The New Year Parade (2008) User Reviews

Poignant Mummer's Tale

[J_Trex · 8/10 · 4 November 2009]

This was a fascinating "reality show" type movie set in Philadelphia from Jan 2004 to Jan 2005. The subject matter of the film is a working class family in South Philly going through a messy divorce, the relationships between the Father, Mother, Daughter, & Son. There is a great deal of tension due to the impending divorce. The Father & the Son belong to the South Philly String Band, which marches in the annual Mummer's Day parade each New Year's Day. The story is thus twofold: the dynamics of the family going through the divorce process and the Mummer's Day parade backstory, which is actually the main story and what gives this movie a special edge, especially if you live around Philadelphia and watch these parades each year.

The casting and screenplay did have the appearance of a "reality show". I'm sure there was a screenplay but it's hard to tell while watching the movie. That's not to say the dialog was anything less than outstanding, it just had a spontaneous character to it. It seemed very genuine working class Philly.

The cinematography was outstanding, with many excellent pictures and scenes of South Philly, Mummer's preparing their costumes & practicing their music & dance routines, the screenplay and backstories were great.

As a Philly native, I really loved this movie, but even if you live in LA or NY or Dallas, this is worth checking out. It's a very good movie and as Indie movies go, quite excellent.

Examination of family breakup remains undeveloped in documentary-like first feature

[Turfseer · 4/10 · 19 February 2010]

Tom Quinn's recently released documentary-like feature "The New Year Parade" has been a long time in the making. Quinn initially developed the idea of an Irish Philadelphia working class family who's torn apart after the wife has an affair. He needed some kind of framing device and eventually settled on the annual Philadelphia "Mummers Parade' which has featured a competition between amateur marching bands since 1901. Quinn's protagonist is 25 year old Jack McMonogul, a bartender, who's also a long-time member of the South Philadelphia String Band. His father, Mike, a dock worker, has been in the band for years. When we first meet the String Band, they've finished in 13th place during the New Year's Parade and are looking for a new angle for next year's competition.

The South Philadelphia String Band gave Quinn unlimited access to their behind-the-scenes interactions and practice. Actual members of the band had speaking parts and a good deal of the dialogue feels improvised. The external plot involves the rather contrived dissension over the choice of the band's theme for next year's parade. Heading the dissenters is Jack, who objects to the idea of an Egyptian theme since a band in former years tried it and only came in third place. Jack and Mike argue which leads Jack to flirt with the idea of joining a rival band (at one point he actually goes for an interview but eventually nixes the idea).

While Quinn manages to extract credible performances from his cast of mostly non-professional actors, his story is thin. Mike has moved out of the family's house because he's angry with his wife Lisa due to her infidelity. We never learn why the wife had the affair nor do we see much of the wife during the film. Aside from Mike's anger and his commitment to the string band, his character is also pretty much of a cipher. The focus is more on Jack and his 16 year old sister, Kat. Jack feels caught in the middle between his parents and is unable to get them to reconcile. He has a girlfriend but most of his time is spent trying to decide whether he wants to remain in the string band. Kat is even more disturbed over her parents' breakup than Jack. There are a few interesting scenes of her confused interplay with various boyfriends but her character arc remains undefined by the film's end.

Quinn should be commended for ably editing all the band and parade footage into a coherent whole. For a first time effort, 'The New Year Parade' is well put together in terms of cinematography and editing. Unfortunately, the central conflict in the film (the break-up of the marriage) remains unexplored and the effect it had on family members is not dramatic enough to be memorable. Hence, the film's denouement feels unsatisfying. We're left merely with the footage of the 2005 parade featuring the South Philadelphia String Band flaunting their Egyptian costumes which probably should have been part of a documentary about the Mummer's Parade rather than the climax to a story about a family crisis.

beautiful and heartbreaking

[kpely · 10/10 · 8 July 2008]

I've seen it three times now (twice at South by Southwest and once at deadCENTER), and each time my love for the film grew. This film achieves everything that the so-called Mumblecore films strive for. The script is dramatic but not theatrical, and many scenes appear to be completely improvised to the extent that it almost becomes a documentary. This combined with the use of intimate spaces and mostly first-time actors makes this film feel like a slice of true life, where there are no easy answers and the simplest joys can be more uplifting than any made-up Hollywood ending.

See this film whenever you get a chance. Tom Quinn is a director to watch.

Excellent and proud to be a part.

[mmoran-76131 · 10/10 · 28 May 2019]

As a member of the South Philadelphia String Band I would like to commend Tom Quinn on a job well done and thank him for showing a side of Mummery not a lot of people get to see. Tom was a pleasure to have around our club and his dedication to his craft is commendable. My parts may have hit the cutting room floor for good reason but I would recommend any and all future projects Tom is attached to.