SXSW 2011: Interview with Brian Cano (A Bag of Hammers)

Brian Cano, the filmmaker behind the SXSW-selected A Bag of Hammers describes his two leading men Ben (Jason Ritter) and Alan (co-writer Jake Sandvig) as ‘the last people you would want to leave your car with, much less your kid.’ Alas, while stealing cars through their fake valet service, Ben and Alan end up caring for Kelsey (Chandler Canterbury), a young boy with a negligent, if well-meaning mother (Carrie Preston). Alan’s sister Mel (Rebecca Hall) provides the only voice of reason in this world of impulsive men.

Cano noted that ‘their (Ben and Alan’s) whole lifestyle is about suppressing anything that’s difficult or real. (…) It’s really about people repressing until they can’t anymore.’ Cano uses the archetype of the stunted male but subverts it by giving them a conscience, agency and compassion. This film had its world premiere at SXSW in Austin where I met up with Cano for an interview.