Covering Media

Cook County (2009/2011)

Opened: 12/16/2011 Limited

Trailer: Click for trailer

Websites: Home

Genre: Drama

Rated: Unrated

Synopsis

Xander Berkely, Anson Mount, and Ryan Donowho explode on the screen in this visceral tale about three generations of meth addicts living in the piney woods of East Texas.

Living in a small town and amongst a house full of crystal meth abusers, seventeen year-old Abe (Donowho) wrestles to beat an addiction to meth and struggles to protect himself and his young niece from an abusive Uncle Bump (Mount). When Sonny (Berkeley) returns home from prison seeking redemption from his son, Abe, the two must navigae the treacherous waters created by Bump, who will do almost anything to maintain a dangerous lifestyle fueled by crystal meth.

The tension and suspense build up to an electrifying ending where harrowing choices are made by all three men leading each of them to a different fate.

Unlike any other movie, COOK COUNTY unflinchingly tells a raw and real story of rural life where crystal meth dictates the family dynamic.

Director's Statement

COOK COUNTY is the story of an abused and alienated teenage boy wrestling with an addiction to crystal meth while living in a house full of crystal meth addicts. Set in the deep woods of East Texas, Abe (Ryan Donowho) faces a bleak existence with few opportunities. He's a high school dropout with virtually no contact to the world outside his small town. Making things even worse is Abe's abusive uncle, Bump (Anson Mount), who runs a mom and pop meth lab out of the kitchen and lives life on the edge with a meth-fueled craziness. Bump peddles meth to his neighbors and terrorizing Abe with hair-trigger pinache. Bump's "meth" parties fill the house with the worst types and endanger the lives of Abe and Bump's six year-old daughter, Deandra (Makenna Fitzsimmons).

A spark of hope emerges when Abe's father, Sonny (Xander Berkeley), unexpectedly returns home from a two-year prison sting. Sonny immediately provides some protection to Abe and Deandra, shielding them from Bump's antics, yet Sonny and Abe struggle to find common ground. Sonny also struggles to find a job, and on top of that, is being pushed by federal agents to help root-out drug dealers in the area. Unknown to Bump or Abe, Sonny soon begins handing over old friends to the authorities.

The pressure mounts on Sonny as he tries to balance his quest for redemption in the eyes of Abe and the urge for self-preservation amidst the storm being brought upon him by federal agents. It becomes clear that Sonny must reconcile his past and pay his debts in order to salvage any semblance of a relationship with his son.

As the story unravels, Bump's behavior spirals and the safety of Abe and Deandra reaches a panic level. At the peak of chaos, and with Sonny away from home, Abe is chased by Bump in a race to save Deandra, who has been rented out for nothing more than money to buy meth. At a crossroads of saving or losing Deandra forever, Abe is backed into a corner where he finds Bump's shotgun propped up against the wall. When Sonny returns to discover the remnants of a horrific scene, his personal road to redemption becomes clear. In the culmination of an electrifying ending, Sonny sacrifices himself in the hope of giving Abe and Deandra the lives they deserve.

About the Cast

Xander Berkeley (Sonny) Xander began building a strong acting career more than twenty-five years ago with appear- ances in television shows such as M*A*S*H, Cagney & Lacy, Miami Vice, Falcon Crest and The A-Team. He made his feature film debut opposite Faye Dunaway in Mommy Dearest. With a long list of movie credits, some of Xander's more memorable performances include starring roles in Candyman, Gattica, Volunteers, Sid and Nancy, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Internal Affairs, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Leaving Las Vegas, Air Force One, A Few Good Men, Amistad, North Country and Shanghai Noon. Xander also had the distinction of appearing in both the made-for-TV movie L.A. Takedown in 1985 and its 1995 critically-acclaimed remake Heat, both directed by Michael Mann. Xander has also built a strong television career with appearances in many popular television shows, such as ER and Boston Legal, as well as a re- curring role opposite Kiefer Sutherland in the hit series 24.

Anson Mount (Bump) A classically trained actor, Anson made his feature film debut in the starring role of the independent movie Tully. He next starred in the movies Crossroads and City By The Sea. Some of Anson's other film credits include Pool Hall Junkies, Urban Legends: Final Cut, In Her Shoes, Everybody Loves Mandy Lane and the HBO Project Green Light film The Battle For Shaker Heights with Shia LeBeouf. While Anson is best known for his film work, he has made several appearance on popular television shows such as Ally McBeal, Third Watch, Law and Order, Sex and the City, and Smallville. He also starred in the ABC drama Line of Fire and recently starred in the made- for-TV movie The Two Mr. Kissels. With a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from Columbia University, Anson is an expert clown coach and has also built a strong stage acting resume, performing opposite Alan Cumming in Jean Genet's Elle and in the controversial production of Terrence McNally's play Corpus Christi.

Ryan Donowho (Abe) Born in Houston, Texas, Ryan began his per- formance career as a musician. At 18 he moved to New York City where he made a name for himself playing bucket drums in the city's subways and clubs. In 2003, Ryan played opposite Emile Hirsch in the film The Mudge Boy. He also appeared in Rhythm of the Saints and Broken Flowers. The following year Ryan played opposite Colin Farrell and Sissy Spacek in A Home at the End of the World. He also returned to the screen opposite Emile Hirsch in the well-received film Imaginary Heroes. Some of Ryan's other film credits include The Flavor, In From the Night, Flakes, Sleepwalkers and The Pacific and Eddy. Ryan is also well-known for his recurring role in the hit television show The O.C.

Rutherford "Ruddy" Cravens (Fat Earl) Ruddy is a native Texan and a classically- trained actor who teaches drama at The University of Houston and annually appears the Houston Shakespeare Festival. He has an impressive filmography that includes movies such as RoboCop 2, Friday Night Lights, The Alamo and Ray. His television career includes roles in the made-for-television movies Streets of Laredo and Into the West. Ruddy recently appeared in the Academy Award- winning film No Country for Old Men.

Brandon Smith (Wayne) Brandon is another native Texan. He began his film career opposite Paul Newman in Blaze. He has also had leading roles in hit films such as Powder, RoboCop 2, A Perfect World, She Gets What She Wants, The Alamo, Jeepers Creepers and The Rookie. Brandon has also established a strong television career with guest appear- ances in shows such as Prison Break and Friday Night Lights, as well as the made- for-television movie Into the West. Brandon was also recently seen in the Academy Award-winning film No Country for Old Men.

Scott Nankivel (Luke) Born and raised in Fargo, North Dakota, Scott received a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from Columbia University. He was a member of the Groundlings for two years and is also a stand-up comedian. His acting career includes roles in films such as 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover and Poolhall Junkies. He has also performed in multiple webisodes and shorts and has had guest starring roles in the television shows Monk and The Rob Nelson Show.

Polly Cole (Lucy) Polly graduated from Vasser College with a BA in Film and Theatre. She also attended the Oxford University School of Drama and is a member of The Actor's Studio. Polly has built a strong acting resume with recurr- ing roles in television shows such as Line of Fire and Undressed, as well as guest starring roles in shows that include ER, The Handler, 7th Heaven, Strong Medicine and Cold Case. She is also known for her roles in films such as What Matters Most and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.

J.D. Hawkins (Peanut) Our good friend JD passed away on January 29, 2009. He was an outstanding actor with roles in television and in films such as Friday Night Lights and The Man Who Came Back. More importantly, however, JD was a genuine, kind and soft-spoken family man who was an absolute joy to be around.

Makenna Fitzsimmons (Deandra) Makenna began her career in entertainment at the early age of six when she began appearing in television commercials and starred in her first feature-length film Plight of the Living Dead. Her role in as Deandra in Cook County marks her as an up-and-coming young actress with a bright future.

John McClain (Uncle JD) John grew up in Waco, Texas, graduated from Baylor University and has covered the NFL for the Houston Chronicle for 33 years. He's an avid film fan who has appeared in movies like The Rookie, The Longest Yard, Invincible and The Game Plan. John is a contributor to ESPN and the NFL Network. His work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News and NFL.com. John is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee. He's a past president of the Pro Football Writers of America. In 2006, he won the Dick McCann Memorial Award and is enshrined at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He can be heard on six weekly sports talk shows in four cities, including Houston and Nashville.

About the Filmmakers

David Pomes (Writer/Director) David is also from Houston, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991. He received his JD from Texas Tech University, School of Law in 1996. For the following ten years David practiced law in Dallas and Houston. During the final year of his legal career, he wrote the script for "Cook County" and soon after quit the practice of law. "Cook County" marks David's first venture into the world of filmmaking. He has since written multiple feature-length scripts, as well as writing and directing a short film.

Branan Edgens (Editor) Branan was an Eagle Scout from Rome Georgia before studying Art History at The University of the South and Film at Syracuse University. Since moving to New York ten years ago he has held numerous positions in television, as well as short and feature film, including head of special effects makeup for the BBC's miniseries "Smallpox: Silent Weapon", Director of Photography for the feature film "New Guy" and as Editor on projects ranging from multiple feature films and commercials to productions for The Discovery Channel. He continues to freelance wherever he is needed. In between freelance jobs he enjoys writing stories and working on his own short films and documentaries.

Brad Rushing (Director of Photography) Brad is a native Houstonian who studied fine art at Houston's School for Performing & Visual Arts and the University of Houston. He is a skilled cinematographer who has worked as a director of photography on feature films such as Torque, Addams Family Reunion, Winter Break and Love and Mary. He is also well-known for his work in commercials and music videos. He has shot video for performing artists the likes of Britney Spears, Moby, Eminem, Ashlee Simpson, George Michael, Mariah Carey and Ricky Martin. In 2002, Brad won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography and was the director of photography on the Eminem video that won MTV's Video of the Year. Brad also won a CSC Award for Best Cinematography in a Music Video in 2005.