The Big Ugly,a revenge film set in West Virginia and shot in Morehead, Ky., opens Friday July 24, at the Mariemont Theater and other movie houses and drive-ins.
Vinnie Jones, an English soccer star turned actor, plays the enforcer in a money laundering scheme who travels from London with his boss (Malcolm McDowell, Bombshell, A Clockwork Orange, Halloween) to West Virginia to celebrate a deal with an oilman (Ron Perlman, Beauty And The Beast, Hellboy II).
Jones, also a producer, has appeared in Snatch, Arrow, Deception and X-Men: The Last Stand.
The cast includes Leven Rambin (Gone, The Hunger Games, True Detective), Nicholas Braun (Succession, How To Be Single), Bruce McGill (Animal House, Shades of Blue, Rizzoli & Isles, Lincoln), Joelle Carter (Justified, Chicago Justice, Scandal), Brandon Sklenar (Mapplethorpe, Vice), Lenora Crichlow (Deception, Back In The Game, Fast Girls), David Myers Gregory (Dark Waters, The Public) and Cincinnati native Kevin Crowley (Carol, Major League, Goat, Army Wives).
The Big Uglyhas plenty of Ohio ties. It was written, directed and produced by Scott Wiper, who was born in Chargin Falls and grew up in Granville, according to Cleveland.com. Wiper wanted to film in New Philadelphia, but chose a new location because Ohio Film Commission tax incentives "didn't work out." It was shot in Morehead two years ago.
About 75% of the crew is from Ohio, Wiper told Cleveland.com. Casting director D. Lynn Meyers and costume designer Zachary Sheets are from Cincinnati. Producer Karri O'Reilly is a Dayton native.
"Although not filmed directly in Cincinnati, knowing the film would not have been possible without the talent and workforce cultivated right here in our region is a testament of our work we are incredibly proud of," Kristen Schlotman, Film Cincinnati executive director, said in a media release Thursday. "We are thrilled that Karri and her team were able to rely on the cast and crew from Greater Cincinnati to make their story come to life."
The film, distributed by Vertical Entertainment, will also opens Friday at Dayton's Dixie Drive-In. It will be available for video on demand Friday, July 31.
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