I mean as bizarre as "Rubin & Ed" starring Crispin Glover and Howard Hesseman is, at least it is not boring. "Cas & Dylan" on the other hand is a road trip that goes nowhere. The acting is strong by Richard Dreyfuss, but the screenplay meanders and quite frankly is sleep inducing. The subject matter borders on depressing, and suicide never has been dealt with very successfully, except perhaps in "The End", which is a hilarious "black comedy" starring Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise. "Cas & Dylan" has neither the outrageousness of "Rubin & Ed", or the "dark comedy" of "The End". So the movie really just sort of drifts along to the end. - MERK

I haven't written anything on IMDb for Ages, but Tatiana Maslany's appalling snub at this year's Golden Globes has prompted me to vent my anger in some way...So....If you get off watching TV Movies about 'Life Stories' you'll pretty much know what to expect from this film. "A dying Doctor, who plans to check out on his own terms, takes a reluctant detour when he inadvertently winds up on the lam with an 'anything-but-normal' 22-year-old girl." Yep..that's pretty well it, but it does star Tatiana and Richard Dreyfuss.Like meself, I'm sure most of you watched this because of 'Orphan Black' and wanted to see Tatiana in something where she is only playing one part. And you won't be disappointed. She starts by playing a part that, to be honest, is probably too young for her. However since her role is about someone who has to grow up and face reality, this more than compensates. In the same way, Richard Dreyfuss's character thinks that he can only face the end by turning his back on the rest of the world, yet realises that there is still time for new friendships. You can almost see him warming to the part. There is some genuine chemistry (in a Father/Daughter way) between himself and his co-star as the movie progresses. Probably the best scene in the film is when her dreams are crushed and she says she is just "ordinary", to which Richard's character lets loose with that famous 'Dreyfuss' laugh. So, the obvious question, can Tatiana hack it as ('just') a leading actress? Damn straight. Will she get parts in films which she richly deserves? Well..probably not.

I admit, even as a Canadian, I am always a little wary of Canadian film. It hasn't always had the best reputation. Canadian Films tends to be low budget and go out of their way to be so called "uniquely Canadian" while sacrificing entertainment and sometimes plot to do that. I watch films to be moved and entertained so I don't care how "Canadian" it feels. I also admit I watched Cas & Dylan for one reason and that is Tatiana Maslany. I adore her. I have a huge crush on her and I think she is a brilliant actress. I base all of that on the fact that I became an enormous Orphan Black fan this year and I think she is awe inspiring in her multi-roles. I was excited to watch her in a film doing something a little different. Cas & Dylan starts out a little slow and then gradually works its way into your heart...not unlike both of our lead characters in the film. It is a sweet, fun, sad and maybe just a tad predictable story about two unlikely friends travelling across Canada. What started as an okay 6/10 movie ended with me having tears in my eyes and giving this a solid 8. It is well acted, carefully plotted and features two very, very good actors doing what they do best. Its a buddy film, a road trip film, a dark comedy and a deeply touching movie that will have you thinking about it long after its over.Of course I already pronounced my adoration for star Tatiana Maslany. She is charismatic, strong, and a complex character that you really have to watch to appreciate. She has a lot going on in this film and not all of it is explored but she does an excellent job. As in Orphan Black she commands your attention and carries the film flawlessly. She does this with the help of a legendary character actor in the form of Richard Dreyfuss. I've always enjoyed his work but its been a long time since I've seen him in anything. He is exceptional in this!! The chemistry between him and Maslany is near perfect and grows throughout the film as you watch their turbulent friendship unfold. Dreyfuss gives a subtle performance that you think about after and simply think...wow. The two of them are absolutely the backbone and focus of the film. Costs are obviously kept low by this being nearly a two person film with a few quirky characters along the way including a small role by Canadian legend Jayne Eastwood.Anyone who says "Jason Priestly" immediately makes everyone think 90210 but he has been a film maker behind the scenes for awhile now. He has done a lot of directing various types of Television series and honing his skills and I happen to think he did a very good job with this. It wasn't perfect, he certainly doesn't use the Canadian backdrop the way some directors would but to me...I couldn't care less. This is a character study through and through and he makes those characters come to life. Unlike many independent films the director did not write the film and this is a positive move as well. I don't think a writer very often knows how to properly direct their own work. Cas & Dylan is definitely not a mainstream sort of film but anyone who wants a nice story, a solid drama, with good performances and see something uniquely Canadian that is very entertaining and moving then you shouldn't be disappointed by this. Absolutely worth seeing especially if you too are a fan of Maslany or Dreyfuss! 8/10

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." John Steinbeck The concept of a road movie featuring a mis-matched duo who don't get along, directed by Brandon from Beverly Hills 90210, sounds like a horrendous straight-to-TV movie. The reality is that this might just be this year's Little Miss Sunshine. It is a surprisingly sweet movie, tinged with darkness and light in equal measure. The plot centres around Dr Cas Pepper (Dr Pepper!!!), who at the start of the film is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and decides, rather than spend his few remaining days in a hospital bed hooked up to machines, he is going to go out on his own terms. At the same time Dylan, played by Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany, literally barges her way into the Doctor's life and the unlikely duo begin their journey "out west" where, along the way, Dylan plans to help Cas with his suicide note.The storyline is nothing new, however, what sets this apart is the two magnificent leads. Richard Dreyfuss delivers his best performance in decades, sidestepping what could have been a clichéd grumpy old man performance into a fully developed character that demands both sympathy and respect. Tatiana Maslany is practically incandescent, bringing Dylan to life with charisma and sadness that contradicts her front of being a fee spirit. Her obvious lies and exaggerations do not convey an irritating Zooey Deschanel level of kooky, but instead make the viewer pity the girl who is obviously inventing a life better than the one she currently occupies.Jason Priestley seems a bizarre choice for someone who is known primarily as a teen heart throb and has only previously directed television episodes. However, he displays a wonderful eye for both characters and visuals. The scenery, as the duo take their cross country trip through the various landscapes of Canada, is as beautiful as anything a Planet Earth documentary could show. For a film that is primarily just two people in a car talking, he avoids any gimmicky shots and shows a confidence in his two leads to hold the audience's attention. Priestley has shown hidden depth as an actor before in both Tombstone and the criminally underrated Love and Death on Long Island, which was sadly eclipsed by the similar Gods and Monsters. He is just as surprising as a director and one gets the feeling that his accomplishments behind the camera will soon outstrip his achievements in front of it.The film is laced with wonderful moments of humour and heartbreaking moments of tenderness that never leaves the viewer feeling emotionally manipulated. It is rare that comedy-dramas deliver on both fronts but this one does wonderfully. The unlikely trio of Dreyfuss, Maslany and Priestley has delivered a beautiful film that will hopefully find a deserved audience and, if nothing else, should see a rise in the sale of orange VW Beatles. You may leave the cinema with a tear in your eye but you will have a smile on your face. - See more at:www.followingthenerd.com