On the opening day of Philip Noyce‘s Fast Charlie, costar Morena Baccarin (Homeland, Gotham, The Endgame, the Deadpool franchise) naturally wanted to see the just-opened thriller, in which she costars with Pierce Brosnan, in a proper setting. And so two days later (Sunday, December 10th) she had quite the theatrical encounter. It happened on the third day of Fast Charlie‘s only NYC-area booking.
The bayou-based thriller was berthed at the Kent Theatre (1170 Coney Island Ave.), which is in the Kensington district.
Morena and actor-husband Ben McKenzie had decided to catch a screening over dinner on Friday, 12.8. They invited three family members but soon after discovered that only a single noon screening was scheduled for Sunday — the only showing that Fast Charlie was afforded that day. That’s correct — no late afternoons or evenings.
So come Sunday they all trouped out to the Kent, which is located, Morena says,”in a very old-school Brooklyn neighborhood…not a lot of people hanging around.” It was fairly rainy. They arrived around 11:30 am, and encountered a 15 year-old employee who was just opening up.
Morena: “Hey, we’re here to see Fast Charlie!”
15 Year Old Kid: “Uhm, whut?” (recovers from shock, collects himself) “Uhm, I’m not sure we’re showing it because Fast Charlie has not been a popular film so far. I’ll…uhhm, I’ll have to ask the manager.”
The manager said okay and so Morena, Ben and the gang entered the lobby, bought loads of candy and popcorn and settled into the film. Except the Kent staff had forgotten to turn the theatre lights off when the film began. Ben asked if they would mind doing so. The sound was fine, Morena recalls.
The film was great and they all had an excellent time, and the Kent staff was very polite. No, neither the 15 year-old kid or the manager realized that Morena was Brosnan’s top-billed costar. Or if they did they didn’t let on.
Morena and Ben would’ve preferred it if Vertical had booked Fast Charlie into the Cobble Hill Cinema plex, which is close to where they live. Or at one of the nearby Alamo theatres.
Fast Charlie team to Vertical Distribution: Thanks for an immersive last-exit-to-Brookyn experience that we’ll never forget!