole thing went about it, I think some people have some problems with that.
All right, I want to I don't want to.
I want to explore that and want you to elaborate on that. Coming up next right here on WBZ, Jackson Tolliver is with US covers the New England Patriots in the Boston Celtics for CLNS Media or breaking down the patch. We will get into some celts too right here on WBC.
Don't go away now, back to Dan ray Line from the Window World, Light Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Okay, coming up at ten o'clock, we're gonna get serious here, folks and break down her side of the story. Karen Reid, of course, accused of killing police officer and boyfriend John O'Keefe, and she's speaking out tonight on ABC and we have top criminal defense attorneys Bill kick Him and Robi George it will join us to discuss her side of the story. That's all coming up at ten o'clock right here on WBZ.
No right now, Jackson Tolliver's with us from Sealing US Medium covering the Patriots right now, and I want to get into you know, Jacoby Brssett in the offensive situation, how much long?
How many games does he play?
Well? Obviously you know a lot of that has to do with how well he plays, Right, if he goes in and you know, wins, well, yeah, because I think if he goes in, you know, starts off the season let's say three and one. I'm not saying that's going to happen. I think that's very far Fett. Well, you're not going to pull him then, I think a more realistic option when you look at their schedule, right you start in Cincinnati this weekend. I actually kind of think
it's a toss up. They're losing some pieces. See Higgins looks like it can get a place. So I actually can see that one going either way. Seattle as well at home, that's the home opener. I can see that one going either way. But then you have the Jets and then you have the Niners. I think those are both losses. And Niners on the road could be a really, really, really rough game for Jacoby Brissett. I mean, they have one of the best defenses in the NFL, and you
know on the road they're a really good team. They can lose that one badly. Then you come home in October where you have three home games. That could be when girod Mayo and company decides to pull the trigger. And let Drake May start. But like I said, a lot of it I think depends on how Jacoby present does. And also, you know we've seen this in the past
as well. If they're getting blown out, Let's say, even as soon as Sunday, if they're losing twenty four zero in the third quarter or thirty zero or whatever it is, and the offense can't get anything going, they might just say, well, let's just put in Drake May and see what happens. So it's really hard to predict that kind of thing. I anticipate you'll see him in some like, you know, get get playing time before he's officially named the starter. But if you had to ask me right now, I
would say sometime in October. November is kind of pushing it for me. But again, all that depends on how Jacoby Brisett does.
So you're saying in November he could be named.
Starter, yeah, I would, Like I said, my guess right now is week five because I think the first four games aren't gonna go well.
So part of break you talked about how they mishandled Drake May. How did that How did they mishandle that situation in the preseason.
Well, I mean, you know, the whole time Gerrod Meyo is saying that it's a competition, he thinks that it's a you know, he wants a fair and accurate QB competition to see who is starting. But then in training camp and in preseason, almost all of the work that Drake May did was with the second string guy, the second string offense, second string wide receivers, and Jacoby Brissette basically got all the top reps with the wide receiver
ones and the starting online. That doesn't sound to me like a fair competition, right, So, you know, I just think that the way that they went about it, I didn't agree with. I don't disagree necessarily with their decision. I think Drake May, you draft him knowing that he's a really raw talent, might not be a guy who's ready to go week one. He certainly looks the part
in the preseason game's least. I thought he had a really good game in the second game, in the third game of preseason, and I think that really started to heat up the competition a little bit quote unquote. But even then, you know, after those games, he's coming in and playing maybe one or two reps at the starters compared to Jacoba Brissett, who is still playing the majority of the re the starting unit. So I don't know
if it was ever a real competition. I don't know if there was ever a thought in their mind that they would start Drake May. But I just thought it was a little bit of a message situation, and I think they could have handled it a little bit better in terms of dealing with both the quarterbacks and dealing with their public public relations and how to handle it well.
I think Drake May acceeded expectations in the preseason. That's fair to say, right, Yeah, So what do you think, Jackson? I mean, you've seen a ton of football. I mean, you know when you look at when you look at this guy, do you see him as being the future of the team or like even Mac Jones.
I'll tell you.
I'll tell you my opinion. When Mac Jones was playing well, I thought he was okay. I said, this guy's going to be a decent quarterback. He's not going to be great. He may be a placeholder until the Patriots find that great quarterback again. I never thought Mac Jones was a franchise quarterback. I thought he was a system quarterback, thought he could be Okay, do you have a feeling like that on Drake May? Either way?
Well, first of all, say, Mac Jones had me cool that his rookie year. I thought his rookie year was something special. And they actually made the playoffs that year, and I thought, and you know, he looked really good. And then the second year they didn't hire it off as a coordinator.
They screwed him over. I mean, yeah, they totally screwed the kid over.
But did you ever like, I never thought he was going to be great, like making a player a fine you know. I thought that he'ld be a serviceable, very good quarterback. You make the playoffs, maybe you win a game. But I never thought he was a franchise quarterback. But I mean, do you could this guy be a franchise quarterback?
May?
I mean, Drake May and Matt Jones are drastically different in terms of their in terms of their abilities, and when you look at what a franchise quarterback looks like right now, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson is you know, sort of a case of his own. There's really no other quarterback who's like Lamar Jackson. But coming back to this other guys, I said, you know, look at what they do. Well, they've got a great arm.
They can throw out of the pocket, they can make acrobatic throws off their back foot. Mahomess mastered the side arm. We've seen some of that from Drake May as well. Uh so he has all of the abilities to do it. But I think you know where his growth still has to come from is his mental is his you know, eliminating his his his mistake making and you know, just learning how to play the NFL is different from colleg you know, everyone said.
It's so damn fast, you know. I mean that's the thing with Brady. Yeah, yeah, I mean Brady was a second ahead mentally of everybody.
And that's one of the things that you just don't don't know if a guy's going to get it, Like that's that's the problem.
Like you say, okay, well we'll they catch on mentally. Some guys never do.
Some guys.
Yeah, we've seen We've seen so much great talent uh come out of the NFL draft, and it just it just never clicks. And you know, from from what I've seen, he looks like a smart kid. If you watch the New York Giants hard knocks where they brought in all the quarterbacks to interview them, he he really impressed them. They were really hiring him a lot because of his memory,
his ability to recall plays. And you know, I, I do really believe that he's a smart kid, and I think that he has a very bright future in this league. But again, you don't know until you know, until you get him out there in a regular season game against you know, top top seeded defenses. Like you said, he's seed expectations in preseason, well he was going against twos and three.
Well, yeah, of course, absolutely.
You just never know.
You don't know.
I mean it just if you see confidence. That's when I covered the team.
If I saw confidence in a preseason game, it was just.
Like how do you carry yourself? You know, you could tell is there deer in the headlights or does this guy you know, does he have some confidence? Does he have some squagger?
You know?
Jackson Tulliver as with us some Sealantis media covering the Patriots and final question here and then I want to get to the Celtics. But you know, for the Pats, what do you think what do you think of the front office, because to me, that's really the key, you know.
And that's and they don't think.
I mean, they have nobody in the cupboard, man, I mean you can't. They have an offensive line that is terrible. And for the longest time when I covered the team, the offensive line was for twenty years and listened to Belichick was really good for twenty years.
You know, whether it be Joe and drewsy or it doesn't matter. They Dan Copen Matt like. They had offensive lines that were money.
And it's just that's why you I don't even want to play the kid because he's gonna get killed.
Yeah, that's that I think. Has it has a lot to do with it. I will say for the offensive line, they have had some injury misfortune. Cole Strange, who is their first round pick in twenty twenty two, is starting the season on Pops, so we don't know, you know, when he's gonna come back or if you can come back. City So picked up an ankle injury in the last game of the preseason. So those are two presumed starters that you're now missing out on. And you know they
have some guys they they haven't win. Who's their big offensive line and that you know, they obviously brought back on the big time extension this year. David Andrews is getting older and then you know, beyond that it gets tough. But they do have a couple of rookies who look a little promising and Cad Wallison lead Robinson. But to get to your front office question again, I just think it's too early. It's it's it's the same thing with evaluating Gerrod Mayo, where you just really can't do it.
And Ellio Wolf was a guy who's been around the league for a long time. He's been the Patriots for a little while now, So like I you know, obviously, if you look at it right now, you'd say, well, he has done a great job. So Bill Belichick had the final call on everything, and I think the last few years that you know, the last few years that Bill was here, I think he made some pretty crucial
mistakes that haunted the team. Basically swapping out Jacoby Myers for Juju Smith Schuster last year is when it comes to mind. He signed Juju for basically the same amount that Jacoby Myers would have wanted, and that ended up a disaster. He obviously was cut this offseason after just one season with the Patriots, and you know, some other issues like Cole Strange, a guy just mentioned. I think
he was taken a little bit early. He was taken in the first round in twenty twenty two, with like the twenty something pick, like the early twenty like twenty one or twenty two, right, So, you know, some of those decisions that he made, I think really put the franchise where they are now. And that's not to diminish from his legacy. He obviously made some great choices as well throughout his tenure with the Patriots, but it's just
hard to evaluate. But you know, I think next offseasons where you can really start to make some of those decisions because they're going to have some much cap space. They're probably going to have another high pick, being realistic, and we'll see what happens with Drake May. You know, they had a chance to go for another guy, go for a wide receiver, and you know, this is the direction they went with Drake May. They handed the keys of the franchise, So we'll see how that turns out.
And then that could in large part reflect on the front office as well.
Jackson, did the Celtics repeat.
Right now? I would say, yeah, I think they're so much ahead of the competition. Still bringing back everyone. You know, you have five guys who are handedly in the top fifty players in the NBA. I would say their bench I think got better. They brought back all the important guys and added Lonnie Walker this past week. I think is a really underrated pick up for them, assuming that he does make the team. They signed a new training camp deal. But yeah, I mean Brown and Tatum are
just going to keep getting better. Yes, New York got better, Yes Philly got better, But I still just don't think they're where the Celtics are, and I still think that they are going to a hard time being caught the season.
Jackson Tolliver with us was one of my prize students at Emerson and we had class this week.
Jackson, do you miss being in college?
Not at all?
Not at all.
Will I will much. I will definitely take the full time job, But you know, I am pretty fresh on the scene still, I've only been working for about three four months, So ask me again. Next year, You're.
Gonna do great.
I had thirty five kids in this class in sports communication and I had like the front row was like all freshman baseball players. Then I go, wow, I'm really gonna have to teach my ass off in this class, because yeah, did you give.
Him a textbook or anything?
Oh?
Yeah, Level, I got a textbook because they told me I have to give them one. And I said, and I've read some of it, and I said to them, don't believe half of it. I know more than what's between these pages. You know that, and so do I. Jackson Tolliver, all right, man, keep up the good work at CLNS Media.
Check them out. They do a great job. Of course on bias.
I also have a podcast with Bob Bryan on CLS Media and Jeff Goode. But Jackson, good job covering the passing the celts and we'll talk to you soon.
You're the man Gary see later, all right, Jackson.
TELLIVI was write the name down. This kid's good, kid's real good. It's gonna do something in this business, just like Robin Dawson. Robin Dawson my own friend. Here's Robin Dawson, and I worked on this very radio station wb Z back in the nineties, back in the nineties, and she's of course she has been.
Well, the the.
Straw that stirs the drink, if you will, of the Boston Film Festival. She's been very active in that very key and they're celebrating their fortieth anniversary and some terrific movies. And we know that we need movies, folks, because the strike hurt. Look, I'm a SAG member, I know the strike hat to happen. I'm all for it, but we need some good kind We need some movies. And there are some quality filmmakers out there that are going to festivals and that are putting up good product that you
can see. And the Film Festival here in Boston is from some temperate nineteenth to the twenty third. We'll get the rundown from Robin Dawson, the executive director.
Next on WBZ, You're on.
Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's news Radio.
Well, you guys know I love movies.
Boston Film Festival celebrating its fortieth year, fortieth program and when I couldn't believe the list, Green Book, Jojo Rabbit, North Country, just to name a few of some of the movies that had premiered there. And I have to tell you, I'm going back to the time machine. Robin Dawson, can you believe we're on WBZ in twenty twenty four?
I love it, And yes, I can believe it. You're doing wonderful work there, Gary, and I love hearing the sports talk.
It's just like the old days with Normy and the Gang and Stephen calling all sports. And it was a great run. But congratulations forty years of the Boston Film Festival. First of all, Robin, that's an amazing feat because to keep these things running it's not easy.
No, a lot of festivals, unfortunately have gone out of business, and as you know, we're going through a difficult time in the film industry and we will re emerge on the other side. But films are really important to society because they entertain, they inform, and they enlighten and they arm us with information so that we can create the world that we want.
And I do think that the independent film arena is going to get us through now because what I see as far as movement, people recovering from the strike with the studios are going to be slow. There are some independent filmmakers out there that they're saying, you know what, we're going to make these movies anyway. We're going to go out, we're going to get the independent finance, and we're going to go to work. We're going to have a budget and we'll get it done. Do you see that happening?
You know, you just hit on the reason that I have passion for doing. The film festival is a lot of work, but it's the independent filmmakers. They have a creative vision and it's so important to help support them get that, to get that out there. And that's what a film festival does. There's so much talent out there and gosh knows, we need some laughter and and some good storytelling, and that's what happens in a film festival.
So we're you know, I'm delighted to be able to be a part of it and support these filmmakers and actors. And you know, this is a time where a lot of people are struggling to stay alive and work. So it's all aspects of the industry, even for the actors and producers. So this is a wonderful opportunity to support that and to see some good films, and it brings that filmmaking experience to the audience firsthand. They can talk to the actors and the directors and the I love that.
Oh, there's no question. So give us an idea.
What are we going to see coming up on the nineteenth through the twenty third.
Well, the nineteenth, we open with an outstanding film called Sheep Dog, and we have quite a cast coming in. It tells the story of a returning veteran who is faced with re entering society, you know, reconnecting with his family, and then the post traumatic stress that impacts him and he's eventually forced into some counseling. Virginia Mattson plays the counselor. She does an outstanding job. Some other people in his life come back around Bondy Curtis Hall is his father
in law and help him through this traumatic time. But there's a message here about post traumatic growth. It doesn't have to end in suicide. And I love this story too because because it not only imparts important information for people who are facing that the people in general life, but also it's an uplifting story. So I really urge people to see this world for me or right here in Boston at the Imax, and you have Grant Stephen Graham who's the director here, Vonnie Curtis Hall, Lily Cooper
Tony nominated actress, and Matt Dallas and Dominic Formosa. It's it's really quite a film. So that's what we start off with, and we have so many others. I think you're going to be talking with one of our filmmakers for any day now. Wonderful film about Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum heist. So it brings it right home. Both of those films shot here their world premieres. We have some documentaries that are outstanding. Capturing Kennedy.
Wow.
This film is about a young immigrant who was a Holocaust survivor. He came to America and met Joseph Kennedy and Joseph Kennedy hired him to be his son's photographer and the images are iconic. The story is amazing. It takes you through the presidency with untold stories and perspectives that are fascinating. So we're excited about that world premiere. Democracy Noirs of the Boston Public Library a top director
award winning again Emmy director Connie Field. She talks about this particular film takes a look at President Victor Organ in Hungary and is a little scary to see the similarities of what happened over there with their democracy and what's going on in our own country is illuminating. And I really think that's an important film for us to see right now. And another film that I'm quite excited about is Sweetwater and Yes the Celtics are going to repeat there you go.
Yeah.
So this is the story of the first black players ever allowed to play in the NBA, and it goes back to nineteen fifty. The filmmaker's fascinating. This takes place at MIT on Sunday night of the festival for twenty second and it has quite a cast, Jeremy Pittens in it, Everett Osbourne, carry El Wise, Jimvizel. But it's it's quite a story. And Walter Brown is actually part of this whole story because he gets into the arena of finally
drafting black players. Is Chuck Cooper. I don't know if you, of course you know the history of Yes, but he the director said that he was driving through fields and this goes back twenty five or more years ago and he saw the sign for the museum. Doctor went in said, you know, who's the person who's the Jackie Robinson of basketball. They didn't know, they didn't have any information. He went back to New York before Google, went over to Columbia
University Library did the research. Ended up interviewing read Aurbak got all of the information about this. This has been twenty six years in the making. Clint Eastwood saw the script, loved it, saw it just before COVID took a couple of years, but he lent his support. The NBA got involved, and it is really a wonderful story about how this all took place. And you know, it's it's not only for people who love sports. It's a great story.
Oh no, it's about the growth of in the country. And that's what sports has been able to do, you know. And and there's no question sports is a venue. Sports is an opportunity. That's and it's a vehicle to open our minds and to give people opportunity. That's and that sounds like what this film is all about.
Robin, What do you think of.
The documentary arena right now, because let me tell you, there are some great docs out there that are just taking to the point now where I'm wondering if the documentary angle or business is more appealing to some finanswers.
Well, it is. It is a growing industry. And I will tell you what conversation. It's interesting you say this. I was having a conversation with a successful producer who has now gone into documentary filmmaking because of what we're going through. And I love documentaries always have.
What a great place to be able to.
Tell a story.
And it's it is going to grow, I believe in the future, and there's short documentaries and full length documentaries.
So it's an.
Arena that I think is outstanding. And now you see it on streaming, and as this whole industry evolves, it'll be interesting to see how that goes as well. And many times, Gary, a story will start out even as a short or you'll start out as a documentary and then it evolves into either a limited series or a feature film.
Well, Robin, it's great to catch up with you. It's been too long. Congratulations again.
On the fortieth the fortieth Folks Boston Film Festival September nineteenth through the twenty third. You can go online and you can find out where all the venues are. I assume and get tickets and see the movies that you want to see. And we are going to be talking to one of your filmmakers Erica Ronson any Day Now, which this movie's this movie's gonna be great. I mean, this movie's gonna be fan fantastic. What a great idea
about the Gardener Museum heist. And he has his own little take on it, as you know, Robin, Robin, we're gonna talk to him next. Thanks for coming on, buddy. It's good to talk to you.
Right to talk to you, Gary. Thanks for having us on. And I hope you join us.
Okay, I hope I can make it too.
Robin Dawson with us forty years with the Boston Film Festival. Let me tell you something that is that is quite an achievement with this business right now. Quite an achievement done by Eric Ronson with any Day Now. We'll talk to him about his new movie. That this You got to keep an eye out for this one. It's gonna be good. It's next on WBZ. Now back to Dan Ray Live from the Window World Nightside Studios on WBZ
News Radio. Today's You Like to Day have Matt, you do me a favor, I'll take care of your death.
I don't know where you're working. We're gonna rob the museum. We're gonna need your help. So are you like Gainston? Guys just are like sheep. They have to answer up for everything they do. I want to do something, I do it.
There's not someone in the trunk, is there?
Don't worry about that.
I love that Erica Ronson is with us. He is the director and the writer of any Data. It's a terrific movie starring Paul gilfol of Boston Guy. Everybody knows them from CSI and also don't look up where he played the Air Force colonel that was charging visitors for Snatch at the White House, which was hilarious, and Taylor Gray also in that scene. So Eric, I'm gonna let you explain the movie. It's about the Gardener Museum, heust, but it's got a different twist you've put on this thing.
Hi, I'm doing great.
Long time no see.
Yeah, longtime caller, first time listener. So the Gardener Museum is coming up on the thirty fifth anniversary of the robbery in March of next year, so I thought this would be a great time to tell one of the great myths of Boston, at least in my lifetime. There's the Whitey Bulger myth, right, and then there's the myth of the Gardener, and I just thought, you know, this is my first chance to make a movie in this town.
I made it locally. I made it with local actors, and we shot every minute of it here in Boston, all over in Chelsea, Cambridge, and we were in Medford and Malden like we went to all the places that the location scouts don't know about, and we made a truly Boston film. So I couldn't be any happier. I don't think it was any better fit for this movie to begin its move into the world by starting to the Boston Film Testival. So we're really excited about that.
And tell us about the roles of Paul and also Taylor Gray. So you have Paul, as you could hear in the trailer that he's the the old veteran criminal. He's terrific, by the way, and you have Taylor who's caught of this young, naive type of guy that falls into this web of crime.
But what because we do know about the.
Garden Museum's story and we've heard about it, but just give us a tease of what we'll see in your film.
Well, you know, there's things that we know and there's things that we don't know. So the good news is you can do anything with that story because no one knows what really happened. The bad news is the paintings are still missing and nobody knows what happened. So Taylor plays a young guard at the museum and Paul plays an art thief right and they find a way to maybe or maybe not work together on this faithful night, and.
You take you fill in some blanks. The reason I think so, the reason I think that this is.
So entertaining, and I want people to understand that that when you watch this movie, you're going to be entertained. There's fiction. You're fill in some blanks here, there's a comedic story. There's a great relationship between these guys. This is not just, you know, another story about the Gardener Gardner heist. This has got a twist to it. And I think one of the lines at the beginning says this didn't really happen. Or what is that opening line that says some of these things did not happen.
No, I think it says on the trailer. I think it says on you know, on March eighteenth, nineteen ninety five hundred million dollars with the bar. We're stolen from Boston's Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum. This is not what happened, Yeah, yeah, because of that's right, that's right, Yeah, this is happened. I wanted to make a fiction. You know, there's a Hollywood version of this. There's an Ocean's eleven version of this movie with you know, lasers and you know, people
talking really cool and all of that. I've been in that world.
I've been in that.
World for like twenty five years, right. I want to tell a story of the unique characters and the crazy wisdom of some of the crazy people that I know growing up and living in Boston.
Thank you, because the characters.
Characters are the key you start to catch up with. The characters are the key. And where we see character driven stories now generally are in series on streaming. We don't say it in film a lot because it's superheroes and so forth, and you know, we could talk about the industry for a couple of hours. But I'm happy to see these type of characters. I want to see character driven films, which is this is a character. Guilfoy is great. I mean he's and I've only seen the trailer.
I mean, this guy is I think you're going to do really well.
Eric.
I think this movie's gonna I think it's going to catch fire. I think that people are going to really enjoy it, and it's going to be a great ride. And you know the fact that you made it here and you're a Boston guy and I know you're in Hollywood, you know, hanging out with the Johnny depths of the world and all that stuff, but you came back, you get your fingernails dirty, and he made something here.
So I'm happy for you. Thank you.
Yeah, I knew from the beginning the idea was we don't make this movie without Paul like he you know, he was the target. He was the perfect guy for this. And in fact, we delayed it because of COVID. Chris Paul said, you know, you can't make a movie unless we can all sit around a table and talk and play, right, So we actually waited a little bit to make this movie. But Yeah, it's really exciting and I'm excited to show it, and I'm so glad that this is the first Uh,
this town is gonna be the first place to see it. It makes perfect sense.
Yeah, it totally does.
And Taylor gray Is who plays Steve, who plays the young man in it that that that Marty Paul Gilfoil is kind of bringing along for the ride. He's the guard at the museum. He's also playing Al Franken in the Saturday Night movie. So this kid's get some chops, that's right.
Yeah, he's got shots. People love him. That's that's. Everybody who sees the movie always asks about Tell. They said, who is that kid? And they play off each other really well. They have two totally different acting styles, and you know one is one is super prepared and one is seat of the pants. And that's the electricity that you get to watch between the two of them because you're watching two different after styles as well.
Can you share witches which or do we have to figure that out when we watch the movie.
Yeah, you can figure out. You can make your own determination.
Okay, we'll figure it out. Well, listen, do you what's what's on the docket after this? Anything coming up in Boston? Anything you're looking to do?
Yeah, I mean I'm looking. I'm looking to make a movie with you, Gary, you know, because you know, speaking of Boston actors, I gotta say that you're in the movie, so we can't. Let's not leave that off the table. I know you're being humble about it, but of the of the numerous Boston actors, you're in it too. Yeah, well, show up at this premiere.
Oh oh dude, don't worry. I'll be there. I will absolutely you there. Well, the news cast a role. I've kind of got that one down. I'm waiting for somebody to give me an opportunity to play a psychopath or something like that. But I don't know if that's going to happen. But I'll take what I can get. I'll take what I get.
Well, I don't know. I don't know if I don't know if the radio viewers know. But you you're you have a lovely way with words. That is a particular when you get angry. It's a very floral language that you that you display that that. I don't think people know that side of you. So let's I want to explore that side.
Oh believe me.
I remember the first time I said the F word in front of Jonathan Kraft and his head spun around. He said, I didn't know you swore. I said, oh yeah, oh yeah, we get there. Listen, it's a great movie, Erica Ronson, And the actual date that it's premiering, what is the actual date it is?
The first night is going to be Saturday, September twenty first, and then we're gonna have a second showing on Sunday the twenty second.
All right, and September and check it out Boston Film Festival, go online.
Do you have the location? Do you know for sure?
Yeah, it's at the Paramount Theater, which is like it's like that, it's like downtown crossing.
No, I know exactly where it is. What a great spot to have a premiere, Eric, Thanks for coming on, buddy.
I'll see you at the premiere. And it's been great. It's great to work with you, my friend.
Thank you, Gary. I'll see you down there.
Okay, folks, keep an eye Eric Ronson with us is the writing director of this film. Keep an eye out for this movie, not just because I'm in it. Well, you know it's good. It's just it's gonna be one of those movies that you sit and you watch and you're gonna laugh, and you're gonna enjoy the ride and you're gonna go.
How come they don't make more movies like that?
Okay any day Now, Saturday twenty first at the Paramount Theater Theater Boston Film Festival. Coming up next, we take a look at what's going on on ABC and the Read trial on WBZ.